Cancer Sufferer Brittany Maynard Ends Her Own Life, Aged 29

Brittany Maynard, the terminally ill American woman who announced plans to end her life after a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer, has reportedly died after taking drugs made available to her by the state of Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act.

The Sydney Morning Herald report that the 29-year-old Maynard – who was diagnosed with a Stage 4 malignant brain tumour in April and was given six months to live – passed away over the weekend while surrounded by her family at home.
Maynard’s tumour returned following an initial surgery to remove it, and following her terminal diagnosis, she chose to forego chemotherapy and radiation after learning of the immense pain that would be associated with prolonging her life.

She and her family moved from San Francisco to Oregon to take advantage of the fact that it is within the law for doctors to prescribe life ending medications to patients with certain terminal illnesses.

Maynard’s decision to die on her own terms was widely-reported, and last weekend, in a final Facebook post, she wrote:
“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. The world is a beautiful place, travel has been my greatest teacher, my close friends and folks are the greatest givers. I even have a ring of support around my bed as I type…. Goodbye world. Spread good energy. Pay it forward!”
Before her death, Maynard established The Brittany Maynard Fund, which will be used to fight for death with dignity laws in other states of the U.S.
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