Rachel Rijpma on the End of Life Choice Bill. / 90 Seconds Media NZ
ACT leader David Seymour is launching a video campaign featuring Kiwis who support his End of Life Choice Bill.
The five videos making up the #MyLifeMyChoice campaign include one with Lecretia Seales' widow, Matt Vickers, and New Zealander of the year Dr Lance O'Sullivan.
Seales, a Wellington lawyer dying ofbrain cancer, asked the High Court in March 2015 to give her the legal right for a doctor to help end her life.
She wanted the right to choose to not die a painful death. On June 5, soon after being told that her court bid was unsuccessful, Seales died of her illness. She was 42.
Matt Vickers (right) with wife Lecretia Seales on their wedding day. Vickers features in a campaign launching today to support ACT's euthanasia bill. Photo / Supplied
The remaining three feature Kiwis suffering from terminal illness who support Seymour's bill.
Today a video of Rachel Rijpma, who has Huntington's disease, was the first to go live.
Huntington's disease is inherited and causes the progressive degeneration of the brain's nerve cells.
Seymour said he hoped Kiwis would be moved by the "courage and determination" of those featured in the videos.
"I certainly was," he said.
Act Party leader and Epsom MP David Seymour says he hopes Kiwis will be moved by the videos as he was. Photo / Andrew Warner
"The goal of this campaign is to continue highlighting the inadequacy of our current laws as a select committee deliberates on my End of Life Choice Bill.
"Ultimately this campaign is about providing choice and compassion to those suffering at the end of their lives."
As well as Rijpma, Vickers and O'Sullivan, the videos feature short speeches by blood cancer sufferer Bobbie Carroll and David Seymour (not the ACT party leader), who has Motor Neurone Disease.
