Kim Cattrall and Susan Hampshire join Dignity in Dying’s campaign for choice at the end of life

Actors join Dignity in Dying’s growing list of Patrons

Support for Dignity in Dying and its campaign to legalise the choice of assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults, within upfront safeguards, is going from strength to strength. Dignity in Dying is fortunate to have the support of 25,000 members of the public as well as a number of high profile supporters.

Adding her weight to the call for change expressed by other Dignity in Dying Patrons such as Sir Terry Pratchett, Kim Cattrall is among the latest to endorse the campaign to legalise assisted dying in the UK. This is not the first time Kim has been involved in with the issue, in 2005 she played the lead in Whose Life is it Anyway. Kim said:

“I would like there to be a choice of assisted dying for people who are suffering in their final weeks. A law to allow assisted dying would protect dying people from the awful situations they currently face if they want some control over their death. When I played Claire Harrison in Whose Life is it Anyway it made me appreciate the difficulties people face when considering how and when they die. This is an extremely important cause and I am therefore honoured to be a Patron of Dignity in Dying.”

Susan Hampshire is a longstanding member of Dignity in Dying and believes that we should all be allowed greater choice at the end of our lives. Susan said:

“Dignity in Dying is hugely important. We should all be given the right to choose how we deal with the close of our lives.”

Dignity in Dying now has upward of 40 patrons including: comedian Jo Brand, fashion designer Jasper Conran, rock musician Howard Devoto, pioneer surgeon, Sir Terence English, Oscar winning actress Brenda Fricker, writer and commentator Kenan Malik, actor Sir Patrick Stewart and actress and writer Dame Janet Suzman.

Ends

Notes to editor:

About Kim Cattrall and Susan Hampshire:

Kim Cattrall is a Liverpool born theatre and film actress, best known for her role of Samantha in Sex and the City. Kim played the lead role in Whose Life is it Anyway in the West End in 2008.

Susan Hampshire is an English Actress famous for her role as Fleur in the BBC drama, The Forsyth Saga, and more recently as Molly in Monarch of the Glen.

Patron Statements:

While Dignity in Dying is unavailable to arrange individual interviews with our Patrons at this time, they have all provided statements of support for Dignity in Dying which can be found at: https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/about/patrons.html

Dignity in Dying Patrons:

The Reverend Professor Paul Badham

Roy Bailey

Professor Eric Bolton CB

Jo Brand

Chris Broad

Rosemary Brown OBE

Sir John Burgh

Carmen Callil

Kim Cattrall

Lesley Close

Jasper Conran OBE

Howard Devoto

Nell Dunn

Sir Terence English

Brenda Fricker

Hugh Grant

Professor A C Grayling

Susan Hampshire OBE

The Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt

Sir Michael Holroyd CBE

Dame Elisabeth Hoodless

Lord Joel Joffe CBE

Dr Liza Macdonald

Kenan Malik

Ian McEwan

Diana Melly

Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh

Sir Jonathan Miller

Deborah Moggach

Dr Michael O’Donell

Sophie Pandit

Sir Terry Pratchett OBE

Heather Pratten

Brian Pretty

Nick Ross

Dame Ruth Silver

Sir Patrick Stewart

Dame Janet Suzman

Professor Ray Tallis

Zoe Wanamaker CBE

Simon Weston OBE

A N Wilson

Professor Lewis Wolpert

Matthew Wright

About Dignity in Dying:

• Dignity in Dying campaigns for greater choice, control and access to services at the end of life. It advocates providing terminally ill adults with the option of an assisted death, within strict legal safeguards, and for universal access to high quality end-of-life care.
• Dignity in Dying has over 25,000 supporters and receives its funding entirely from donations from the public.
• The British Social Attitudes Survey 2010 found that 92% of non-religious and 71% of religious people support assisted dying. This relates to overall support of 82%.

Media Contacts:

For all Dignity in Dying media enquiries, please contact Jo Cartwright on 020 7479 7737 / 07725433025 or at jo.cartwright@dignityindying.org.uk.