Les Burke Fighting to Live.

Les has a neurological Disease. Outliving his expected death before his 40th birthday, he is challenging the Dept Of Health over his right to expect food and hydration. The NHS Says the Decision on Life and Death should be Their decision and Not Les'.

Les is preparing for the day, when he can No longer communicate, and possible swallow. He was . G-Tube if that should happen. The Courts originally sided with him,
"According to the judge, he would retain almost until the end 'awareness of the pain, discomfort and extreme distress that would result from malnutrition and dehydration'. He did not want to die in this way or to be told by doctors that his life was no longer worth living.

The NHS is appealing on the grounds of $$MONEY$$.

From the Times Online, 'NHS could save cash' by letting patients die,

"THE most seriously ill NHS patients should be allowed to die so that the money spent on them can be better used elsewhere, the Health Department is expected to tell the Court of Appeal in a test case."

The Secretary of State argues that if the decision of Mr Justice Mumby — that artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) should not be withdrawn unless the patient’s life is intolerable — is not overturned, another patient could have a right “to demand and receive medical treatment of his choosing”. This, the document says, “will require substantial additional expenditure of scarce resources, regardless of whether those resources might be more effectively deployed elsewhere”.

What this boils down to, is Living Wills, Will NOT be Recognized in the U.K. if the NHS wins the appeal!

Go to les' site, he has a ton af articles on this.