Toronto resident Destiny said she wants to share her story on how she almost followed through on medical assistance in dying (MAiD). .“Today is February 13, 2023 and this was the day that I was supposed to die,” said Destiny in a video. .When Destiny applied for MAiD in May, she said she was accepted almost immediately because of her 17 chronic illnesses and disability. She called the process “traumatizing, and it’s very difficult to go through.” .She decided to withdraw her application in August. This decision was more difficult for her to make. .The way MAiD is administered is through an injection, and it is done at a hospital or a person’s home. People can have whoever they want administer it, which it was to be done preferably by her aunt. .When she scheduled the day she wanted to die, she said she knew which day she wanted to go. She said she wanted to go on February 13 because it was the day her father passed away in 2021. .The Toronto resident went on to say everyone in her life was emotional about the process. When she applied, she began telling people, starting off with her aunt and brother. .People were disappointed in Destiny’s choice, but they understood with a person who has struggled with many illnesses since she was nine years old. She said she endured trauma before she was adopted by her parents. .The process includes a physical and mental health exam. She acknowledged MAiD would soon be changed to include people with mental illnesses. .The Canadian government introduced Bill C-39 on February 2, delaying the expansion of MAiD to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder. .READ MORE: Cabinet introduces bill to delay expanding MAiD."The safety of Canadians must come first, which is why we are taking additional time to get this right," said Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti. .Anyone suffering from a mental illness who met all eligibility criteria would have been eligible for MAiD on March 17. But the legislation introduced by Lametti, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, and Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett will extend the temporary exclusion period until March 17, 2024..Destiny said people seeking MAiD need a person to sign off on the procedure saying they are of sound mind and body and are consenting to it. They are asked before it if they're consenting to it. .She concluded by saying she is “almost celebrating that I am alive and that I chose life.” .“I’m celebrating out at one of my favourite places with some of my favourite people,” she said. .“I’m really happy for this community that I’ve built online and the community that I’ve built with my friends in Toronto, and I’m so happy that I chose life.”
Toronto resident Destiny said she wants to share her story on how she almost followed through on medical assistance in dying (MAiD). .“Today is February 13, 2023 and this was the day that I was supposed to die,” said Destiny in a video. .When Destiny applied for MAiD in May, she said she was accepted almost immediately because of her 17 chronic illnesses and disability. She called the process “traumatizing, and it’s very difficult to go through.” .She decided to withdraw her application in August. This decision was more difficult for her to make. .The way MAiD is administered is through an injection, and it is done at a hospital or a person’s home. People can have whoever they want administer it, which it was to be done preferably by her aunt. .When she scheduled the day she wanted to die, she said she knew which day she wanted to go. She said she wanted to go on February 13 because it was the day her father passed away in 2021. .The Toronto resident went on to say everyone in her life was emotional about the process. When she applied, she began telling people, starting off with her aunt and brother. .People were disappointed in Destiny’s choice, but they understood with a person who has struggled with many illnesses since she was nine years old. She said she endured trauma before she was adopted by her parents. .The process includes a physical and mental health exam. She acknowledged MAiD would soon be changed to include people with mental illnesses. .The Canadian government introduced Bill C-39 on February 2, delaying the expansion of MAiD to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental disorder. .READ MORE: Cabinet introduces bill to delay expanding MAiD."The safety of Canadians must come first, which is why we are taking additional time to get this right," said Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti. .Anyone suffering from a mental illness who met all eligibility criteria would have been eligible for MAiD on March 17. But the legislation introduced by Lametti, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, and Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett will extend the temporary exclusion period until March 17, 2024..Destiny said people seeking MAiD need a person to sign off on the procedure saying they are of sound mind and body and are consenting to it. They are asked before it if they're consenting to it. .She concluded by saying she is “almost celebrating that I am alive and that I chose life.” .“I’m celebrating out at one of my favourite places with some of my favourite people,” she said. .“I’m really happy for this community that I’ve built online and the community that I’ve built with my friends in Toronto, and I’m so happy that I chose life.”
