Dignity in Dying's board members

info@dignityindying.org.uk - 020 7479 7730

“Having been a member of Dignity in Dying for thirty years I fully support the campaign to ensure that all people have, what they consider to be, a good death. The option of an assisted death at the end of life would provide the choice and control we all deserve.”Miriam Karlin OBE, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My work as a cancer physician inevitably brought me into contact with dying people. I think that assisted dying is an important choice to be offered in the rare situations where doctors are unable to control unbearable symptoms.”Dr Lisa McDonald, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I support Dignity in Dying because I care about suffering and want the law changed so that those who presently suffer terrible deaths will in future have the option to end their suffering through ending their lives at a time and in the manner of their choice.”Lord Joffe, Dignity in Dying Patron
“As a doctor for over 35 years, I became increasingly aware of the failure of even the best care to deal with the suffering of some patients. The present clinical, ethical, and legal fudge - and a law which is discredited in practice - is dangerous for patients and also for professionals.”Professor Raymond Tallis, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My father, who was suffering from cancer and no longer wished to live, died as he chose: in peace and dignity, with my mother beside him. I passionately hope that, if I too were terminally ill, and was finding life unbearable, I could be allowed to die at a time of my choosing.”Rosemary Brown OBE, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Having seen my father die, it became very clear to me that we as society need to grasp the nettle and deal with this contentious issue in a way that is humane and acceptable to the majority of right thinking people.”Matthew Wright, Dignity in Dying Patron
“As a child there existed in my mind a nagging fear about this thing called death. As I have become older, I want to give an assurance to the people I love that the circumstances of their death will be 'good', to be celebrated, and their final hours will be reflective of life well lived.”Jo Brand, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My mother, Dr Anne Turner, chose to have an assisted death in 2006 at Dignitas in Zurich. Once my mother had been accepted for an assisted death, she was able to enjoy her life for the remaining time she had, greatly reassured that she would be spared further suffering.”Sophie Pandit, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Over many years, I have become convinced of the need for a change in the law to protect people with terminal illness who have made the painful decision to seek help in dying. This is why, once I left government, I joined Dignity in Dying and will go on supporting their campaign until we succeed.”Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Dignity in Dying Patron
“As someone who helped her son to die when he could no longer face the suffering caused by Huntington's disease, I understand fully the need to have a safe, regulated right to die system that takes the pressure off family. After all, who would let their loved ones die alone?”Heather Pratten, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My wife, Diane Pretty, had the terminal illness motor neurone disease and wanted to receive medical assistance to die with dignity. During the last weeks of her life, Diane was in considerable pain and distress. The very thing she'd fought through the courts to avoid.”Brian Pretty, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I endorse the work of Dignity in Dying because I believe passionately that any individual should have the right to choose, as far as it is possible, the time and the conditions of their death. I think it's time we learned to be as good at dying as we are at living.”Sir Terry Pratchett, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My brother John Close died with help from Dignitas in May 2003, aged 55. Motor Neurone Disease had robbed John of almost everything which defined him as human, but the knowledge that he would be in control of his death was a source of great comfort to both of us.”Lesley Close, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I believe that the exercise of free will concerning the end of life, and the timing of the end of life, is an essential human freedom. I believe that while religious dogma may dictate or limit the choice of believers it should not be imposed on others.”Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I wish to be treated as a responsible adult and believe that people should be legally able to register their wish for an assistance with suicide, if needed. I support Dignity in Dying primarily to help change the law on assisted suicide.”Sir Michael Holroyd CBE, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I believe that decisions about the timing and manner of death belong to the individual as a human right. I believe it is wrong to withhold medical methods of terminating life painlessly and swiftly when an individual has a rational and clear-minded sustained wish to end his or her life.”Professor A C Grayling, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Knowing that most of us, it seems, want the freedom to choose when and how to end our lives so as to avoid, for ourselves and our families, the harrowing consequences of a messy, drawn-out and painful deaths, that choice must be enshrined in a framework of law.”Professor Eric Bolton CB, Dignity in Dying Patron
“It is because we believe in the dignity and value of life that we hope for a good death. This is what Dignity in Dying hopes to permit and I passionately support its aims. To linger on against my will on a half-life is no life at all.”A.N Wilson, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Being incapable of helping a loved one to die when they are at the end of their life, suffering and asking for help is undignified and wrong, and I know this having witnessed it myself at close hand.”Zoe Wannamaker, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I see it as almost inevitable, that society will become more understanding, and more sophisticated, about assisted dying. As with suicide, it is right to strive to find better options, but when the alternatives have run out it must surely be wrong for society to insist that people suffer.”Nick Ross, Dignity in Dying Patron

Board members
Dignity in Dying
your life, your choice

Professor Nick Moore - Chair

Nick is an academic and a consultant with over thirty years experience in the areas of information strategy and policy, workforce development, the management of higher and further education, and international development. He has worked with organisations such as the Department of Health, the RNIB, the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, and UNESCO. He has chaired the Dignity in Dying Board of Directors since 2006.

Ms Rowena Ironside - Vice Chair

Rowena Ironside is a senior technology industry executive with many years experience managing IT businesses. She has a MSc. in Management from the London Business School (Sloan Masters). Rowena currently enjoys a portfolio career, which includes non-executive roles in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors and fundraising for a micro-finance charity. Rowena joined the Board of Dignity in Dying in 2006.

