On March 12, 2010, my grandpa lost his two-year battle with cancer. I remember when he was first diagnosed like it was yesterday. His diagnosis wasn’t very serious so we had hopes of recovery that lingered even until the very end. Over that two year span the cancer spread, surgeries were done and chemotherapy was given, but nothing worked. My family and I had to watch a horrible disease break down someone that we loved. His quality of life suffered greatly in those last few months and watching him in pain was the hardest thing I have ever experienced. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, and if my grandpa could have chosen to end the suffering sooner, I would have wanted him to have that choice.
Twenty-nine year old Brittany Maynard, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer and given three months to live, has chosen to use the death-with-dignity law in order to possibly end her life on Nov. 1, according to New York Daily News. Earlier this year, Maynard went to the doctor because of chronic headaches only to find out that a large tumor was the cause; the doctor gave her 10 years to live. Three months later her tumor had significantly grown, even after having surgery. The doctors told her she had glioblastoma, which is the deadliest form of brain cancer. The doctor then said she would only live a few more months. Even with treatment, the median life expectancy for people with glioblastoma is 14.6 months, according to The American Brain Tumor Association. Only 10 percent of people diagnosed will live for five years or longer, according to a 2009 report.
Maynard had recently married her husband, Dan Diaz, when she began having the headaches and when she was actually diagnosed, she and her husband were actively trying to start a family. Because of the limited amount of options her hometown in Southern California offers, this past spring she decided to move with her family to Oregon where she could have access to the death-with-dignity law, according to New York Daily News. If patients like Maynard meet the criteria, the law allows them to receive a prescription for a medication that will end their life in peace and without any pain if they indeed choose to take it.
Some have called Maynard’s decision selfish, according to DailyMail, and I would have to agree with them. However, I do believe that she has every right to be selfish at such a time. This is her life and the decision is hers to make. I also commend her for being as strong as she is; choosing when you will die is not exactly the easiest decision to make. In reality, she just values her quality of life over quantity, and that’s okay. In fact, I think it’s great.
“My cancer is going to kill me, and it’s a terrible, terrible way to die,” Maynard said in an interview with People Magazine. “So to be able to die with my family with me, to have control of my own mind, which I would stand to lose — to go with dignity is less terrifying.”
Maynard’s mother, Deborah Ziegler, and Maynard’s husband have adjusted to the decision that she has made, according to New York Daily News. “Early on, I told her, ‘It would be my honor to take care of you, whichever way; if you need to be fed or diapered, it would be my honor,’” Ziegler said, “And that was important for me, for her to know.” Diaz, Maynard’s husband, has expressed his sadness that comes with knowing he will not be spending the rest of his life with his wife like they planned. “I know I’m going to be heartbroken,” Diaz said, according to People. “But to dwell on that today means I’d ruin today. I just want to be with Brittany and enjoy our time now.”
Most of Maynard’s sadness comes from knowing she and her husband will never be able to start a family. That was how she wanted to leave her legacy, but instead she is leaving a very different one. Maynard has recently released a six minute heartbreaking video telling her story in hopes of more states legalizing the death-with-dignity law so that terminally ill people can choose to die peacefully and painlessly. There are only three states that have the law as of this year; they are Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. The law is only available to mentally competent and terminally ill people that are residents in those states, according to public.health.oregon.gov.
The law has been around in Oregon since 1997 and since then, 1,173 people have had DWDA prescriptions written, but only 752 patients have chosen to take them and have died from ingesting those medications, according to public.health.oregon.gov. In previous years, the three most common reasons for taking DWDA medications included a loss of independence (93 percent), a decreasing ability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable (88.7 percent), and a loss of dignity (73.2 percent), according to public.health.oregon.gov.
“I don’t want to die,” said Maynard in an article on DailyMail. “If anyone wants to hand me, like, a magical cure and save my life so that I can have children with my husband, you know, I will take them up on it.” Some of the symptoms Maynard experiences on a daily basis are severe headaches, seizures, the inability to speak, and she said she has moments where she’ll be looking at her husband’s face and won’t be able to think of his name, according to The DailyMail.
Maynard said she will pass in the upstairs bedroom of her home that she shares with her husband. He will be by her side along with Maynard’s mother and stepfather. The music she likes will be playing quietly in the background. Maynard has also said that she may still be alive after Nov. 1 depending on how she is feeling, but as of recently her date is set just six days after her husband’s birthday and a few days before her thirtieth birthday, according to New York Daily News.
“No, cancer is ending my life,” said Maynard according to DailyMail. “I am choosing to end it a little sooner and in a lot less pain and suffering.”
Whatever Maynard chooses to do, I wish her peace in her final moments with her loved ones. The weight that comes with such a decision is not light in any way, and I commend her closest family members for helping take some of the weight by supporting her decision. As of now, the day of Maynard’s death remains uncertain, but one thing I am sure of is that she will die without pain and by her own choice, as she should.
Caitlin Malone can be reached at caitlin.malone@spartans.ut.edu