Actress and Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association (BHA) Julie Hesmondhalgh will be leading on a right to die story in the British soap Coronation Street when her character Hayley becomes terminally ill. The BHA who have long campaigned for the right to die and are supporting the assisted dying legal cases of Jane Nicklinson and Paul Lamb welcome the news as an opportunity for public debate and to highlight the need for parliament to legislate to allow people to die with dignity.
Hayley who is the first transgender character in a British soap will be diagnosed with inoperable cancer and decide she wants to take her own life as her condition deteriorates. The public consistently and overwhelmingly supports both sorts of assisted death, with 81% saying last year that mentally competent individuals with incurable or terminal diseases who wish to end their lives should be able to receive medical assistance to do so, without those assisting them facing prosecution.
Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, commented ‘We are delighted to see Coronation Street taking on this storyline and for it to be centred around Julie’s character. They are tackling what is one of the most important bio-ethical issues of our time. When a mentally competent adult is suffering incurably, is permanently incapacitated, and has made a clear and informed decision to end their life but is unable to do so independently, simple compassion calls out to us to give assistance – it’s the right thing to do. That’s what the overwhelming majority of the British public believe, and we think the law should reflect that and it is a great opportunity to have a public discussion through this storyline being run on such a popular soap’
Notes
For further comment or information contact Pavan Dhaliwal, Head of Public Affairs at pavan@humanists.uk or on 0773 843 5059.
Polling showing 81% of public support assisted dying:
http://humanists.uk/2012/09/07/news-1108/
Previous BHA news article – ‘L’ waives right to anonymity in assisted dying court case:
http://humanists.uk/2013/04/18/paul-lamb-l-waives-right-to-anonymity-in-assisted-dying-court-case/
Previous BHA news article – Court of Appeal allows ‘L’ to join Tony Nicklinson Claim:
http://humanists.uk/2013/03/20/court-of-appeal-allows-l-to-join-tony-nicklinson-claim/
Previous BHA news article – New case to test rules on assisted dying in UK:
http://humanists.uk/2011/08/19/news-873/
The BHA’s campaign on Assisted Dying:
http://humanists.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/assisted-dying/
The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. It promotes a secular state and equal treatment in law and policy of everyone, regardless of religion or belief.