Content Warning: This article discusses topics related to child death which may be upsetting for some readers.
In heartrending revelations shared just days before her death, Antonya Cooper, 77, candidly opened up about the difficult decisions she faced during her seven-year-old son’s terminal illness in 1981. While grappling with terminal breast, pancreatic, and liver cancer, the founder of Neuroblastoma UK admitted to aiding in the death of her son to alleviate his suffering from a severe form of cancer.
Antonya’s son, Hamish, was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects children, back in 1979. Despite the initial prognosis of just three months to live, Hamish bravely fought the disease for 16 months. His treatments, while prolonging his life, unfortunately, left him in great physical pain.
In her poignant recount to BBC News, Cooper revealed the immense distress that led her to administer a lethal dose of morphine to her son. “I feel very strongly that at the point of Hamish telling me he was in pain, and asking me if I could remove his pain, he knew, he knew somewhere what was going to happen,” she explained.
Assisted death, or euthanasia, remains illegal in the UK, a fact that Antonya was fully aware of when she chose to end her son’s life to spare him further agony. She stood firm in her belief that it was the compassionate choice, asserting, “It was the right thing to do. My son was facing the most horrendous suffering and intense pain, I was not going to allow him to go through that.”
Cooper also highlighted the disparity in how we treat terminally ill pets compared to humans, questioning why we allow animals to be euthanized to prevent suffering, but not humans. “We don’t do it to our pets. Why should we do it to humans?” she asked, pointing out the ethical dilemma.
Antonya Cooper passed away in July 2024, but her advocacy efforts for the legalization of assisted dying in the UK continue to resonate. She argued that the law should allow individuals facing imminent death and unbearable pain the dignity of a peaceful end.
The legal ramifications of euthanasia in the UK are severe, with convictions potentially leading to up to 14 years in prison. Yet, despite these consequences, Cooper hoped that her story would inspire a reevaluation of the laws surrounding assisted dying. In her discussions, she emphasized the importance of enabling a dignified end for those who are suffering, underscoring her belief in the right to die with dignity.