A British couple has explained why they have signed up to use a controversial "suicide pod" together.
Peter and Christine Scott, a British couple married for 46 years, are preparing to become the first UK citizens to use a double suicide pod to end their lives.
The couple plans to travel to Switzerland to die together in the Sarco death capsule, a machine designed for assisted dying.
Christine, 80, was recently diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia, prompting the couple’s decision.
Her husband, Peter, 86, a former RAF pilot, explained their choice in an interview with The Daily Mail.
He said: “We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives, but here we are in old age, and it does not do nice things to you."
Peter expressed his deep concern over their future, saying: “The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris’s mental abilities in parallel to my own physical decline is horrific to me.
"Obviously, I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life. Assisted dying gives her that opportunity, and I would not want to go on living without her.”
Christine, who has spent much of her nursing career caring for dementia patients, is adamant about her decision.
“Medicine can slow vascular dementia, but it can’t stop it. At the point I thought I was losing myself, I’d say: ‘This is it, Pete, I don’t want to go any further,’” she said.
The Sarco, created by Australian euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke, is a pod that allows users to die by oxygen deprivation in less than 10 minutes, per the BBC.
Although the device has yet to be used, Nitschke, often called "Doctor Death" by critics, expects the first cases soon.
The Sarco pod, made using 3-D printing technology, replaces oxygen with nitrogen, causing unconsciousness and eventually death.
A camera inside the pod captures the final moments, providing evidence for a coroner.
While the Sarco itself is expected to be free, users must cover additional costs, including body removal, estimated to be significantly cheaper than conventional assisted-dying clinics.
Peter shared his frustrations with the lack of assisted dying options in the UK, saying: "We understand other people may not share our feelings, and we respect their position. What we want is the right to choose. I find it deeply depressing we can't do that here in the UK."
He added: “Yet look at the alternative. The chances of getting prompt NHS treatment for the ailments of old age seem pretty remote, so you end up trapped by infirmity and pain.
"I don’t want to go into care, to be lying in bed dribbling and incontinent – I don’t call that a life. Finally, the Government swoops in to take your savings and your house to pay for it all."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
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