104-Year-Old Scientist Opts For Assisted Suicide

104- year-old scientist, David Goodall

He Plans Trip To Switzerland To Seek Help To End His Life

A 104- year-old scientist, David Goodall has said he plans to end his life with the help of an assisted dying agency in Switzerland by May, 2018.

Goodall, one of Australia’s oldest scientist, hasn’t been diagnosed with any disease but sufffers from a deteriorating health, so he has secured a fast-track appointment to get help to die.

“I greatly regret having reached that age,” the ecologist told broadcaster ABC on his birthday earlier this month.

“I’m not happy. I want to die. It’s not sad particularly. What is sad is if one is prevented.

“My feeling is that an old person like myself should have full citizenship rights including the right to assisted suicide,” he added.

Most countries around the world rule against assisted suicide and was banned in Australia until it was legalised last year.

However, the legislation, which takes effect from June 2019, can only apply to terminally ill patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months.

Exit International, which is helping Goodall make the trip, said it was unjust that one of Australia’s “oldest and most prominent citizens should be forced to travel to the other side of the world to die with dignity”.

“A peaceful, dignified death is the entitlement of all who want it. And a person should not be forced to leave home to achieve it,” it said on its website Monday.

The group launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise tickets for Goodall and his helper upgraded to business class from economy and has so far raised more than Aus$17,000 (US$13,000).

Goodall, an honorary research associate at Perth’s Edith Cowan University, made international headlines in 2016 when he was declared unfit to be on campus.

After an uproar and support from scientists globally, the decision was reversed.

He has produced dozens of research papers and until recently continued to review and edit for different ecology journals.