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Brittany Maynard with her Great Dane, Charlie
Courtesy Dan Diaz |
Silent killer: Brittany Maynard, 29 years old, was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma - an aggressive malignant tumor in her brain. The Executive Director of the
California Brain Tumor Association says, "Our cancer registry is showing an increase in gbms in temporal and frontal lobes and mostly in women 20-29."
Since her diagnosis, Mrs. Maynard has become an advocate for dying with dignity. She launched an online video campaign for Compassion & Choices, an end-of-life non-profit organization, to promote death-with-dignity laws, which currently exist in only five states. Working through her foundation
, The Brittany Fund, she wants other states, like California, New Jersey and Colorado, to consider passing laws that would allow people to make the ultimate choice - life or death.
On November 1, Mrs. Maynard, who in April was given six months to live, intends to end her own life with medication prescribed to her by her doctor.
Terminally Ill 29-Year-Old Woman: Why I'm Choosing to Die on My Own Termsby Nicole Weisensee Egan,
@nweisenseeegan, people.com, 6 October 2014
For the past 29 years, Brittany Maynard has lived a fearless life – running half marathons, traveling through Southeast Asia for a year and even climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
