Friends at the End, a Scottish charity that supports the legalisation of assisted dying, is to host an Edinburgh screening of the hard-hitting documentary, Island at their meeting tomorrow, Tuesday.
Filmed in an Isle of Wight hospice over the course of twelve months, the documentary follows four individuals who are in the final year of their lives and explores their thoughts and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The film presents a stoic but compassionate view of death and serves as a record of the many and varied reactions of those facing death head on, as well as the reactions of their friends and family.
The talk is part of Friends at the End’s regular group meetings, which operate in Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Glasgow and Dundee and regularly feature guest speakers.
The meeting is open to anyone who wishes to attend and will be held on 3 September 2019 from 6.00pm to 8.00pm in The New Club, 86 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2BB. A wine reception and refreshments will be offered.
Friends at the End’s Chief Executive, Amanda Ward, commented: “This screening of Island will give people the opportunity to think candidly about death and will help to open up a much-needed conversation about end of life choices.
“We hope that by opening a dialogue about assisted dying we can help people to see that assisted dying is a safe, sensible and compassionate option for people at the end of life.
“The current law leaves our dying citizens, particularly those with degenerative conditions, with restricted choice and many are forced to suffer while their autonomy is reduced, and life becomes increasingly unbearable.
“Palliative care is wonderful in Scotland, but we need to recognise that it doesn’t always alleviate all suffering. We should give those who suffer the most a choice regarding the time and circumstances of their death.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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