Foreword

A Book of Life is the sister booklet to Against Assisted Dying

Both were devised to put forward the anti euthanasia case.  They

also aim to limit the damage done by the huge amount of

publicity given to the other side since Diane Pretty started her

unsuccessful campaign for the legal right to ask someone to end

her life when she had had enough.

Even before the current media attention I was aware that as a

severely disabled person my life would be vulnerable to being

cut short if I needed life sustaining care for any length of time.

No matter what safeguards are introduced I am convinced

that my life would be even more vulnerable if euthanasia were

ever legalised because then letting people like me die early

would become the norm.

What has made the public want euthanasia? Fear of becoming

disabled, ignorance of what is available to help overcome

disabilities, fear of being out of control in a hospital setting,

and an overwhelming sense of pity for anyone being able to do

less and less as a result of a progressive disability have all

contributed.

A Story of Life seeks to show that life is worth an infinite

amount no matter how disabled a person is or is likely to become.

Although our education system is not always very good at

revealing creativity my experience has shown that if you can

reach below the conditioning there is creativity in everyone.

Being creative may allow you to leave something for posterity

but it will definitely allow you to assert your individuality and

show your worth.