Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, has provided an update on her mother's health, revealing the family is 'cherishing every moment' with her. Dame Esther, 85, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in January 2023 and remains a vocal supporter of assisted dying.
Speaking on Channel 5's Vanessa on Monday, Rebecca said: 'It's her birthday coming up. She's going to be 86 which is brilliant. She's as astonished as anybody that she's still here. We are so grateful. She was diagnosed three years ago with terminal stage four lung and breast cancer so every day is a wonderful miracle and we really are cherishing it.'
Asked about her mother's quality of life, Rebecca highlighted Dame Esther's passion for her garden, describing it as 'gorgeous' and noting she is an 'early adopter of rewilding'. She also joked that nudity is her mother's 'happy place', confirming she occasionally runs through the garden naked.
In April, Dame Esther made a plea ahead of the debate on the Assisted Dying Bill, which aims to 'shorten our death' for those with terminal illnesses. However, both supporters and opponents now acknowledge the legislation will not become law in the current parliamentary session after stalling in the House of Lords.
During a pre-recorded appearance on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the veteran broadcaster said: 'I will obviously keep battling, not on my own behalf but on behalf of all the future generations that deserve a proper, compassionate, humanitarian bill. Doctors used to ease people out of life; that's what we need, we need the opportunity to ask for assistance. Not to shorten our lives but to shorten our deaths.'
