'Goodbye and thank you': Esther Rantzen's farewell letter asks friends to donate to Dignitas after her death at 86
From the Newshound archive · first published 2 October 2026.
Dame Esther Rantzen, who founded Childline in 1986 and championed the Assisted Dying Bill, died on Wednesday at her New Forest home, weeks after MPs narrowly rejected the legislation.
Dame Esther Rantzen wrote a farewell letter before her death, asking friends and fans to donate to Dignitas, the Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington, and Cats Protection in her memory. The 'That's Life!' presenter and Childline founder died at her New Forest home on Wednesday night, surrounded by family, at the age of 86. She had been diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer in 2023 and became a prominent advocate for assisted dying.
Rantzen's family called her the 'most wonderful mother' and 'cherished grandmother' with an 'endless capacity for joy'.
In the letter, she wrote: 'Perhaps I will see you eventually, on the other side. I do hope so.'
She signed off simply: 'With very good wishes, as ever, Esther.'
