Annaliese (Annie) Holland from Adelaide is only 26 years old and has been unable to eat normally for a decade. She suffers from a rare, incurable disease that means her life depends solely on intravenous feeding. After years of unimaginable suffering, she made one of the most difficult decisions of her life.
In 2025, Annie received approval for assisted dying in South Australia. She set the date of her departure for the end of 2026. She says that this decision has, for the first time in many years, restored her sense of control over her own life.
„I want to leave on my own terms”
Rather than waiting for an inevitable death in a hospital, the young woman has chosen to deliberately plan the last months of her life. During this time she is working through a touching wish list.
One of the wishes was to wear a wedding dress during an emotional photo session with her father and loved ones. Another dream is to hold a newborn baby in her arms.
Annie speaks openly about her decision and stresses that she no longer wants to suffer. Her story has moved thousands of people around the world.
A Difficult Topic Returns
Annie’s case has once again sparked a heated debate about assisted dying, dignity in dying, and the human right to decide how one’s life ends in the face of an incurable disease.
Many people express understanding and sympathy for her decision, while others stress how sad and tragic the situation is of a young woman who, at 26, has to plan her own death.
What do you think about such a decision? Should the right to assisted dying for incurable diseases be available? Let us know in the comments.