Mr Edward Turner - Treasurer

Edward joined the board of Dignity in Dying as treasurer in 2006. He is a chartered accountant and works for an international financial services organisation. He has previous experience of working as treasurer in the not-for-profit sector. Edward joined Dignity in Dying after witnessing the peaceful assisted death of his mother at the Dignitas clinic in Zurich in 2006. It contrasted with the more harrowing, but more normal, death of his father in a nursing home 4 years earlier. Edward believes that terminally ill people should have the option of an assisted death in the UK, rather than being forced to travel abroad before their time to die in a foreign country.

Ms Sharon Grant

Sharon comes to the Dignity in Dying Board from a varied background, first in academic life as a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, and from many years working and campaigning close to inner city communities as a Councillor and Parliamentary Aide. Most recently she has chaired the statutory Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and also sits on the boards of two further charities focused on equal opportunities. She chairs her local Citizens Advice Bureau and holds a further public appointment as a member of the Food Standards Agency's Advisory Committee on Consumer Engagement.

Lady Goodhart

Celia began her career in the civil service before moving into teaching, later becoming the principal of a girls secondary school. She was involved nationally in setting up the Social Democrat Party and the Liberal Democrats and stood for Parliament in Kettering. She has chaired two major national charities and the Oxford University Alumni organisation, and is on the Council of Goldsmiths University of London and is a Governor of Compton Verney. She is also an Honourable Fellow of St. Hilda's College Oxford and City & Guilds and is an Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She is married to Lord William Goodhart QC and has seven grandchildren.

Dr Isky Gordon

Isky has been a member of Dignity in Dying for over 10 years after discussions with his parents-in-law convinced him of the need for patient choice at the end of life. He was a consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital for over 30 years, where he was involved in end of life issues on a weekly basis. He was Director of Clinical Services for 3 years and Director of Radiology for 6 years, and was on the Board of Governors of an inner-city comprehensive school and a nursery. He has recently retired and now works in research. Since being on the Board of Dignity in Dying he has lectured medical students on end of life issues and given talks to Age Concern.

Mr James Humble OBE

Jim was a professional rugby player in his youth, followed by a career in trading standards as a Director and Chief Executive of a variety of public service, and central and local government organisations. He is an experienced campaigner and consultant for new laws and Private Members Bills, and has successfully promoted improved levels of consumer protection, fair-trading, child safety and food standards. He has created professional co-operatives across Europe and has held appointments as Chairman EC and Council of Europe Working Groups. He has also held Non-Executive Directorships of National Consumer Council and Wine Standards Board.

Ms Ann Leedham

Ann's background is in nursing, primarily caring for people suffering from cancer. She was regional and secretary to the Royal College of Nursing Board and was a Board member for Birmingham and the Black Country Workforce Development Confederation. Over the years she has campaigned on many issues, most recently for minority groups to be properly recognised in the workplace and has also spent time as a school governor and a borough councillor for the Labour Party.

Niccola Swan

Niccola spent many years working for Barclays Bank, ending her career in 2005 as Regional Director for the North-East. She has been a non-executive director of Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust since 2006, where she serves on the main board and the Audit Committee, and chairs the Resources Committee. She has recently completed two years as deputy chief executive of the Employers Forum on Disability and is now a member of the governmental Disability and Employment Advisory Committee. She is also a magistrate in Bradford and a Home-Start volunteer in Leeds.

John Stephen

John Stephen

John is a retired family doctor having worked for 32 years in both Norfolk and Somerset, and has been a member of Dignity in Dying for over 18 years. During his working life he cared for many terminally ill patients, the great majority under his personal care in a cottage hospital. For the past 3 years he has been a member of the Dignity in Dying Board and experienced the disappointment at the failure in 2006 of Lord Joffe's Bill: 'Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill'.

Michael Daly

Michael Daly

Michael Daly is a volunteer for the Bereavement Service of a cancer hospice in Oxford and is trustee of the Oxford International Centre for Palliative Care. His experiences of palliative care have reinforced his belief in the importance of extending end-of-life care and choice to everyone. Although qualified as a barrister, Michael's professional background is in education, teaching law to undergraduates and postgraduate students seeking to qualify as lawyers.

Alice Leonard

Alice is a lawyer. For 21 years she was Head of the Strategic Legal Division of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), where she led on a number of judicial reviews. During her time there she secured protections for one million part-time workers, stopped the Armed Forces sacking pregnant women and led on investigations which forced the Royal Mail and the Prison Service to take action against sexual harassment. Alice has experience in challenging the law - and changing it. She feels the movement to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people is one of the great campaigns of the 21st century stating: "Personal choice over one's life is an essential human freedom."

Philip Graham

Philip spent most of his working life as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street and as an academic carrying out research at its associated medical school. As a junior doctor he saw end of life issues managed compassionately with the use of heavy sedation - the so-called Brompton cocktail. Since that time Philip feels it has become much more difficult for doctors, in consultation with patients themselves and with family members to assist in achieving an 'easeful death' for those who wish it. Since retirement, Philip has worked on a largely voluntary basis for example, as Chairman of the National Children's Bureau, as a Community Governor of a secondary school in a deprived area of London and as a volunteer reader in a local primary school.