November 13th, 2021 will be forever burned into my memory. That day, my sister passed away via medical assistance in dying, after an 18 month battle with metastatic breast cancer. Medical assistance in dying became legal in Canada in 2016. Since then, thousands of terminally ill patients have taken advantage of their right to die. I never dreamed that my own sister would be one of them.
Early in the pandemic of 2020, my youngest sister Jennifer received the diagnosis of Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer at the age of 49. Her family and friends were witness to the depth of her inner strength and determination as she faced a barrage of cancer treatments. There was chemotherapy, surgeries and radiation; each one bringing with it the hopeful goal of helping to beat the cancer into remission.
In the summer of 2021, about 15 months into her cancer journey, it became evident that Jennifer was facing a losing battle. If all that medical science could offer her were treatments that diminished the quality of her life ,while doing little to beat back the cancer, she really saw no point in continuing them. She opted for palliative care only, knowing that the cancer would now run its course, unimpeded.
Being fiercely independent, Jennifer despised the very real prospect of soon becoming an invalid who could no longer care for herself. She faced the likelihood of an awful death in hospice as the cancer wreaked havoc in her body. She chose medical assistance in dying, taking back a modicum of control in a situation where she otherwise had none.
Jennifer's Choice is the poignant story of the final year and a half of Jennifer's life, and chronicles not only her experiences, but also those of her family as we supported her to the best of our abilities under the circumstances. Consider the philosophical and ethical questions raised by her choice, and how we navigated the unknown waters of medically assisted suicide.
