Death With Dignity Advocate Passes Away

As I have previously discussed, after receiving the prognosis from doctors that she had terminal brain cancer and approximately six months to live, 29-year-old Brittany Maynard made the choice to move to Oregon and obtain medication to end her life. Maynard became well known as a ‘death with dignity’ advocate.

On Saturday, Maynard took the medication and passed away surrounded by her loved ones in Portland, Oregon. Maynard left a final note expressing her appreciation to her supporters and wishing them peace and love. Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act allowed for Maynard to make her decision and obtain the medication. A YouTube video released early last month that explains Maynard’s story from her perspective can be viewed here.

See Catherine E. Shoichet, Brittany Maynard, Advocate for ‘Death with Dignity’ Dies, CNN, Nov. 3, 2014.

Special thanks to Professor Adam Hirsch (University of San Diego) for bringing this article to my attention.