Letter: Death wishes

Sir: I am an octogenarian, 85. When I realised that I was growing old, at 74, I made a declaration and put in writing what I now know has become a "living will".

I am a humanist with no religious hang-ups and have found life all the more exciting because it ends in death.

However, I would ask those doctors who are religious to contemplate the fact that both Jesus and The Prophet displayed and taught great compassion - something which we extend to other animals in terminal distress but deny to ourselves.

Thus it should be left to the wishes of the person concerned and not to the dictates of religions whose main aim in life appears to be the creation of wars whilst at the same time they deny the peace and safety of death to those in terminal decline. Please, let the lawyers decide this issue and give us peace at the last.

CYRIL C J FAIRBROTHER

Porthcawl,

Mid Glamorgan