British woman with MS tells why she wants assisted suicide in video

Debbie Purdy, who has multiple sclerosis, explains in her own video on Sky-TV in Britain why she wants assisted suicide. The reason for the video, she says, is that she fears her husband may face prison if British law on assisted suicide is not clarified. Pictured are Debbie and Omar Purdy.

Here's her statement on her video:

Under the law if you help someone else commit suicide you are breaking the law, even if they are terminally ill.

That's the theory. Many seriously ill UK citizens have travelled abroad to get help to die. Some of those who travelled with them have been questioned by police but no-one has ever been prosecuted.

So is it against the law to help someone to die overseas? And what does 'help' really mean? I need to know and that is why I am going to court this week.

I have primary progressive multiple sclerosis and should the pain get so bad and life become unbearable, I may want my husband Omar to help me get to Switzerland, where assisted dying is legal, so I can end my life.

I could travel without him if I went soon. If I leave it too long, I will have no choice
- I will need help to get there. And 'choice' is what this is really about.

You may disagree with my decision to consider assisted dying but I believe it should be my choice.

It is something I only thought about when I was diagnosed and I joined Dignity in Dying as my symptoms worsened.

Yet I cannot die knowing that I have sent the man I love to prison for 14 years - even though he says he would do it for me!

It is bad enough that Omar could be left mourning my premature death without him having to spend years in prison.

That's why I am going to the High Court this week to get an answer to my question: 'Will Omar go to jail if he helps me get to Switzerland?"

Effectively the law is saying 'we reserve the right to prosecute'. But that's not good enough. I need black and white facts so I can plan the rest of my life.

I love life and I love my husband and, if I could, I would live forever. At the end of this process I'll know where I stand.

But if I lose and the court refuses to give guidance on what counts as assisting someone's suicide when they are going overseas for an assisted death it won't help me or Omar.

And if the High Court judges say that people assisting suicide should be prosecuted I may be forced to travel alone - sooner rather than later - and lose the weeks, months or even years of quality life that I could have had.