About a year ago, I saw a film called Me before you, which impressed me very much because I know that euthanasia will very soon be discussed in this country.

I thought the ‘hero’ of the film was very selfish and, indeed, uncaring and I stand firm in this belief. This man suffered no pain. Yes, he was wheelchair-bound but he did not suffer the agony resulting from ALS, MS and, in some cases, even motor neuron disease, which are the three illnesses that will feature in any discussion in Malta on euthanasia.

The man featured in the film had two parents who loved him and a young girl who came to the house as his carer and who many a time professed her undying love for him.

Once upon a time, I used to think this type of mercy killing as murder in the eyes of the Lord until I came to realise that people with no hope of recovery, with no medicine to ease their pain, who groan night and day because of their pain have no option but that of someone being kind enough to help them go to their maker. There is no other way.