Hello - I am writing from Love Productions, an award-winning British factual television company. We are developing a documentary that we hope will raise the awareness of assisted dying in the UK and worldwide. We are looking to speak with people living in the US who have the Death with Dignity Act in your state or are thinking about moving state in order to use act.
At present, UK law does not permit the same end of life choices for people with terminal illness that some US states offer. There is growing concern about the suffering this causes and more and more people are now campaigning for a change in the law to allow people the right to die. 80% of the British public have expressed their support for a change in the laws surrounding death with dignity and some people predict that we could see this happening within the next two years. However, there is still strong opposition and many misconceptions about what this change in the law might mean.
In response to this we strongly believe that it is a crucial time to be making a documentary exploring an individual’s right to end their own life. We hope to speak to people involved in this choice and from them understand why it is so important to have this right. We believe that in showing a system, where physician assisted death is in practice and successfully so, we would be able to show how the UK might be able to soon follow in its footsteps.
A little about us - Love Productions specialises in documentaries that highlight important social issues in an accessible and thought-provoking way. Last year we made a critically acclaimed series called ‘My Last Summer’ which followed a group of terminally ill people and their families as they explored issues around death and dying together. It was a sensitive and empowering series that uncovered taboos and gave a voice to people who are so often forgotten at a time of great need.
I am looking to talk to people in America who are contemplating using the Death with Dignity act in order to understand better how having this right affects your experience of death. At this stage we are in the research stage and all discussions are confidential and not for broadcast.
I look forward to hearing from you.
