Woman with incurable disease becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia

A Peruvian woman who was suffering from a disease that has no cure died by euthanasia, marking the first time for the country to authorize an individual’s right to end their life.

According to a report by CNN International, Ana Estrada’s family said in a statement that she “died on her own terms, in accordance with her idea of dignity and in full control of her autonomy until the end.”

“Ana’s legacy will live in the minds and hearts of many people and in the history of our country,” they added.

The media outlet reported that the court, in February 2021, gave an order to health authorities to “respect Estrada’s decision” to die by euthanasia after a legal battle that lasted for years. No one appealed it and it was given formal consent by the Supreme Court over a year later.

Estrada’s lawyer, Walter Gutierrez, called the ruling a “historic” one as he said Estrada was “very happy” with the decision.

Estrada had polymyositis, which is a disease that “causes muscles to become irritated and inflamed.” According to John Hopkins Medicine, the muscles “eventually start to break down and become weak,” which “can make even simple movements difficult.”

The condition left her bedridden and unable to speak. She also had to be on a ventilator under the care of nurses for 24 hours per day.