Paola Marra, the ex-wife of Drummer Dave Rowntree, made the tragic choice to travel to Dignitas in Switzerland alone to end her own life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The ex-wife of Blur drummer Dave Rowntree left a staggering amount in her will after travelling alone to end her life. Paola Marra, who was married to the Britpop icon from 1994 till their divorce in the early 2000s, was terminally ill.
Despite the breakdown of their marriage, Dave was one of the people to support his ex-wife after she was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer and later made the decision to end her own life in Zurich, Switzerland. Paola opted to fly out to Dignitas alone in March last year after facing several rounds of arduous treatment and surgeries.
Knowing her cancer was terminal, she didn’t want to face a probability of painful death, which was made worse due to the fact she was allergic to painkillers. New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia allow terminally ill adults to end their life on their own terms.
Paola left almost £1million in her will to her two brothers and two sisters. Her £941,000 estate also saw Paola leave £50,000 to her ex Dave as well as £4,000 each to four charities. She added £10,000 to a friend for looking after her pets, according to the Sun.
Following Paola’s death, Dave voiced his frustration over existing laws that present some people with terminal illnesses with the ‘brutal’ choice of wanting to end their lives, but being unable to legally request assistance from others.
Speaking six months on from his ex-wife’s death at Dignitas in Switzerland, the musician used the word ‘psychopathic’ to describe the current laws related to assisted dying in the UK. He claims they show “absolutely no empathy for the sufferer”.
Many members of the public – and celebrities like Dame Esther Rantzen – want the government to follow in the footsteps of the likes of New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia and allow terminally ill adults to end their life on their own terms.
In an emotional interview, Dave described the current legality of assisted dying as “the system washing its hands of difficult problems in a way that I can’t stomach.” That is the state’s entire purpose. The state has the authority to declare war…
What the point is having the state if it doesn’t have to make these kinds of difficult decisions? The whole point of this [should be] to try to make things easier for the real victim in this – the terminally ill person. “This is psychopathic, where we are now.
The drummer, who also lost his father to bowel cancer last year, went on to tell the Guardian how he initially tried to convince his ex-wife not to travel to Switzerland to die. He tried to persuade Paola to prepare for a comfortable death at home in London.
He offered to travel to Switzerland with his ex-wife when she supported Dignitas, but he was unable to do so because of the possibility he might be able to commit suicide under the current UK laws.
Paola abruptly changed her mind and requested a helicopter to take her there. The musician described how his ex-boyfriend said, “I don’t know if I can do this on my own,” and he immediately began looking for flights there.
The following morning, she called him back to say she had called him back and pleaded with him not to come. Anyone who is suspected of helping a loved one end their own life faces a 14-year jail term, Dave said, “They have to creep around like criminals because anyone they tell is potentially at risk of arrest.”
Paola left a heartbreaking video in the wake of her death as she urged politicians to change the UK’s current “cruel law” which criminalises assisted dying.
She said, “When you watch this, I will be dead,” in a movie that came out shortly after her passing. I’m requesting assisted dying because I don’t want a terminal illness to dictate how long I’ll live. The suffering and pain can become intolerable. It is a gradual decline in self-worth, independence, and everything that makes life worthwhile.
“Assisted dying is not about giving up,” says the author. It’s about reclaiming control, to be precise. It’s about dignity, not death. Giving people the right to end their suffering on their own terms, with love and respect, is what it is. I’m therefore dead as you watch this. However, watching this might lead to changes to assisted dying laws.
People living with cancer and their loved ones can receive private support from The Macmillan Support Line. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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Source: Mirror
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