Esther Rantzen’s family releases her farewell message

Esther Rantzen’s family has released a farewell message in which the broadcaster said she felt deprived of choice over her death under assisted-dying law. The family also confirmed that she had a small private funeral the previous week and said a larger memorial service was expected later. Rantzen, the founder of Childline and a prominent assisted-dying campaigner, died at her home in the New Forest on September 30, aged 86. She had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023. Her posthumous note was addressed to people who had supported the campaign and urged them to continue. In the message, Rantzen said the law had prevented her from asking for assistance to die when her life had become unbearable. She wrote that she had become too physically frail to travel to an assisted-dying clinic in Switzerland. Her account of her condition and experience was her own testimony. Rantzen also said she would not have used the option to request assistance to die. She wrote that having the choice available would have given her hope and confidence, and said she had received support from Oakhaven Hospice. She thanked those who had campaigned alongside her and said the Terminally Ill...