On the first of this month, terminal cancer patient Brittany Maynard took lethal medication to end her life. She died peacefully at her home in Oregon, with her husband, mother, and a select few other loved ones at her side. This past Wednesday would have been Brittany's 30th birthday.
To mark the day and to further Brittany's campaign for universal aid-in-dying rights, the advocacy organization Compassion & Choices has released new footage of the 29-year-old cancer patient speaking out in support of a right she both championed and exercised. The video above implores viewers to contact their government representatives and to support the fight for aid-in-dying legislation in California and beyond. "I decided to share my story because I felt like this issue of death with dignity was misunderstood by many people in our community and culture," Brittany states. "It's not a fear-based choice. It's a logic-based choice."
"If there's one message to come away with from everything that I've been through," she continues, "it's that no matter what life presents you with, never be afraid to use your own voice. Even if you are uncertain, even if your voice is shaking...speak up for yourself."