Dame Esther Rantzen’s heartbreaking death confession as she has early family Christmas

Dame Esther Rantzen made a heartbreaking decision after declaring her fears ahead of the festive season.

Dame Esther Rantzen has shared her plans to move Christmas (Image: Getty Images)

Dame Esther Rantzen is planning an early Christmas celebration with her family this year, in case she “doesn’t make” the actual day.

The renowned journalist and campaigner has been surprising herself by reaching milestones after being diagnosed with incurable lung cancer nearly three years ago. The grandmother of five has been fighting to legalise assisted dying since her shocking diagnosis, but there have been delays on the Assisted Dying Bill.

Dame Esther’s plea: change the law quickly ‘so everybody can have a choice’

In a poignant interview with The Mirror published Wednesday, the veteran journalist revealed she’s organizing a “living wake” complete with festive trimmings, turkey dinner, and gifts for her grandchildren, a heartbreaking gesture underscoring her terminal stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis announced in January. “I want to see my grandchildren open their presents, laugh, and be joyful,” Esther said, her voice steady but eyes glistening. “Christmas is about magic – and I want to be part of theirs, whether it’s December 25 or not.”

Esther’s battle began with a persistent cough in 2023, dismissed as “post-viral” until a CT scan in December revealed a 3cm tumor in her left lung, with spread to lymph nodes and bones. “It was like being hit by a bus,” she told ITV’s Loose Women in her first TV appearance post-diagnosis, where co-hosts including Brenda Edwards and Kaye Adams wiped away tears. Opting out of chemotherapy’s “horrific side effects,” Esther chose targeted radiotherapy and immunotherapy, crediting it with “buying time” – six months of quality life so far. “I feel okay some days – I can still walk the dog, enjoy a G&T,” she said. But the reality is stark: “The prognosis is months, not years.”

The early Christmas is Esther’s way of seizing joy amid uncertainty. “I’ve told my family: let’s do it in November, with all the bells and whistles,” she shared. “Stockings, crackers, the lot. I don’t want a somber affair – I want laughter.” Her three children – daughter Miriam, 52, sons Joshua, 50, and Adam, 46 – and seven grandchildren will gather at her Hertfordshire home, a tradition born from her own childhood Christmases in Bracknell. “Esther’s always been the fun grandma,” Miriam said. “This is her gift to us – celebrating while she can.”

Esther’s legacy is one of unyielding advocacy. Launching Childline in 1986 with only £500, she built it into a lifeline for 4.5 million children, answering 1.2 million calls yearly. Knighted in 2015 for services to children, she’s campaigned against elder abuse and assisted dying laws, the latter hitting close now. “I support it – why suffer?” she said in June, registering for Dignitas in Switzerland. “But I want to live fully until I can’t.”

The news has sparked an outpouring. #EstherStrong trended with 1.8 million posts, celebrities like Joanna Lumley (“My warrior friend – seize every sparkle”) and Davina McCall (“Your light never dims”) sharing tributes. Childline’s helpline saw a 25% call spike, young people inspired by her courage.

As November’s “Christmas” approaches, Esther reflects: “I’ve had a wonderful life – full of love, laughter, and purpose.” Her early celebration isn’t goodbye – it’s gratitude, a final ho-ho-ho in the face of finality. Dame Esther Rantzen, voice of the voiceless, reminds us: joy isn’t postponed; it’s claimed.