A 20-year-old man living with an inoperable brain tumour has called on MPs to revive and complete the legislative process for an assisted dying bill. Noah Herniman, from Chepstow, South East Wales, was diagnosed in 2021 with a slow-growing tumour located in his brain stem near the spine, a condition deemed inoperable. After enduring 166 weeks of chemotherapy, Herniman stopped treatment last year due to severe side effects including nausea, memory fog, fatigue, neuropathy, burns, dizziness, and hair loss.

Herniman expressed fear about dying slowly and painfully without dignity under the current legal framework in the UK, where assisted dying remains prohibited. “I am scared of dying, scared of what comes after,” he said, condemning the stalled progress on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The bill, which sought to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults, failed to advance in the last parliamentary session after a group of peers in the House of Lords filibustered to prevent a vote.

Herniman told MPs to prioritize the suffering of others over personal or political views, urging them to “finish what you started” with the bill. He emphasized the dehumanizing experience of dying with pain and distress and encouraged lawmakers to consider the impact on both patients and their families.

His mother, Shelley Herniman, initially opposed the idea of assisted dying but has since changed her perspective after researching the issue with her son. “As he grew older, and obviously he’s an adult, you have to respect his wishes,” she said. Shelley also highlighted the emotional toll on families witnessing the suffering of loved ones and questioned whether the peers who blocked the bill had personal experience with such situations.

Noah Herniman has also been active in charity work, raising tens of thousands of pounds for cancer-related causes and contributing to the purchase of a holiday home to support families facing serious illness. Despite his diagnosis, he plans to begin studying acting at Falmouth University in September.

The campaign supporting assisted dying has gained momentum through collaborations with organizations like Dignity in Dying and was recently featured in a campaign by photographer Rankin, which included powerful testimonies from those facing terminal illness. Some MPs who previously supported the bill were drawn in a recent private member’s bill ballot, potentially offering a renewed opportunity for the legislation to pass. If the House of Commons approves the bill a second time, it would limit the House of Lords’ ability to block it again.

While Noah’s mother remains hopeful for medical advances that could extend his life, the family stresses the importance of humane choices for those nearing the end of life under current law.