A January escape to Sheen Falls Lodge: The perfect, luxury getaway
A January escape to Sheen Falls Lodge: The perfect, luxury getaway

Dominique McMullan

Living room inspiration to save from Irish homes
Living room inspiration to save from Irish homes

Megan Burns

January’s best new beauty launches
January’s best new beauty launches

Holly O'Neill

Floral designer Sylvia Abraham on creativity, flowers and the importance of passion
Floral designer Sylvia Abraham on creativity, flowers and the importance of passion

Sarah Finnan

The pieces to splurge on this payday
The pieces to splurge on this payday

Sarah Finnan

Three years after Ashling Murphy’s tragic death, Ireland’s fight against femicide and the silencing of women continues
Three years after Ashling Murphy’s tragic death, Ireland’s fight against femicide and the silencing of...

Roe McDermott

Save the Date! Announcing the IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards 2025
Save the Date! Announcing the IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards 2025

IMAGE

Hungry? This super-easy vegan bruschetta is the bomb
Hungry? This super-easy vegan bruschetta is the bomb

Meg Walker

The top reasons for divorce in modern Ireland
The top reasons for divorce in modern Ireland

Michelle Browne

Plant-based food entrepreneur Aisling Cullen shares her life in food
Plant-based food entrepreneur Aisling Cullen shares her life in food

Sarah Gill

Image / Editorial

Watch: Why This 29-Year-Old Woman is Choosing to Die


By Jeanne Sutton
07th Oct 2014
Watch: Why This 29-Year-Old Woman is Choosing to Die

Brittany Maynard explaining her choice.

Now and then there comes along a news story that cannot help but move everyone to tears of empathy. Brittany Maynard has decided to die in 25 days, on November 1st. It is her husband’s birthday on October 30th and she wants to be there to celebrate.

In January Brittany was diagnosed with grade II astrocytoma, a deadly brain tumour. The tumour shortened her life expectancy to just ten more years at the most. As she says in the video below, ?I have to tell you, when you’re 29 years old, being told you have that kind of timeline still feels like being told you’re going to die tomorrow.” Within a few months her life expectancy had severely lessened. The brain cancer had worsened so much that she was told she had six months to live as the tumour grew and made her more and more sick. Brittany decided to take matters into her hands and opt for assisted suicide. She is now telling the world her story.

Brittany only got married last year. She spent her twenties travelling the world. Before her diagnosis she and her husband were trying for a family. After her diagnosis she moved from San Francisco to Oregon, which is one of five US states that allows assisted suicide. She’s been making the most of her final months, travelling to see Alaska. Brittany spoke to People about why she’s also spending the rest of her short life helping the non-profit Compassion and Choices fight to expand death-with-dignity laws in America. Her condition worsens every day due to seizures and she’s in pain. She told People, “I’m dying, but I’m choosing to suffer less, to put myself through less physical and emotional pain and my family as well.”

In 25 days Brittany Maynard will die in her bedroom surrounded by the people she loves.

Follow Jeanne Sutton on Twitter?@jeannedesutun