MPs will vote next Friday on the latest parliamentary effort to change the law to allow terminally ill people to choose when to die. Here a specialist consultant explores how the ignorance and fear many people have about dying fuels the campaign for a form of euthanasia Dulcie and IRA’s mother, Cara, is dying of cancer. She is 78, a widow, and surgery was not possible because of her heart problems. After a few weeks of decline she is now too tired to get out of bed; she sleeps for long periods and occasionally wakes for a while, when she is pleased to see her son, her daughter and her grandchildren. The right dose of painkillers ensures that her pain does not disturb her sleep, yet allows her to be fully alert when she is awake. She is calm and at peace when she is awake, and she k