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A man who wanted his death to bring about a change in assisted death laws has died at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.

The Daily Mail reports that Bob Cole, 68, was battling the aggressive lung cancer mesothelioma and travelled to the Dignitas clinic where he took a lethal cocktail of drugs to end his life.

His 67-year-old wife Ann had died 18 months ago at the Swiss clinic. In 2012, Ms Hall was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease – but her condition was revised to the rare condition supranuclear palsy in 2013, for which there is no cure. The condition leads to difficulties with speaking and swallowing, as well as sight loss.

After her diagnosis, Ms Hall began to research the Dignitas clinic and made the decision to end her own life five months before her death, saying it “felt it was the right time”. Mr Cole had travelled to the same clinic to be by the side of his wife as she took a lethal cocktail of drugs to end her life.

Before his own diagnosis, Mr Cole enjoyed outdoor sports and activities – he said he was shocked to learn that he was suffering a terminal illness. He went to the doctor in May after suffering pain in his lower ribs and two months later a biopsy revealed cancer in the lining of his lungs. He was given just three months to live.

It is reported he died peacefully on Friday (14/08/15) while listening to Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”. After his terminal diagnosis, Mr Cole had said he wanted to “die with dignity” – and did not want to die slowly and in pain “while eating chocolate ice cream”.

The former carpenter also wished to publicise his death because he wanted MPs to “have the guts” to decriminalise assisted suicide in Britain.

“I should be able to die with dignity in my own country, in my own bed. The law needs to change,” Mr Cole said before he died.

Mr Cole also wrote to his friends asking forgiveness before he travelled to Dignitas to end his life, The Mail reports.

“Here are a final few words while I have the strength both to write – and more importantly to put them in some relevant order,“ he wrote.

“In the next few weeks, I will depart this mortal coil either here in Chester or at my own convenience in Switzerland. It will be the one time I plan to leave on a journey without the fear of not returning home.

“There comes a time when to give up the struggle – and that time has arrived for me.

“Please forgive me if you think I’m being selfish – but mesothelioma knows no mercy and there’s only so much physical pain one can take.

“Don’t cry for me – remember the good times and get on and have more.”

Speaking from the Dignitas clinic week, Mr Cole told The Sun:

“I saw Ann die – and a year later to be faced with the same decision yourself is quite the double whammy. Everyone should be allowed the choice to die with dignity, which is exactly what Ann chose to do – and is exactly what I will do today.”

Mr Cole asked MPs to be “sympathetic”.

“The politicians need to have the guts to change this law,” said Mr Cole before he died.

”Just bite the bullet. Accept that the British public want this change. If they don't, it will be forced upon them, because the public feeling is overwhelming.”

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors

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