Dutch woman's assisted death highlights euthanasia debate

Dutch woman Zoraya ter Beek turned 29 on 2 May. Less than three weeks later, following her own decision, she ended her life with the assistance of a doctor.

On 22 May, in the presence of a doctor and her partner, 29-year-old Zoraya ter Beek ended her life. A week earlier, after 3.5 years of efforts, she was granted final approval for euthanasia. The decision of ter Beek, who lived in the Netherlands, was due to incurable mental disorders and diseases.

Zoraya ter Beek ended her life in her own home in the Dutch town of Oldenzaal. The method of euthanasia was the administration of a drug by the doctor that stopped the heart. Her partner accompanied her. She did not want a funeral ceremony. Her body will be cremated, and her partner will scatter her ashes in the forest. The Dutch portal ad.nl reported on the death of ter Beek and that leaving with dignity was her only wish.

Many headlines on this matter in Polish and foreign media contain the phrase "physically healthy" or even "healthy." Zoraya ter Beek has suffered from treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and personality disorders since childhood. She was also on the autism spectrum. Psychiatrists and psychologists unanimously and repeatedly confirmed that they were unable to relieve her daily, excruciating suffering. Ter Beek repeatedly emphasized that she was not "healthy."

In an interview with the newspaper "The Guardian," shortly before her death, Zoraya ter Beek explained that cases like hers spark controversy. "People think that when you're mentally ill, you can't think straight, which is insulting. I understand the fears that some disabled people have about assisted dying and worries about people being under pressure to die. But in the Netherlands, we've had this law for more than 20 years. There are really strict rules, and it's really safe."

In the same interview, the young woman described how her departure would proceed: "They'll start by giving me a sedative and won't give me the drugs that stop my heart until I'm in a coma. For me, it will be like falling asleep. My partner will be there, but I've told him it's OK if he needs to leave the room before the moment of death."