Dame Esther Rantzen shared her diagnosis of stage four lung cancer earlier this year.
The charity founder and presenter has now called for a free vote on assisted dying and said she has joined Dignitas.
This is an assisted dying clinic in Switzerland and she has revealed she may consider going if her condition gets worse and shows no improvement in her next scan.
She said: “I have in my brain thought, if the next scan says nothing’s working I might buzz off to Zurich.
Dame Esther Rantzen is a presenter and founder of Childline
PA
“But it puts my family and friends in a difficult position because they would want to go with me, and that means that the police might prosecute them.”
Assisted dying is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and euthanasia is illegal in Scotland.
It is lawful in Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Those who help or encourage someone to take their own life can be jailed in England or Wales.
Dame Esther added that she believes change is needed so families in that situation do not face prosecution.
She continued: “We’ve got to do something. At the moment, it’s not really working, is it?”
Esther added her family said she could make her own choice but added it is the law she’d like to change if she had the power.
“I think it’s important that the law catches up with what the country wants,” she said on Radio 4’s The Today Podcast.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year
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Dame Esther was diagnosed with lung cancer at the start of this year and admitted she did not expect to make it so far.
The presenter added she is looking forward to a “precious” Christmas with her family.
The 83-year-old is currently undergoing “miracle” treatment for stage four lung cancer.
Anyone affected by issues in this story can contact the Samaritans on 116 123.
