EuthaNEWSia (www.euthanewsia.ca)

The Irish Times profiles Terry Pratchett: Much-loved author Terry Pratchett, who suffers from a rare form of Alzheimer's, has lent his influential voice to the euthanasia debate in Britain, asking to die on his own terms when the time comes. In the BBC Dimbleby lecture, Pratchett asked for a non-aggressive euthanasia tribunal, to include a lawyer and a medical practitioner, which could establish the facts of particular cases well in advance of an assisted death. "The members of the tribunal would be acting for the good of society as well as that of the applicant - horrible word - to ensure they are of sound and informed mind, firm in their purpose, suffering from a life-threatening and incurable disease, and not under the influence of a third party."

Born an only child in Beaconsfield, near London, Pratchett reportedly couldn't read until the age of 10, though from then on he remembers spending so much time in his local public library that he credits it for much of his education. When he was 13 years old, he wrote a fantasy story that was published for a school magazine. It was so well received that he sent it on to a sci-fi magazine, which published the story, paying the author enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. Having established a talent with words, he went on to train in journalism, working for some years on a local newspaper. During his time there, Pratchett published short stories for the paper's children's column. The characters and world he created therein went on to form the basis for his first book, The Carpet People , which was published in 1971.

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"One man and his fantasy". The Irish Times. Saturday, February 6, 2010. <www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0206/1224263871099.html>. The Irish Times, PO BOX 74, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2 Ireland

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The EuthaNEWSia ID for this advisory is: enid201002095611.
Mailed: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 14:16:12 -0600
at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

EuthaNEWSia is a free Canadian news advisory service covering end-of-life issues such as right to die, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. EuthaNEWSia is produced by the Right to Die Society of Canada which works toward a good death for all, including open, regulated and equitable access to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The editor is Michael Dawson <editor@euthanewsia.ca>.

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