Debbie Purdy takes her case to the Appeal Court tomorrow to challenge the judgement reached by the High Court in October last year, which failed to clarify the law on assisted suicide.

“I will continue to fight for clarity in the law for as long as I am able to,” said Debbie, 45, of Undercliffe, who suffers from primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

She would like the option to travel abroad to have an assisted death should her suffering become unbearable and wants to clarify the current suicide law, which could leave her husband Omar open to imprisonment for 14 years if he accompanies her to a country where it is legal to be assisted to die. Debbie added: “What I now know as a result of the Dan James case, is that if Omar sits with me on the plane to Switzerland he is breaking the law, even if I make the arrangements myself.

“What I, and everybody else doesn’t know, is the criteria on which the authorities judge whether it is in the public interest to prosecute Omar.

“I think we are entitled to know this information.

“If there is even a small chance that Omar will be prosecuted for coming with me I will have to go alone. This would mean going while I can still travel without assistance, certainly before I am ready to die.

“I have no option but to continue to fight for answers through the courts. It has become apparent through the support I have received during my case that this is no longer just about myself and Omar, but it’s about clarification of the law for all UK citizens who may be facing these decisions now, or want reassurance for the future.”

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said: “Although the Government is aiming to reform the outdated 1961 Suicide Act, it has no plans to update the law to distinguish between people who maliciously encourage suicide and those who compassionately accompany a loved one abroad to die.

“Ultimately we would like to see the law in the UK changed to allow terminally ill, suffering, mentally competent adults the safeguard choice of an assisted death, so that people like Debbie don’t have to travel abroad for this compassionate assistance. While any change in the law is a matter for Parliament, we hope the courts will at least clarify our existing law.”

The case will be heard on Tuesday and Wednesday.