Lily Thai, a 23-year-old from Adelaide, Australia will be administered life-ending medication today to bid farewell to a life plagued by bodily pain and suffering. Lily has battled Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare condition in which her immune system attacks her nervous system, leaving her in constant agony and dependent on others for care. Today, under South Australia's recently passed voluntary assisted dying laws, Lily will be euthanised.
Lily lamented missing out on moments like graduating from high school, stating, "You never do the normal things like going to your high school graduation."
South Australia's legalization of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in January was a significant step towards providing compassionate options for individuals facing terminal illnesses. The state allocated $18 million over five years to ensure the safe delivery of this end-of-life choice to those in need. Lily, who had exhausted all viable treatment options, recognized that her body had reached its limit. She shared, "I realized that I can't have any more anesthesia, so I couldn't have any more feeding tube changes or surgeries."
She expressed her relief, saying, "I'll no longer have any pain, I will no longer suffer with any of these issues, and I'll finally be free of all the suffering that I have endured for so many years."
Throughout her battle with this debilitating illness, Lily has received palliative care at the Flinders Medical Centre's Laurel Hospice.
Lily's mother chose not to be present when her only child signed her final consent form. Lily's mother acknowledged the immense difficulty her family and friends would face, saying, "I feel pretty numb. I know how hard it will be for my family and friends. But it's gotten to the place that I've lost control of everything else in my life, and I've been reliant on my dad as a caregiver to do everything for me, even the most intimate things."
Lily has meticulously planned parts of her funeral and selected a "lovely place" for her burial. Moreover, she had taken the time to write letters to her loved ones, reminding them of the cherished memories they shared together.
One of Lily's final wishes before her passing was to savour a meal from McDonald's and visit the beach. A photo shared on Facebook captured Lily in the back of an ambulance, clutching a box of McDonald's fries, gazing out at the ocean.
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