A DEVASTATED man from Bournemouth says his terminally-ill dad should be allowed to die with dignity.

Matt Rowe is telling his family's story amid the ongoing debate over the assisted dying bill, which would give people in certain circumstances the right to die at a time of their choosing.

MPs have a free vote on the issue, which is scheduled for its second reading in Parliament on November 29.

The subject has sparked a wide array of opinions - many organisations welcome the possibility, while others believe it is unethical.

(Image: Matt Rowe)

Matt's father Andy Maynard, 53, was diagnosed with a severe brain tumour a month ago.
Doctors have told him there is no cure, and he is currently in end-of-life care.

Matt told the Echo: “A month ago, my father was sitting upright, talking, laughing and sort of joking about his brain tumour. 

"A week later, I went back to see him, and he's not really responsive. He's exhausted and you can see the colour fading out of him.

“Every morning, he wakes up in pain telling us he just wants it all to be over, and if he had control of the off switch, he would push the button. 

"As a family, we all feel it is unfair for him to suffer like this."

Andy is currently in hospital in the east of England and Matt is travelling to see him every weekend.

(Image: Matt Rowe)

Last month, the Assisted Dying Bill 2023 passed its principles stage in the Legislative Council.

For patients like Andy, it would give them the right to die with dignity, those in favour of the bill say.

Terry, Andy's wife, has been visiting her husband every day at the Castle Hill Hospital in Hull.

She has seen her husband become helpless and head towards a point where his muscles detoriorate to the extend that he cannot function properly.

(Image: Matt Rowe)

She said: “I am absolutely heartbroken because he's in the exact position that he didn't want to be in when he got his diagnosis. He's bedridden and can barely communicate.

“He feels like he's being a burden on everybody and he's not a burden, but that's how he feels. He feels absolutely useless, and he's completely frustrated. 

"When he was able to speak, he said to the doctors and the nurses, ‘we had our dog put down, that was a more dignified ending than what I am now receiving’."