Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after battling in court for years

A psychologist from Peru who was suffering from a disease that made her muscles weak and kept her in bed for many years, died with medical help, her lawyer said on Monday. She was the first person in the country to be allowed to choose to die this way.

Ana Estrada fought for a long time in the courts of Peru for the right to choose when and how she could die. She became well-known in the country, which doesn’t allow euthanasia or assisted suicide.

In 2022, the Supreme Court said it was okay for Estrada to choose when to die, and no one would get in trouble for helping her. Estrada was the first person in Peru to be allowed to die with help from a doctor.

Ana fought to be able to die with dignity. Her fight has taught many people in Peru about this right and why it is important to protect it, said her lawyer, Josefina Miró Quesada. “Her struggle went beyond our country’s borders. ”

MrEstrada, who is 47 years old, had a disease called polymyositis. This disease makes muscles become weaker and there is no cure for it.

She started showing symptoms as a teenager and began using a wheelchair at 20 because she couldn’t walk anymore.

Even though there were problems, Estrada got a degree in psychology and became a therapist. She made enough money to buy her own apartment and didn’t need help from her parents anymore.

However, in 2017, Estrada’s health got worse and she couldn’t get out of bed anymore.

She had a hard time breathing and beat pneumonia. Even though she couldn’t type, Estrada used a special program to write a blog called “Ana for a death with dignity. ” In her blog, she talked about her difficulties and why she chose euthanasia.

“I am not free anymore,” she said in an interview with the Associated Press in 2018. “I have changed and I’m not like I used to be. ”

With the help of the person in charge of looking after people’s rights in Peru, Estrada won a case that allowed her to choose to end her life with euthanasia. She joined court sessions from her bed using video calls.

In 2022, Estrada told judges that she thinks life is important and she doesn’t want to die right away. She wants to be able to choose when to end her life.

“She said she wants to choose euthanasia when she can’t handle suffering anymore. ” “I want to say goodbye to my loved ones peacefully and calmly. ”

Only a few countries have made it legal to end someone’s life intentionally, which includes Canada, Belgium, and Spain. In some US states like Maine and Oregon, a doctor can help a very sick person end their life.

Most Latin American countries do not allow euthanasia, but Colombia and Ecuador have made it legal or decriminalized it.