Saifullah Sani
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A 29-year-old woman terminally ill with brain cancer has spoken publicly about her decision to end her own life next month.
On Nov 1 Brittany Maynard will take an overdose of prescription medication in her bedroom, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
She was diagnosed earlier this year and told she had six months to live, and has decided not to undergo radiation treatment which would destroy her quality of life.
She said: "After months of research my family and I reached a heartbreaking conclusion. There is no treatment that would save my life and the recommended treatments would have destroyed the time I had left.
"Because the rest of my body is young and healthy I am likely to physically hang on for a long time even though cancer is eating my mind.
"I did not want this nightmare scenario for my family so I started researching death with dignity. I quickly decided that death with dignity was the best option for me and my family.
Miss Maynard was temporaily hospitalised two week ago after seizures but is currently living at home. She said she felt "exhausted" but still goes for a walk every day with her family.
She and her husband Dan Diaz recently moved from San Francisco, California to Oregon, one of five US states that have a "death with dignity" law.
The remaining weeks of her life are being spent campaigning for others suffering from terminal conditions to be given the right to end their own lives.
A video and article written by her were released on Monday by the end-of-life choice organisation Compassion for Choices. It was not clear when the video was filmed.
Before her diagnosis she had enjoyed travelling the world, including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and running half-marathons.
She chose Nov 1 as her date to die because it is shortly after her husband's birthday.
Since 1997 more than 750 people have died legally using drugs provided by doctors in Oregon.
The states of Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington also have "death with dignity" laws.
Miss Maynard said she was "not suicidal" and "wanted to live".
She said: "I've had the medication for weeks. I am not suicidal. If I were I would have consumed that medication long ago. I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms."
"My entire family has gone through a cycle of devastation. I'm an only child. This is going to make tears come to my eyes. For my mother, it's really difficult, and for my husband as well, but they've all supported me because they've stood in hospital rooms and heard what would happen to me.
"I hope for the sake of my fellow American citizens, that I'll never meet, that this option is available to you. If you ever find yourself walking a mile in my shoes I hope that you would at least be given the same choice and that no one tries to take it from you."
Cancer sufferer: Why I'm choosing to die on Nov 1 aged 29 - Telegraph
On Nov 1 Brittany Maynard will take an overdose of prescription medication in her bedroom, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
She was diagnosed earlier this year and told she had six months to live, and has decided not to undergo radiation treatment which would destroy her quality of life.
She said: "After months of research my family and I reached a heartbreaking conclusion. There is no treatment that would save my life and the recommended treatments would have destroyed the time I had left.
"Because the rest of my body is young and healthy I am likely to physically hang on for a long time even though cancer is eating my mind.
"I did not want this nightmare scenario for my family so I started researching death with dignity. I quickly decided that death with dignity was the best option for me and my family.
Miss Maynard was temporaily hospitalised two week ago after seizures but is currently living at home. She said she felt "exhausted" but still goes for a walk every day with her family.
She and her husband Dan Diaz recently moved from San Francisco, California to Oregon, one of five US states that have a "death with dignity" law.
The remaining weeks of her life are being spent campaigning for others suffering from terminal conditions to be given the right to end their own lives.
A video and article written by her were released on Monday by the end-of-life choice organisation Compassion for Choices. It was not clear when the video was filmed.
Before her diagnosis she had enjoyed travelling the world, including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and running half-marathons.
She chose Nov 1 as her date to die because it is shortly after her husband's birthday.
Since 1997 more than 750 people have died legally using drugs provided by doctors in Oregon.
The states of Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington also have "death with dignity" laws.
Miss Maynard said she was "not suicidal" and "wanted to live".
She said: "I've had the medication for weeks. I am not suicidal. If I were I would have consumed that medication long ago. I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms."
"My entire family has gone through a cycle of devastation. I'm an only child. This is going to make tears come to my eyes. For my mother, it's really difficult, and for my husband as well, but they've all supported me because they've stood in hospital rooms and heard what would happen to me.
"I hope for the sake of my fellow American citizens, that I'll never meet, that this option is available to you. If you ever find yourself walking a mile in my shoes I hope that you would at least be given the same choice and that no one tries to take it from you."
Cancer sufferer: Why I'm choosing to die on Nov 1 aged 29 - Telegraph
