Veteran broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen has delivered a profoundly moving update on her health, disclosing that the medication treating her stage four lung cancer has completely stopped working. The 85-year-old, diagnosed with the incurable condition three years ago, now states her time is "extremely limited" as her body no longer responds to the life-preserving drugs.
A Heartbreaking Health Update
Writing in The Observer, Dame Esther marked the third anniversary of her diagnosis with a mixture of astonishment and sorrow. "Last week was the third anniversary of my diagnosis with stage four lung cancer, and to my astonishment, thanks to one of the new miracle drugs, I’m still here," she revealed. "Not for much longer. The drug has stopped working now and a scan next week will reveal how far my disease has spread."
This devastating news follows her revelation last year that she was "being attacked by a completely different kind of cancer," which required chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, she has stated she will not be receiving further treatment for this secondary cancer.
The Assisted Dying Campaign and Legal Hurdles
Dame Esther, a prominent campaigner for assisted dying legislation, expressed her profound disappointment that she likely will not live to see the proposed law change. "I’m definitely not going to live long enough to see the assisted dying bill become law," she wrote. "So if my life becomes unbearably painful and I long for a quick, pain-free death, I will have to go to Dignitas in Switzerland, alone."
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, passed by the House of Commons in June, aims to provide a legal framework for assisted dying in the UK. It would allow terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live the option to end their life, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel. Assisted dying remains illegal in Britain, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
However, the bill's progress faces significant delays. It is currently in the committee stage in the House of Lords, where a record number of around 1,000 amendments have been proposed. Dame Esther criticised peers for this, stating, "Some members of the House of Lords are doing their very best right now to prevent any change in the current messy, cruel criminal law." She argued this forces families to watch loved ones "die slowly in agony" when palliative care fails.
A Fear of Dying Badly
In a previous interview on Good Morning Britain with Kate Garraway, Dame Esther elaborated on her personal fears. "I'm not afraid of death but I am afraid of dying badly," she confessed. "I'm making arrangements because it's the only way I can have an assisted death to go to by myself to Zurich, to Dignitas."
She issued a poignant plea, adding, "I just wish I'm allowed to say goodbye to my family and for them to see that I have a good death." This highlights the emotional and legal complexities faced by those seeking control over their end-of-life choices under current UK law.
Esther Rantzen's Legacy
Dame Esther Rantzen is best known for presenting the iconic BBC programme That's Life!, which blended investigative journalism with entertainment. Beyond her broadcasting career, her philanthropic legacy is immense. In 1986, she founded the children's charity Childline, which has since become a vital part of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), offering support to countless vulnerable young people.
Her continued advocacy for assisted dying, even as her own health declines, underscores her lifelong commitment to campaigning on issues of profound public and personal significance.
