Frank is 99 years old and is a survivor of both prostate and bowel cancer. But it is mainly his osteoporosis that causes his increasing suffering now. He has had five agonising spinal fractures in the past year, as his bones progressively weaken. The curvature of his spine is so bad that his lower ribs press against his thighs. Corrective surgery is out of the question because of his age. He has been taken into care against his will because he cannot look after himself.
He also suffers pain from an “unidentified nerve” for which he is given heavy drugs. The drugs only partially relieve the pain; worse still, they dull his brain and disorient him. Frank is very fearful of letting go of his mind and fearful of spending his final days bed-ridden, in a drug-induced haze.
Frank is no wuss: he joined the armed forces at age 17 and was decorated with the highest award, the Legion of Honour, for his participation in the liberation of France.
All he wants now is a peaceful, assisted death but osteoporosis is not a “terminal” disease, so he is ineligible. He has applied twice for assisted dying but has been turned down.
He feels abandoned and betrayed by a cruel law that forces him to suffer without hope of relief. He would gladly exchange places with someone whose diagnosis is a terminal cancer, so he could put an end to his suffering.
In His Own Words (sent to all members of parliament, August 2024)
I would gladly have died for my country. Now I'm asking my country's help to die. Although aged 99 years, I am ineligible for assisted dying. I meet all of the eligibility criteria except one: my assisted dying doctor was unable to find me "likely to die within 6 months". Here are the other eligibility criteria all of which I meet abundantly.
The End of Life Choice Act 2019 is due for review later this year. But I am told it will still be necessary for a MP to bring an Amendment Bill to shift this cruel "likely to die within 6 months" criterion to something a bit more merciful and achievable. That could take a long time. And all during that time, my suffering will increase. My bones are crumbling, my spine is fracturing, the pain is horrific. I have twice tried palliative care drugs, but the side-effects are terrible; among other things, they cause me hallucinations - quite a common occurrence, I understand. I am not depressed. My family loves me and I love them. I am exhausted. Let me go.
Please make an exception to the law for me. Let me die with some shred of dignity.
Please. I am your prisoner now. Alternatively, hasten the passage of a better law.
Yours sincerely
Frank Sanft
Recipient of the Légion d’Honeur Award for assistance in the liberation of France in WWII and proud, faithful ANZAC.