LEGALISING euthanasia in Guernsey would be a disastrous move for sick and disabled people. Alison Davis, an advocate of the right to life, is paralysed from the waist down due to spina bifida. Osteoporosis is making her spine collapse and causing her severe pain.

She also has emphysema, which causes chest infections, and her co-ordination is affected by hydrocephalus – fluid on the brain.

Many years ago, doctors had not expected her to live for much longer and she tried to commit suicide several times.

‘Had euthanasia been legal, I would have requested it,’ said Ms Davis, 49, who lives in Dorset.

She spoke at a public meeting yesterday evening organised by Channel Islands Right to Life.

She said that under the criteria proposed in Guernsey – terminally ill or permanently disabled people who request it – she would have qualified.

‘I would not be here now. It’s quite terrifying how easy it would have been.’

But friends managed to get to her in time and she found a real will to live because of them and also through helping disabled children in India.

In addition, she has set up a charity with her friend and carer, Colin Harte.

She feared that legalising euthanasia could mean that people missed out on the chance to live and that disabled and sick people would be taken at their word if they said they wanted to die.

‘You never know if your life would have improved. Doctors can be wrong. People need to learn from those like me that it’s not a fate worse than death and that life can be good. Suffering isn’t the end of the world.’

A survey in Holland showed that only 5% of people chose euthanasia due to pain.

The vast majority did so because of a loss of autonomy and dignity.

‘I’m still in some pain and my disability is the same. What has changed is not my situation but my outlook on life.’

Legalising euthanasia would confirm people’s worst feelings that they were right to feel hopeless, she said.

‘Death with dignity implies that people like me can be dignified only when we’re dead.

‘We have to get away from the feeling that that needing help is undignified and help people to live with dignity until they die naturally.’

Another survey in Holland showed that 90% of people in old people’s homes were afraid of being killed without their knowledge or consent and 68% said that euthanasia should not be legal.

‘Once we accept that killing is acceptable for some, then no one will be safe because a line will be crossed and establish that killing is acceptable.’

She urged the States of Guernsey not to legalise euthanasia.

‘They may think they are being compassionate and doing people who are suffering a favour, but in fact they would be doing the opposite. Remember my story – people who die would never know what they could have achieved.’

Event organiser Angela Meadowcroft said she was disappointed that so few deputies were among the 160 people at the meeting.

‘Many people told their own stories, which was very good,’ she said.

‘People are worried, particularly the elderly and handicapped, about what’s going to happen.

‘We shall continue to lobby members when the issue comes up.’