Brian Griffin has incurable blood cancer, he has spoken out in support of the assisted dying bill (Image: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard / National World/ SWNS)
Brian Griffin, 72, who has bone marrow cancer, says the law is essential as it means he can avoid ‘excruciatingly prolonged’ suffering from further chemotherapy.
His first stem cell transplant gave him 10 healthy years, but he then needed another one in 2021 and knows that second transplants don’t last as long.
While he is well at the moment, Brian knows eventually its effects will wear off, leaving only his only options as more chemotherapy and palliative care.
Brian said: “A relative of mine had a horrible, horrible death, squirming around on the bed for hours and hours in total agony and the medical staff were refusing to give them any more pain relief.
“That person would have benefited from assisted dying and I don’t want to find myself in that situation.
“Let’s face it: if a dog or other pet was suffering like that, everyone would think that the only humane thing to do would be to help it on its way.
“But because we are talking about human beings, there is a different reaction and suffering is excruciatingly prolonged.
“Palliative care can be excellent, but in some – certainly not all – cases it only works for so long and then the pain begins to break through.”
Brian Griffin at home (Image: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard / National World/ SWNS)
A proposed change in the law to allow terminally ill people to choose to end their lives will begin its passage through Parliament on November 29, and Brian is a big supporter.
For almost three years, the Express crusade has fought alongside campaign group Dignity in Dying to highlight this injustice. A petition earlier this year gained over 200,000 signatures.
The campaign is backed by Dame Esther Rantzen, who has joined Dignitas after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer herself.
Despite polls consistently showing that most members of the public support the legalisation of assisted dying for the terminally ill, MPs have so far failed to represent their constituents on the issue, and in 2015 voted down a similar Bill by 330 votes to 118.
MPs will be given a free vote on the bill which proposes a law which would be applicable only to those aged over 18 of sound mind and with fewer than six months to live.
Additionally, cases would have to be approved by two doctors and a judge.
Brian added: “Other people can have palliative care but I don’t want it. I am prepared to sacrifice a few months of living with extreme pain to go sooner and more comfortably.
“Of course every care must be taken that a patient isn’t being coerced into doing this or they don’t know what they are asking for.
“But when the pain gets really bad I want the right to be able to say ‘now is the time for me to go.’”
Travelling to the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, Brian said, would cost £15,000 – money he’d rather give to his children.
He’d also have to go alone, as if he were accompanied by wife Denise or either of his children, they would be at risk of prosecution.
Brian Griffin and his wife Denise at their home (Image: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard / National World/ SWNS)
He added: “The bill seems fine to me with plenty of checks and balances. It would be the most tightly regulated assisted dying law in the world if it were passed.
“There are religious groups, some receiving funding to try to get it stopped, and others, including Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson for whom I have great respect, talking about the ‘slippery slope’ of this law then allowing relatives to bump off disabled relatives they want rid of.
“But the religious arguments strike me as ridiculous, and the slippery slope argument is about something that is just not going to happen.
“This law would only apply to people whom two doctors agree have less than six months to live, are compos mentis and a judge will be involved as well.
“If this law isn’t passed or my health deteriorates before it is, I suppose I could go to Switzerland if I had the money, but I would much rather give that to my children.”
Brian was a secondary school teacher before he had to curtail his career after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2007.
Surgery and chemo tackled that particular illness, but three years later he bizarrely suffered a shattered arm picking up just a 3kg weight.
And after much puzzlement from various doctors, it was finally concluded that he had multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow.
Speaking about his treatment journey, Brian said: “Once a second transplant wears off, it’s just chemotherapy until you get fed up or pass away.
“To be honest it was such an horrendous experience having the second transplant that I wouldn’t go through it again unless it was guaranteeing me many more years.”
Wife Denise said: “Brian went through chemotherapy on two occasions and he found it difficult dealing with that.
“I am concerned about how Brian will deal with it if he needs it again.
“If it’s your choice not to participate in assisted dying, I’m sure you don’t have to.
“But you should have the choice to be able to participate in it, and the only way to do that is to make assisted dying legal.”