Debbie Purdy with her husband, Omar PuenteA woman with multiple sclerosis, who wants her husband to her her in end her life, won a landmark review of British law on assisted suicide June 12, The Independent reports.
Two judges decided to allow Debbie Purdy, 45, "to bring a High Court challenge forcing the Director of Public Prosecutions to clarify under what circumstances people can be prosecuted for helping a loved one to die."
Lord Justice Latham said that "without wishing to give Ms Purdy any optimism," she did have an arguable case that should go forward for judicial review.
Purdy, who was diagnosed with MS in 1994, and says she might have a year or less before she needs more assistance with daily living tasks.
"She wants her husband, Omar Puente, to accompany her to a Swiss clinic to end her life once her suffering has become unbearable," according to The Independent. "However, she fears he would face prosecution and up to 14 years in jail if he returned to Britain and was found guilty of assisting, aiding or abetting her suicide."
She is looking for clarification of British law so that she can guarantee her husband will not face prosecution.
Purdy, a former journalist and marketing executive, says she doesn't want to end her life prematurely and plans "to live to the full and forever if I can."
But she says she doesn't want her husband, a Cuban musician, prosecuted if he accompanies her to the Zurich clinic that assists with suicides of terminally ill people. She says when she is at the stage that she wants to go to the clinic, she will be "unable to complete such tasks as gathering medical documents, buying train tickets or even pushing her wheelchair" so will need her husband's help.