Hi, I'm a University Student at Portsmouth. I'm in my second year studying Creative Arts and Media Studies. As part of my course this semester I am acting in a play about two women who are very close. One of them (Wendy) has a matter of days left to live due to an illness which we as a cast with the director have decided is some form of cancer. In this play the two women who are in their late twenties, go to Paris, rent out an apartment and it is not discovered until the end that they are there because Wendy is going to kill herself with her friend, Ellen's help; To put an end to the pain and misery, and to avoid becoming helpless. I am playing the friend.

They have known each other for 14 years. Ellen has a husband and children, Wendy does not, she never settled down. We think there may have been more to their relationship at one time these two women.

I am asking today if anyone can help me with ensuring this play is being down sensitively and accurately. Does anyone have any experience of someone close to them that has commited suicide off the back of a fatal illness? Or has anyone had a friend in that situation come to them and ask them if they can assist with suicide?

Anything anyone can come up with would be very much appreciated. Thank you very much.

Reading some of the threads on these forums has already opened my eyes to a certain extent, seeing it all for real, that cancer does exist and people are having to battle it. To all of you, good luck!

Thank you again!

Gina Birch