Assisted dying: supporters and opponents of bill on hopes and fears ahead of crucial vote

‘It’s a choice not to suffer’: Shafaq Sikandar, 39, has stage four breast cancer and is a keen supporter of the bill. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

Ever since Pamela Fisher was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, the fear of dying in pain and discomfort has been keeping her awake at night. “I don’t want to die, not now. I love life and I want to live. But that said, I live in terror at the prospect of how my final weeks of life could turn out,” the 64-year-old said.

“I know that even with the best palliative care available, there are limits to what can be done. It’s a dead weight of fear I carry around with me.”