Allow Me To Die: Euthanasia in Belgium

Imagine choosing to die when you don’t have a terminal illness. Is it a choice we should have? A powerful Dateline special gets rare access to film the journeys of two people in Belgium – going behind the most liberal euthanasia laws in the world.

Peter Ketelslegers is a 33-year-old father of two, Simona de Moor is a physically healthy 85-year-old. Both of them want to die. Peter suffers cluster headaches, which have left him unable to work and look after his family. Ultimately, he feels, unable to live. “It’s like a knife being stuck in my head,” he tells reporter Brett Mason. “It spreads through my whole head. I hit it to get rid of the pain.”

The intense headaches can last up to three hours, several times a day. He’s tried many different treatments, including drastic brain surgery last month, but nothing has worked. “If there’s no other solution than just an injection, and gone… do I have to say it? Euthanasia,” he explains. “I don’t want to be a burden to anyone… I should take care of the children rather than them taking care of me, but I can’t.”