Starter

Make a list of things you do that makes life worth living?

Euthanasia

Aim: Examine a case study to decide if it was ‘murder’ or ‘mercy’

Lots of people worry about how they will die…

They are concerned that they:– Will be in unbearable pain– Will have no dignity – Will have a long drawn-out death– Will have no control– Will inconvenience

others

What is quality of life?• This is Ty Ziegel aged 22 with fiancee Renee

This is Ty Ziegel aged 24Ty was saved by doctors after taking the full force of a

bomb explosion in Iraq. If you were him what would you say to the field doctors who first treated him at the front?

Ty on his wedding day to Renee – is life always worth living?

The Hillsborough Disaster (1989)

• The Hillsborough disaster was a deadly human crush that occurred on April 15, 1989, at Hillsborough, a football stadium in Sheffield, England resulting in the death of 96 people (all fans of Liverpool Football Club).

This is Tony Bland who died aged 22 in 1993 – the 96th victim of Hilsborough

Background to the Tony Bland Case

• On the afternoon of Saturday April 15th 1989, 17 year old football fan Tony Bland was one of hundreds who suffered crush injuries at the Hillsborough Stadium tragedy in Sheffield. On arrival in hospital he was treated intensively and survived.

• After a period in intensive care he was transferred to Airedale General Hospital, the hospital nearest his home.

• It was already apparent that Tony had suffered extensive damage to his brain and in the months that followed, Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) was diagnosed.

• There was no improvement in his condition and eventually his consultant, Dr James Howe, and his parents made an application through Airedale NHS Trust to the High Court that they would not be acting unlawfully if they were to stop giving food and fluids to him in order to `let poor Tony die'.

• On November 19th 1992, Sir Stephen Brown, the President of the High Court's Family Division, ruled that food and fluids could lawfully be withdrawn.

• There was an Appeal but on 9th December the verdict was upheld by three Judges in the Appeal Court. The case then went to the House of Lords, and on Thursday February 4th 1993 five Law Lords also rejected the Appeal.

• The tube which delivered food to Tony was removed and 11 days later he became the 96th victim of the Hillsborough tragedy.

Tony Bland – Murder or Mercy?

In groups complete the card sort into two piles – MURDER or MERCY

When your group has come to a decision you must elect a spokesman to relay your decision to the rest of the class.

You may all have to defend your decision

You should put onto the murder pile any pieces of evidence which suggest that Tony was unlawfully

killed

You should put onto the Mercy pile any pieces of

evidence that suggest that his death was the result of loving intentions by either

doctors and/or family

Plenary- pick out two possible outcomes which you think are most likely, write them down and explain why they might be a worry

What if …Euthanasia were made legal?

Doctors would have too much

power

Relatives would pressurise people

to die

Life would lose its’ value

People with no families could

have their lives ended easier

Anyone not completely

healthy might be pushed into it

People would not fear death any

more

‘Doctors should always try to save lives and never end them.’

Do you agree? Show that you have considered more than one point of view.