A mother from Brighton who is suffering from terminal cancer is calling for “urgent” reforms to the government’s assisted dying laws.

Sophie Blake, who was diagnosed with stage four secondary breast cancer in May 2022, says she wants new rules to allow people to medically end their lives to prevent families from having to put their loved ones through “unnecessary” suffering. To be spared the pain of seeing.

Assisted dying, where someone who is terminally ill seeks medical help instead of receiving lethal medications that they take themselves, is currently banned in the UK.

A government spokesperson said this would allow Parliament to debate and vote on any legislation brought forward by MPs.

Ms Blake was first diagnosed with cancer in 2020, but it later spread to her lungs, liver and pelvic bone.

When he was told that his illness was incurable he said it was a “tremendous shock”.

“There are a lot of things that go through your mind, everything that you’re going to lose, your future that’s going to be taken away from you…not being here for my daughter,” she said.

The former sports TV presenter is allergic to opioid painkillers and says he worries his condition could one day leave him in excruciating pain, and there will be no legal way to end his suffering on his own terms.

Despite being “not afraid to die”, Ms Blake said she feared “more than anything” how her death might affect friends and family, especially her 17-year-old daughter Maya.

“It can be cruel. We all know that. A lot of people have lost their families, relatives, partners because of cancer,” he said.

Despite her predicament, the 51-year-old woman said she wanted to do “something proactive” and help change laws so that people have the right to choose to end their lives.

He said it would be comforting to know that he could have a “peaceful death when the time comes” so that “none of us suffer”.

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said with her organization that UK laws are “far behind” Saying Approximately 400 million people worldwide have legal access to some form of assisted death.

“Right now, people are forced to make dangerous and difficult decisions on their own,” he said, adding that some are “taking matters into their own hands.”

Ms Wootton said assisted dying abroad was expensive and unaffordable for many people.

He said, “If you think it’s morally wrong, you shouldn’t choose that option. But other people believe that that option should be available to them.”

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A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “This Government has made it clear that time will be provided for a proper debate and vote on any legislation brought forward.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently said that “the time has come” for a formal discussion on assisted dying.

In July, a bill was introduced in the House of Lords Allow terminally ill adults who have six months or less to live to receive medical assistance to end their lives If they meet strict eligibility criteria with the approval of two doctors and the High Court.

However, private members’ bills introduced in the Lords rarely become law.

Some politicians and groups oppose legally allowing assisted dying.

Former Paralympian Baroness Tawny Grey-Thompson, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. caution Everyone needs to “understand the implications” of it becoming law.

Despite the safeguards, he claimed the law could still be “open to a huge amount of abuse”.

Dr Gordon MacDonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing, called Helped end a “dangerous and ideological policy”.

He said the UK should instead fix its “broken and dysfunctional palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death”.

More than two-thirds (69%) of Britons think the law should be changed to allow someone with a terminal illness to assist another person in their suicide. YouGov Research From 2024 onwards.

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