“This is not who I am.” These six words still ring in my ears. My Dad was describing his 12-year struggle with chronic pain due to peripheral neuropathy with his MAID assessor. He was ready to be free of the suffering. His choice aligned deeply with his values and the law had changed.

Dad was deeply interested in MAID and even served on the Board of Dying with Dignity during the Carter Case, which led to the legalization of MAID in Canada.

Our family understood the criteria and safeguards that enabled Dad to choose MAID even though his death wasn’t considered ‘reasonably foreseeable.’ He was among the few Canadians in 2023 to take the Track 2 MAID path.

Sure, the practical knowledge helped, but it didn’t prepare us for the experience of walking towards a scheduled death, especially having to serve the 90-day assessment period that is currently required.

We had thought that, due to Dad’s age being above male life expectancy (he was 83), he would be deemed Track 1. The grandchildren had said their goodbyes, things were in place for the day, and then we found out he had been deemed Track 2 and we would now have to face another 52 days – including Christmas. It was a shock and it wasn’t easy, but we found our way through the ups and downs of it all, by focusing on the love and not the loss.

MAID is still a new way to die, and Track 2 even more so. It was a lonely experience at times, and I wish there had been someone to support us who had travelled on a similar journey with Track 2.

Supporting an individual’s choice while also navigating the complexities of the decision is the most meaningful and privileged volunteer work I have ever done and I’m so proud to be a volunteer with MFSS.

For more information on Track 2 MAID you can also view Tania’s presentation at Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs: A Daughter’s Journey, listen to her on the Disrupting Death podcast and watch her digital story, Overtime.