Terminally ill women 'robbed' of peaceful end as some consider starvation in fight for assisted dying

Terminally ill women 'robbed' of peaceful end as some consider starvation in fight for assisted dyingIn a poignant display of courage four women stood on plinths in Parliament Square a few days before the current Assisted Dying bill is 'killed' and vowed: 'We fight on'.CommentsNewsLucy Thornton News Reporter16:20, 22 Apr 2026Assisted dying campaigners tell House of Lords to 'hang heads in shame' in largest ever show of supportFour terminally ill women told how the ‘sabotage’ of the assisted dying bill by peers in the House of Lords had left them facing a ‘petrifying’ death. Silence descended as Sophie Blake, Elise Burns, Pamela Fisher, and Christie Arntsen, each arrived on a plinth on Parliament Square as a ‘handful’ of Lords try to 'kill' the historic bill.‌Before the protest they told the Mirror about how they felt "robbed" of a peaceful end. They told how they now face a frightening death, some forced to consider starving themselves to avoid the pain.‌Almost a year ago in the same spot campaigners with Dying in Dignity celebrated with “real joy” after the Commons passed the Assisted Dying bill. But this Friday the bill is expected to die after the House of Lords performed what they described as ‘democratic vandalism.’ A group of peers have made more than 1,200 amendments to stall the bill and run it out of time.‌View 5 ImagesPamela Fisher, front left, on the plinth in her wheelchair now says she now faces a 'petrifying' death and will consider starving herself to death(Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)READ MORE: Assisted dying campaigners tell House of Lords to 'hang heads in shame' in largest ever show of supportREAD MORE: John Swinney rejects claims of conspiracy to frame Alex Salmond for sexual offencesCampaigners had gathered on Wednesday under a statue to honour Suffragette leader, Dame Millicent Fawcett which poignantly reads: ‘Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere’.That courage was cle...