''Jean's Way'' (originally subtitled ''A Love Story''), a book by

Derek Humphry Derek Humphry (born 29 April 1930) is a British-born American journalist and author notable as a proponent of legal assisted suicide and the right to die. In 1980, he co-founded the Hemlock Society and, in 2004, after that organization dissolv ...

, is an account of Humphry's terminally ill wife's planned suicide from suffering. The book is his first on the issue of

voluntary euthanasia Voluntary euthanasia (VE) is the ending of a person's life at their request in order to relieve them of suffering. Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have been the focus of intense debate in recent years. Some forms of ...

and

assisted suicide Assisted suicide is suicide undertaken with the aid of another person. The term usually refers to physician-assisted suicide (PAS), which is suicide that is assisted by a physician or other healthcare provider. Once it is determined that the p ...

Overview

, a journalist on the ''

London Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

'' and author of ''Because They're Black'', published ''Jean's Way'' in 1978. The book became a bestseller in the UK, was translated into eight languages, and has been reprinted 17 times.+ The 2003 printing in English by Norris Lane Press () is 160 pages and includes a new full-color jacket and updated preface. The 2003 English edition is available in paperback and eBook PDF formats. ''Jean's Way'' translations have been published in Finland, Norway, Hebrew, Japan, Poland, Spain, Mexico, France, Turkey and Germany.

Jean Humphry

Jean Humphry was born Jean Edna Crane on March 23, 1932, in Hulme (Manchester), UK. Her family moved to

Wythenshawe Wythenshawe () is a district of the city of Manchester, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in Cheshire, Wythenshawe was transferred in 1931 to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the ...

, a Manchester suburb, where Jean received a public school education. In 1951 Miss Crane was appointed 'Miss Wythenshawe', a volunteer task ceremoniously to open fetes, flower shows and exhibitions as the district had no Mayor. On May 4, 1953, Jean married Derek Humphry in Manchester. They had three sons, one adopted. She died March 29, 1975, in

Langley Burrell Langley Burrell is a village just north of Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. It is the largest settlement in the civil parish of Langley Burrell Without which includes the hamlets of Peckingell (south of the village) and Kellaways (to the east on ...

, Wiltshire, as a consequence of breast cancer which had become

carcinomatosis Carcinosis, or carcinomatosis, is disseminated cancer, forms of metastasis, whether used generally or in specific patterns of spread. Usage Carcinomatosis is often restricted to tumors of epithelial origin, adenocarcinomas, while sarcomatosis desc ...

Book summary

At the time of the first publication's first edition, not only was assisted suicide against the law, it was also highly taboo. Jean Humphry had suffered for more than two years from

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

, which spread throughout her whole body, as described in the first nine chapters. She decided it was her time for an assisted death, and proceeded with her plan so that she could die in peace and dignity in her own home rather than in hospital. This was an individual decision; the couple did not know then (1975) about

euthanasia Euthanasia (from el, εὐθανασία 'good death': εὖ, ''eu'' 'well, good' + θάνατος, ''thanatos'' 'death') is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different eut ...

and

, which later became highly controversial as the

right to die The right to die is a concept based on the opinion that human beings are entitled to end their life or undergo voluntary euthanasia. Possession of this right is often understood that a person with a terminal illness, incurable pain, or without t ...

issue mushroomed.

Living Wills An advance healthcare directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no ...

were then just becoming known. Some nine months earlier, the couple had made a pact at Jean's instigation that she could take her life if she wished if the final weeks were unbearable to her. Jean had stipulated that she would only do it with Derek's agreement. At Jean's request, Derek secured a lethal overdose from a sympathetic doctor and stored it in a secure place in their home in Wiltshire. When the pain and distress became too great to bear, Jean asked for the drugs so that she could die. When she was ready, Derek mixed the lethal potion into a mug of coffee. After saying, "Goodbye, my love" Jean downed the drink and died within the hour. In Chapter 10, ''Is This the Day?'', Derek describes her last day before her death. On publication of the book, British police asked Derek if it was true, and he signed a statement to the effect that it was. But the

Director of Public Prosecutions The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is the office or official charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world. The title is used mainly in jurisdictions that are or have been members o ...

, who has discretion over assisted suicide laws, decided not to prosecute Derek.

Post publication

The popularity of ''Jean's Way'' started the movement to legalize

as a choice for competent adults at the end of life. (Previously, the movement had concentrated solely on '

' by direct injection.) Derek founded the

Hemlock Society The Hemlock Society (sometimes called Hemlock Society USA) was an American right-to-die and assisted suicide advocacy organization which existed from 1980 to 2003. It was co-founded in Santa Monica, California by British author and activist ...

in 1980 to campaign for greater acceptance of justifiable assisted suicide and also wrote the international bestselling book ''

Final Exit ''Final Exit'' (fully titled ''Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying'') is a 1991 book written by Derek Humphry, a British-born American journalist, author, and assisted suicide advocate who co-f ...

''. In 1990, ''Jean's Way'' became the basis for a dramatic stage play entitled '' Is This the Day?'' written by

Vilma Hollingbery Vilma Jean Napier Brown (21 July 1932 11 September 2021), known professionally as Vilma Hollingbery, was a British character actress. She appeared in various television programmes and films over a span of sixty years, and was known for her app ...

. It had its world premiere at the Royal Theatre in Northampton, UK, and had short runs in Germany and the USA. The book foreshadowed the

Oregon Death with Dignity Act Measure 16 of 1994 established the U.S. state of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act (ORS 127.800–995), which legalizes medical aid in dying (commonly referred to as physician-assisted suicide) with certain restrictions. Passage of this initiativ ...

, which Derek pioneered in 1986 and as a team player worked for its eventual passage in 1994. In the application of both Oregon law and

Swiss law Swiss law is a set of rules which constitutes the law in Switzerland. Structure and Sources There is a hierarchy of political levels which reflects the legal and constitutional character of Switzerland. The Federal law (german: Bundesrecht, f ...

, with legally approved ways of assisting deaths at the end of life, Jean's Way is the method used. In

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

it is used by Dignitas and EXIT, the Swiss society for humane dying.Used by permission of Derek Humphry.
/ref>

Bibliography

*''The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life'', Marilyn Webb, Bantam, 1997. *''A Chosen Death: The Dying Confront Assisted Suicide'', Lonny Shavelson, Simon & Schuster, 1995. *"Derek Humphry" in ''Current Biography'', Volume 56, Number 3, March 1995, H. W. Wilson Company. *"Document 108: Jean's Way" in ''The Right to Die Debate: A Documentary History'', edited by Margaret B. Zucker, Greenwood Press, 1999. *"Voluntary Euthanasia" in ''Pro & Con'', Walter Isaacson, Puttnam, NY. 1983. *''The Enigma of Suicide'', George Howe Colt, Summit Books, NY, 1991. *''The Least Worst Death: The Politics of Dying,'' Margaret Pabst Battin, OUP, 1994. *''Good Life, Good Death: Memoir'', Derek Humphry, Carrel Books, New York 2017

Notes

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External links

''Jean's Way''
book information

''Jean's Way''
book availability 2003 non-fiction books Assisted suicide American memoirs Euthanasia