This article was first published on September 16, 2023.
The wood-burning stove in Cath Shepheard’s colourful home is surrounded by cards, as though there has just been a birthday. They are filled with kind words from her wide circle of close friends.
Shepheard, 60, was given a diagnosis of motor neurone disease last year, and has recently told her friends she plans to end her life by shunning food and water.
Answering questions using a mixture of hand-written notes and email, because she can no longer speak, she lists “knowing friends, family and my wonderful medical team are there” as one of the comforts since her appalling diagnosis.
Over the past two years she has swum outdoors surrounded by hills and danced all evening at
