The issue of euthanasia is one of the most pressing more conundrums facing our society, and assisted dying is something which still continues to divide people. One person who is desperate to marshal her own suffering and disability in the service of change is 27-year-old Holly Warland. Holly has an advanced form of muscular dystrophy which will eventually prove fatal, and her physical condition has deteriorated to the point where she is either confined to bed or a wheelchair. She needs a carer to help her perform basic tasks, and is in chronic pain.
Because of all of this, Holly wants to be able to be euthanised, and die relatively painlessly before her condition deteriorates any further. However, euthanasia remains illegal in Australia, and so Holly does not have a choice in the matter. Because of this, she's not started an eye-opening Instagram blog, where she openly discusses some of the physical and mental problems she faces on a daily basis as a result of her poor health. She hopes that she will be an inspiration to others, and her story will affect a change in legislation.
Commenting on her condition, Holly stated: "Disabled people haven't always got good stories. We are broken and sometimes we have to accept that and the fact that it’s permanent. I don’t buy into the whole ‘proud’ of my disabled body thing. I lost the genetic lottery and here I am. I’m not proud and I would happily trade my body with someone else’s. I consider my condition to be terminal, as I am not going to recover and it will shorten my life by, say 20 years or more."
"I started Instagramming how my body was falling apart to raise awareness of people like me, who want to die with dignity. There is no cure for people like me, only pills to ease the pain, nausea and heart complications that come with the illness. When I’ve had enough, I want to be able to decide to end my life, but I may need help and I don’t want anyone to be prosecuted for assisting me."
She added: "There are so many laws and ways to control life, but so little to control how and when we die. We shouldn’t treat disabled people as though they all have a death wish, but we should at least let them have that choice ... As an atheist, I know once it’s done I’ll be extremely relieved to know there’s nothing afterwards. I’m not scared, Death is only hard for the people you leave behind. I’m not sure when it comes to it if I will be this brave, but I’ve had a lot of time to sit around in bed and think about it and I know it’s what I want, although I don’t like the word ‘euthanasia,’ as it sounds so negative – I see it as assisted dying."
If you'd like to keep up with Holly's life then why not check out her Instagram for further updates?
