Brittany Maynard’s Decision & Legacy

Brittany Maynard’s Decision & Legacy


Brittany Maynard’s Decision & Legacy

Brittany Maynard is a 29-year-old UC Berkeley Alumni, who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer one year after her wedding. When doctors suggested that she might only have six months to live, she and her family moved from California to Oregon in order to obtain the prescriptions necessary for doctor-assisted euthanasia. In her last days, Brittany is being devoted to shining the light on “dying with dignity,” despite the criticism received by the public.

Her decision to die by her own will has brought a lot of controversy amongst fellow Americans. Maynard’s decision is seen as suicide to some people, whereas others support her decision. "There is not a cell in my body that is suicidal or that wants to die," Maynard says. "I want to live. I wish there was a cure for my disease but there's not." Brittany Maynard doesn’t want to commit suicide, she wants to live as much as the rest of us.

Maynard made her choice based on facts that she researched, as well as what doctors told her about malignant brain tumors. “Because my tumor is so large, doctors prescribed full brain radiation. I read about the side effects: The hair on my scalp would have been singed off. My scalp would be left covered with first-degree burns. My quality of life, as I knew it, would be gone. After months of research, my family and I reached a heartbreaking conclusion: There is no treatment that would save my life, and the recommended treatments would have destroyed the time I had left. My glioblastoma is going to kill me, and that's out of my control. I've discussed with many experts how I would die from it, and it's a terrible, terrible way to die. Being able to choose to go with dignity is less terrifying."

Since Brittany Maynard has been diagnosed, she has been a part of a nonprofit program called, “Compassion and Choices”. This...

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