On Friday, after weeks of fierce and passionate debate, MPs began their formal scrutiny of the bill that would allow terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to seek help to end their own life.

Lawmakers in the U.K. have passed a controversial bill that would legalize assisted dying for terminally ill people deemed to be in the last months of their life.

Long-time British campaigner Esther Rantzen, who is terminally ill with lung cancer and played a leading role in advocating the need for a vote on assisted dying, voiced her joy at the “wonderful” outcome and said it will give people an “equal choice.”