Brittany Maynard, a twenty nine-year-old with terminal cancer, has died after taking drugs prescribed by her doctor.
Earlier this year, Brittany, who was suffering from glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer, moved from California to Oregon in order to access ‘Death with Dignity’ laws.
In recent months, Brittany has been a spokesperson for Compassion & Choices, a non-profit organisation set up to campaign for patients’ rights and choices at the end of life.
In October, Brittany posted a YouTube video and gave interviews where she explained that she did not want to die but rather than let brain cancer kill her, she would prefer to die with dignity.
“There is not a cell in my body that is suicidal or that wants to die,” Brittany told People magazine in an interview. “I want to live. I wish there was a cure for my disease but there’s not”.
Brittany had chosen 1st November 2014 as the date she would die but released another video last week, where she said she was considering changing the date as “she still felt good enough and still had enough joy”.
However, Brittany died on November 1st as she originally intended, at home surrounded by her loved ones.
Sam Crowley, a spokesperson for Compassion & Choices, said that Brittany had been subjected to “increasingly frequent and longer seizures, severe head and neck pain, and stroke-like symptoms.
“As symptoms grew more severe she chose to abbreviate the dying process by taking the aid-in dying medication she had received months ago,” continued Sam.
Brittany’s final message was: “Goodbye to all my dear friends and family that I love. Today is the day I have chosen to pass away with dignity in the face of my terminal illness, this terrible brain cancer that has taken so much from me… but would have taken so much more”.
