Life is short, eat the gelato (especially if it's from Dough Heads, Newcastle). I've always been fiercely interested in our right to die. To me it’s a no-brainer. Up there with human and reproductive rights. The right to agency over our own bodies. We humanely put animals that are suffering out of their misery, ergo the same should apply for people, yeah? Yeah… nah. I'll admit, I've had to work pretty hard to understand why other people might feel differently about this one.

If you’re reading this, then chances are you’re someone who is thinking about choosing the time and manner of your own death, or you’re supporting someone who may be terribly unwell and considering Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) as an option. Either way, I’m sorry. Let’s be clear, there’s no nice way of putting it. Dying sucks. And I’m pretty sure nobody is lining up for a terminal diagnosis or circumstances where VAD becomes a potential option. But when the chips are down, a