Good Morning Britain viewers were left heartbroken as Rebecca Wilcox, the daughter of Dame Esther Rantzen, appeared on Friday's programme (October 30) to mark the 40th anniversary of Childline, which her mother launched in 1986. Rebecca reflected on Esther's final days, declaring "cancer is evil" during the emotional interview.
Recalling Esther's final days
A BBC legend, the That's Life presenter was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023, prompting her to become a fierce campaigner for the assisted dying bill, which was rejected last month. Weeks later, Esther, 86, died at her New Forest home on September 30.
"Cancer is evil. It's not a new thing to say that. It takes away the body, but she still had her mind," Rebecca said. "Grief is really hard; it's a piece of work."
"It is the price you pay for having loved somebody, and God, I loved mum," she declared. Explaining that she and her family all knew that Esther's diagnosis was terminal, Rebecca added "it still side swiped" them when she died.
Private funeral and goodbye note
Earlier this month, Esther's close friends and family members laid her to rest in a small, private funeral. "It was important for us that the grandchildren had a private funeral," Rebecca mused.
Following Esther's funeral, it was revealed that the Childline founder had left a goodbye note. "It would have transformed the way I died if the law had allowed me to ask for assistance to die when my life had become unbearable."
"Not because I would have used that choice," Esther began. "But because the last days and weeks would have been infused with the hope and confidence of a swift, pain-free death, and my family would not have had to witness any suffering or lack of dignity and privacy at the end.
"I know from my own experience that witnessing those agonising moments can blot out all the memories of so many happy days spent with the people that you love.
"I was extremely lucky because I had the talent, skill and support of my local Oakhaven Hospice. But I was still deprived of any choice over my own death by the current messy criminal law."
Esther's final message
Esther continued: "Now I am dead; I am sorry that there is not much more I can do to speed it on its way for the sake of future generations."
She concluded: "So goodbye and thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this crucial life and death issue.
"To those who have opposed it and blocked the new Bill, rest assured I will not come back to haunt you; I have better things to do, and anyway, I believe you too have the right to choose, but not the right to impose your choice on the most vulnerable people such as dying frail little old ladies like me."
