A Calgary woman has made Canadian history, becoming the first person in the country's history to legally end her life with the help of doctors.
The woman, who can't be identified due to a court order, died in Vancover with the help of two doctors.
An Alberta court judge made a ruling in the woman's case, making it legal for her to end her life. Officials say she was in the end stages of ALS.
The court document says the woman, referred to only as Ms. S, was "in significant pain" and required constant care and support. She could not swallow any liquids and had to be fed via a gastric tube.
"I am not suffering from anxiety or depression or fear of death," the woman said in her court application.
"I would like to pass away peacefully and am hoping to have physician-assisted death soon. I do not wish to have continued suffering and to die of this illness by choking. I feel that my time has come to go in peace."
Her doctor was Ellen Wiebe, a clinical professor in UBC's Department of Family Practice.
Wiebe is part of a group of like-minded physicians who have formed a group called Hemlock AID, which looks to other doctors and patients with counselling and support and if requested access to assisted death when it becomes law later this year.
Her involvement with the group provided an impetus for her to step forward and help the patient end her life. This was her first assisted death.
The decision comes as federal politicians are trying to pin down a new law allowing for medically-assisted death.
In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that the country's ban on the issue was unconstitutional.
Ottawa has until June of this year to come up with new legislation.
(With files from CTVNews.ca)
