'Paul wasn't afraid of death but of how you die. Voluntary assisted dying was a blessing

THE widow of a British man who ended his life in Australia through voluntary assisted described has dying as "a blessing".

- Hanna Geissler

THE widow of a British man who ended his life in Australia through voluntary assisted described the experience has dying as "a blessing".

Paul Tampin had received a devastating diagnosis of stage four lung cancer which had spread to his liver.

But being eligible for VAD allowed the 77-year-old to enjoy his final months with Brigitte, his wife of almost 25 years, free from fear of suffering.

Speaking from her home in Western Australia, Bri told the Daily Express: "Paul was very full of life, funny with a great sense of humour, and always in control of his life.

"The worst thing for him would be to become dependent on other people and to lose his dignity. He wasn't really afraid of dying, but of how you die.

"It was very important for him to have control. It has really been a blessing for us that we could do this. We were never scared."

Paul grew up in a council flat in South London before moving to Australia in the 1980s. The car salesman met Bri in 1995 when he visited the physiotherapy clinic where she worked.

Balance issues and nausea were among the first signs that something was wrong with Paul in September 2022. Within five weeks, he lost two stone in weight. Tests following a visit to A&E revealed terminal cancer.

Bri, 63, recalled: "That day, we sat in the garden of the hospital and talked about a few things. That's when he said he wanted to do voluntary assisted dying."