Two years after Paola Marra made a heartfelt plea for legal change on the eve of her death, her brother Tony Marra is despairing over the continued blockage of the assisted dying bill in the House of Lords. On the second anniversary of her passing, he will join other campaigners in a protest outside Parliament, highlighting what they describe as filibustering by a small group of peers.
Paola Marra's Final Journey
Paola Marra, a Canadian-born former music industry and charity worker, died at the age of 53 on 20 March 2024. She had been suffering from terminal breast and bowel cancer. In the weeks leading up to her death, she documented her solo journey from north London to Dignitas in Switzerland through photographs and a short film by the photographer Rankin, released posthumously, along with a powerful interview with the Guardian.
In that interview, she expressed her fears, stating, "I'm not scared to die. I'm scared of dying in pain." She argued that it would be "insane" if assisted dying was not legalised in the UK, noting that her choice cost £15,000 and that for those unable to afford it, the law "will force them to endure a painful death, or drive them to take their own lives."
Tony Marra's Protest and Frustration
Tony Marra, 57, has flown from Canada to participate in the protest organised by the campaign group Dignity in Dying in Parliament Square on Friday. He aims to draw attention to the stalling of the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill for England and Wales, which has been passed by MPs in the Commons but is now stuck in the Lords.
"It's shocking that there's just a handful of peers blocking progress in allowing compassionate assisted dying," Marra told the Guardian. "It's too late for Paola, but I'm thinking of her friends with terminal illnesses. And they want change in the law and they want the choice if it comes to that and they are in too much pain and want control over their suffering."
He added, "It is frustrating [because] the majority of people want it – the public and politicians."
The Bill's Stalled Progress
The bill, which would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales expected to die within six months to seek help to end their own life, was passed by MPs in a free vote with a majority of 55 last year. However, it has since stalled in the House of Lords and is likely to run out of time before the king's speech in May, effectively failing.
Peers are currently at the committee stage, conducting a line-by-line review where amendments are debated and voted on. More than 1,200 amendments have been tabled, primarily from opponents of the bill, with only three days of debate remaining and about half of the amendments yet to be discussed.
Personal Sacrifices and Emotional Toll
Tony Marra had originally planned to accompany his sister to Zurich, hoping to "have a few days in Switzerland eating great chocolate" before her death. However, Paola decided to go alone, fearing legal consequences for him. This decision came at a significant personal cost.
"She didn't want that pain and those side-effects," he explained. "So, and here's the real kicker, because she had to travel to Switzerland alone, it actually cost her two or three months of her life because she had to be well enough to travel solo. She had to go earlier. So it cost her another visit from me, it cost her time with her friends."
Reflecting on the opposition to the bill, Marra said, "I think the people opposed to the bill, they see it as an ugly thing, picking a time and place where you will die. But it actually can be beautiful. That's what a lot of people miss. It can be beautiful – people you most love around you in your final hours with control. It always comes back to control, I think. After a disease has ravaged you for years, to actually say: 'Well no, in my final days I'm the one that's in control, not this disease.'"
Wider Campaign and Political Context
Marra has written to MPs and peers, sharing his sister's story in hopes of swaying opinion. "I get a little choked up thinking about it – her leading with the heart, and a personal story, a human story I think that really resonates more than anything," he noted.
Despite efforts from more than 100 Labour MPs urging Keir Starmer to ensure time for a decision, it appears unlikely that the bill will progress. This comes after the Scottish parliament recently voted 69 to 57 against legalising assisted dying.
Opinion polls consistently show public support in the UK at around three-quarters in favour of assisted dying with strict controls. However, opponents fear legalisation could increase pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives.
Legacy and Call to Action
Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, emphasised Paola's impact: "Paola's death has a lasting legacy. Her voice – and those of so many dying people and families – have changed this debate for ever. But people are still having to make the same impossible journeys, facing the same impossible choices that Paola did."
She added, "That will continue until parliament is allowed a final say on the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill. Parliament has started to answer their pleas for change. Now they must finish the job, and government must make sure that happens."
As Tony Marra prepares to protest, the debate over assisted dying continues to evoke strong emotions and highlight the urgent need for legislative action in the face of terminal suffering.
