Woman who will ‘die in husband's arms’ reveals how she’ll spend final days before using double ‘suicide pod’
A woman who hopes to die alongside her husband in a controversial 'double suicide pod' has explained how she wishes to spend her final days.
Peter and Christine Scott, 86 and 80 respectively, hope to 'die in each other's arms' in the Sarco death capsule, and have told their story to the Mail on Sunday.
Peter, a former RAF engineer, and Christine, a retired nurse, have been married for 46 years and have six grandchildren.
Their decision to sign up for the Sarco 'suicide pods' came as a result of Christine's recent diagnosis of early-stage vascular dementia.
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Christine has outlined how she would like to spend her last days in Switzerland, before dying with her husband.
She said: "I’d like to go walking with Peter in the Swiss Alps, by a river. I’d have a beautiful plate of fish for my last supper, and enjoy a great bottle of Merlot.
"I’d make a playlist including 'Wild Cat Blues' and 'The Young Ones' by Cliff Richard and I’ve found a poem called Miss Me But Let Me Go, which sums up exactly how I feel."
She continued: "It's a lovely life but I have this diagnosis, and that's crystallised our thinking.
"Medicine can slow vascular dementia but it can't stop it. At the point I thought I was losing myself, I'd say: 'This is it, Pete, I don't want to go any further'."
Peter has also opened up about their decision to seek end of life treatment.
He said: "We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives but here we are in old age and it does not do nice things to you.
"The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris' mental abilities in parallel to my own physical decline is horrific to me."
He continued: "Obviously I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life.
"Assisted dying gives her that opportunity and I would not want to go on living without her.
"We understand other people may not share our feelings and we respect their position. What we want is the right to choose. I find it deeply depressing we can't do that here in the UK."
He added: "Yet look at the alternative. The chances of getting prompt NHS treatment for the ailments of old age seem pretty remote so you end up trapped by infirmity and pain.
"I don't want to go into care, to be lying in bed dribbling and incontinent - I don't call that a life.
"Finally, the Government swoops in to take your savings and your house to pay for it all."
Switzerland's Sarco pods were created for the use of assisted suicide and in 2021, passed an independent legal review.
The portable capsules, which are made with 3D-printing technology by Exit International, take approximately 10 minutes to confirm a death.
The death is caused by the Sarco pods filling with nitrogen.
The nitrogen ultimately causes the rapid reduction of oxygen levels, leaving the person inside to lose consciousness before passing away.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: NHS, Health, News, World News, UK News
Kya Buller