Living with terminal cancer, this Australian woman is selling her remaining time to strangers. Here's why

Emily Lahey's battle with cancer began five years ago. (Image: Australian Cancer Research Foundation)

In an art installation in Sydney, Melbourne resident Emily Lahey will share parts of her remaining life with strangers as part of a project titled "Time to Live." Diagnosed with NUT carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, the 32-year-old has been confronting the harsh reality of time slipping away, with doctors estimating an average survival time of just six to nine months. This event, which will be held over the weekend, aims to capture the fleeting nature of time.

Participants in the event will spend three minutes with Lahey, during which a large timer projected on the wall will count down their moments together. The artwork serves as a stark reminder of the time we often take for granted and the emotional weight carried by those living with terminal illnesses. Lahey hopes to raise awareness not just about the physical challenges of cancer but also about the psychological and emotional burdens that accompany it.

Lahey's battle with cancer began five years ago when what appeared to be routine health issues—chronic sinusitis and headaches—escalated into something far more severe. After losing vision in one eye, she was diagnosed with NUT carcinoma, a type of cancer that resists standard treatments like chemotherapy. Her medical team, unsure of how to proceed, eventually considered an experimental treatment known as BET inhibitors. However, Lahey had to wait until her condition worsened sufficiently to qualify for the government's special access scheme.

Reflecting on the extra time granted by this treatment, Lahey expressed gratitude: "It has allowed me extra time that I wouldn’t have thought I’d have, and that’s something both me and my family are very grateful for."

Despite the uncertainty surrounding her prognosis, Lahey has learned to embrace each day as it comes, even as she acknowledges the emotional rollercoaster of living with a terminal illness. "Everything comes and goes in waves. It’s like being on a constant rollercoaster. There were times that I really struggled to even look at the following day, to the end of the week, to the next month," she said. "As time has gone on, it’s giving me a little bit more confidence to be able to look out towards the end of the year."

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Australia, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Although survival rates have improved significantly—from just over 50% in the early 1990s to nearly 70% in recent years—Lahey stressed the importance of continued support for cancer research. "Time is incredibly valuable. Cancer can take too much of it," she said, urging others to re-evaluate their priorities and support ongoing efforts to improve survival rates.

The "Time to Live" event will be organised in collaboration with the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), which funds research across various types of cancer, including rare forms like NUT carcinoma. Carly Du Toit, ACRF's General Manager of Fundraising and Marketing, highlighted the significance of the event: "We hope this event emphasizes the critical need for funding groundbreaking research that could provide those affected by cancer, like Emily and her loved ones, with the most precious gift of all—time."