Bob Dent Analysis

Bob Dent, a terminally ill man from Australia, felt that he deserved to choose when and where he was going to die and wished to die on his own terms. Dent suffered from prostate cancer, and had undergone numerous surgeries throughout his five years of sickness. In 1996, Dent decided it was finally his time to go (Fraser & Walters, 2006, p. 10). Dent asked physician Dr. Philip Nitskche for his assistance. He also wrote a letter to his wife describing why he was making this choice. Bob’s existence was completely dependent upon his wife. He was extremely discontent with his situation, and his wife was suffering due to his constant need of care. Dent had to deal with a recurring hernia, and one of his lungs was partially collapsed. He was bed-ridden from his constant pain. Dent was ready to end the suffering. He plead that this “most compassionate legislation in the world be respected” (p. 7). He wished to end his life the way he wanted: with his dignity intact. Recorded by Fraser and Walters, Bob Dent made the statement (2006):

The Church and the state must remain separate. What right has anyone because of their own religious faith (to which I don’t subscribe) to demand that I behave according to their rules until some omniscient doctor decides that I must have had enough and increases my morphine until I die? If you disagree with voluntary euthanasia, then don’t use it, but don’t deny me the right to use it if and when I want to.

It is a valid question – should a man or woman be denied their own personal rights just because others do not believe it is right? Bob Dent did not think so, and he acted on his beliefs. On September 22 1996, Dent chose to die.

Everyone should have the right to make the choice between life ...

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... for assisted suicide with the help of his doctors. His doctors rejected him and told him that even if Frank were to qualify for this service, they would not help him. Ray Frank then went into a panic and made a plan to buy a gun and end his life himself. However, his friend contacted an organization called Compassion in Dying which helps terminally ill people who wish for a hurried death.

This program referred Frank to a doctor who treated his symptoms and helped him apply to die with assistance. Frank’s anxiety over the situation was so relieved that he never even purchased the gun or talk of assisted suicide again. He died naturally within the two-week period the law requires before the act of an assisted death. If more programs like Compassion in Dying were put into place, suicidal patients may eventually make the choice to ride out their natural death.