What happened to Pratchett?

In 2007, Pratchett was diagnosed with a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease — posterior cortical atrophy, which affects visual processing first. He announced it publicly in a personal essay, calling it "an embuggerance." He donated £500,000 (approximately $1 million) to Alzheimer's research.

How did he respond publicly?

With characteristic directness and anger — but not at the disease. His anger was at the inadequacy of research funding, the social stigma around dementia, and the inadequacy of end-of-life options in the UK. He became an advocate for assisted dying, making a BBC documentary (Choosing to Die, 2011) and testifying before government commissions.

Did he keep writing?

Yes, with assistance. As his visual processing deteriorated, he used voice recognition software and worked with his assistant Rob Wilkins. He published six more Discworld novels after diagnosis, as well as other works. He continued until approximately two years before his death in 2015.

What was his argument for assisted dying?

That a person should have the right to choose the manner of their death when facing terminal illness. He was not advocating for involuntary euthanasia — he was arguing for voluntary choice by competent adults facing specific terminal conditions. He found it incomprehensible that humans extended more dignity to animals in veterinary euthanasia than to human patients.

What does Pratchett's response to his diagnosis reveal about his character?

That he was the same person he'd always been — angry about injustice, specific about its mechanisms, and willing to use his public platform to say uncomfortable things. He died on March 12, 2015, with his family and cat present. His assistant tweeted as Death, in all caps, three final lines. The internet cried.