23-year-old bravely dies on her own terms
A terminally ill young woman from Adelaide has ended her life under the state’s voluntary assisted dying laws.
In a funeral notice published in the Adelaide Advertiser, the family of Lily Thai said she died at the Flinders Medical Centre on June 21.
“Much loved daughter of Kate and Le. Beloved granddaughter, niece and cousin. Treasured friend to many,” the family wrote.
The family have shared that her funeral will be held at Centennial Park Cemetery on June 29.
She made the heartbreaking decision to take her own life after countless surgeries failed to improve her illness.
Thai suffered from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) – a genetic condition that left her completely bedridden and in constant pain.
Her powerful story touched thousands nationwide before she passed away.
Thai had long wished to take her own life with dignity after a battle with such a debilitating condition.
“I decided that pain was so severe it wasn’t worth it, and I just wanted to take it into my own hands,” Thai told the Adelaide Advertiser.
After her painful health battle, she spent her last days at the Flinders Medical Centre, where she said she mainly slept while in “excruciating pain”
Thai had recently signed the paperwork to use South Australia’s voluntary assisted dying laws, which came into effect in January 2023, to end her life after being administered an IV medication.
Image credit: The Advertiser / TikTok