My dad had MAID on October 18, 2019. It was his opportunity to gain some of his dignity back – dignity that had slowly been lost over many years of steadily declining mobility and ability to do things for himself.

He was 88 when he died and he had spent the last eight years of his life wishing he could “just be with momma.” His heart was not only lonely, but it was failing as well. He didn’t want to suffer, he said he didn’t “want to live like this because this isn’t living.”

I have five siblings – imagine trying to navigate through the MAID process, and with all six of us on the same page at the same time! Impossible, but we are a close-knit family and we got through it, together. But oh, how I wished there would have been someone for us to talk to who had lived through this experience, who could tell us that every emotion, every thought we were having was ok.

Since my dad’s death, I have felt a passion and a drive to become involved with MAID, to help someone else through the process – through the daily rollercoaster of emotions – to find the positive in a loved one’s courageous choice. I am honoured and blessed to be a part of the MAID Family Support Society family.