Right to Die-Netherlands (NVVE) wants to encourage people to put their wishes regarding euthanasia down on paper in a ‘living will’. On Wednesday, the organisation will launch a national campaign to bring the idea to the attention of the general public.

Regional radio stations will broadcast messages in which people from various age groups explain why they have made a living will.

"Oh, I’ve had enough. I really don’t want to be treated anymore." – "With an NVVE living will your doctors and your relatives will know what you want. Because a dignified death is perfectly normal. Visit our website..."

Explicit request
Under legislation introduced in 2002, euthanasia in the Netherlands may take place only at the explicit request of the patient. At the moment, about five percent of the Dutch population has a living will, which sets out the circumstances under which they would like to be euthanised.

Ms Walburg de Jong of the NVVE says many people would like to make a living will, but in practice they never do:

“They usually want to think it over a little longer, they procrastinate, they feel they are still too young or say they are not sick. However, it is very important to write down your wishes about the end of your life when you are still able to think clearly and discuss your wishes with your doctor and your relatives. It makes for less problems later on, when you are no longer capable of expressing your wishes and your relatives and your doctor may be asking themselves: what would this person have wanted?"

Some people do…
The Netherlands has three different kinds of living wills. The first kind allows a person to state in detail the circumstances in which they would choose euthanasia. This is a request.

The second kind, a refusal of life-sustaining treatment, is a legally valid document which states how long a person wants to be treated if, for instance, they fall into a coma.

The third kind is a power of attorney which gives a loved one – together with a doctor – the power to take decisions on treatment when patients are no longer capable of making such decisions for themselves.

And some don’t
Naturally, a person may also make a living will stating that they want to be kept alive for as long as possible. The campaign to bring living wills to the attention of the general public is not intended as a message to politicians. The coalition negotiations are still ongoing, and it is not yet clear what the new cabinet’s policy regarding euthanasia will be. According to Ms Walburg de Jong of the NVVE:

“A campaign like this one requires a long period of preparation, and at the time we had no idea what politics would be like today. However, it is good for politicians too to know they can make arrangements if necessary".

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