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Outlook: Why I travelled with my husband to end his life

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Amy Bloom

02/06/2022 GMT

Why I travelled with my husband to end his life

BBC World Service - Outlook, Why I travelled with my husband to end his life

Amy Bloom was determined to support her husband’s decision to end his life on his terms

When Amy Bloom's husband Brian was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and told her he wanted to end his life on his terms, she listened and made up her mind to support him.

In 2019 American writer Amy Bloom's husband Brian was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Within 48 hours of the diagnosis he'd decided he did not want what he called "the long goodbye". Instead he asked Amy to accompany him to Dignitas in Switzerland so that he could end his life on his terms. Assisted suicide is not only illegal in many countries but it's also an incredibly divisive topic and Amy had to confront all of these issues along the way. She's written a book about her experience and about what would be her last journey with Brian. It's called In Love:  A Memoir of Love and Loss.

If you need support relating to any of the issues we've covered in this interview, you can find more information on the BBC Action line website or at Befrienders.org. 

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter:  Emily Webb
Producer:  June Christie 

(Photo:  Amy Bloom. Credit:  Ulf Andersen/Getty Images)

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