Anita White, of Gillingham, who wants the laws on assisted suicide changed

by Rebecca Hughes

A woman who has lived a "lifetime of pain" is calling for the laws on assisted suicide to be changed.

Housebound Anita White, of Ingram Road, Gillingham, wants the right to die to stop herself from living in "chronic pain".

The 61-year-old made her desperate plea as former Kent rugby player Tony Nicklinson died of pneumonia – just days after losing his High Court battle to lawfully end his own life.

The father-of-two, who was paralysed from the neck down after a catastrophic stroke, wanted doctors to terminate his life but judges ruled it would be illegal.

Mrs White said the law has got to be changed.

Tony Nicklinson, who had locked-in sydrome, with wife Jane

The pensioner has been struggling to cope since 1997, when her pain became so unbearable that she was unable to leave the house.

Despite asking doctors for a knee replacement that year, she had to wait until 2006 - during which time her other knee deteriorated and also needed surgery - making it her 19th major operation.

Before that she had been involved in four serious road accidents, had battled breast cancer and survived an abusive childhood.

While having her second knee operation, Mrs White said her body "rebelled", leaving her with complex regional pain syndrome, meaning she now lives with persistent pain.

She said: "I am unable to take any pain relief whatsoever as I am allergic to all NHS medications now and the pain is unspeakable.

"Being housebound I have no quality of life and my condition has cost my husband his career as he has to be my full-time carer, so it has ruined his life too."

She added: "I have lived a lifetime of pain, and it is with the greatest passion I am following the 'right-to-die' cases and pray the law be changed, not only to help those poor souls, but for myself too.

"What am I going to do if the cancer comes back, as I am now unable to have any more surgery or take any medication? I can’t afford to fly to Switzerland to die. The law has got to be changed."