25-year-old Annaliese Holland has spent most of her life in and out of hospitals. In an interview with Australian news, she said she has suffered chronic pain, persistent vomiting, and repeated infections since childhood. Doctors ultimately diagnosed her with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, a disease that damages the nerves responsible for basic automatic functions, reports the New York Post.
Before doctors understood her condition, Holland’s digestion began shutting down. Feeding tubes failed, and she was placed on total parenteral nutrition, IV feeding that becomes dangerous if bacteria enter the bloodstream. Holland said she has survived sepsis 25 times.
By age 22, specialists informed her that her illness was terminal. Medications left her bones severely weakened, causing multiple spinal fractures and pressure around vital organs. “I’m in chronic debilitating pain,” she said, explaining that she now spends most days managing symptoms rather than living normally.
She'd request VAD, which is legal in parts of Australia for patients with terminal, irreversible disease. After a mandatory evaluation period, she was approved. She told reporters she was relieved when doctors informed her of the decision, though her family continues to struggle with the outcome.
Her father initially objected, but changed his position after witnessing repeated medical crises. Her mother said she hopes for improvement but recognizes the limits of treatment. Australia restricts access to patients whose death is foreseeable, while Canada’s MAiD law has expanded dramatically, offering out assisted death to non-terminal patients and preparing to include some with mental illness.
Holland said her decision is based on the reality of her condition. “It’s not giving up,” she said. “You’ve had enough and you fought bloody hard.”
