A A

In the months leading up to Audrey Parker's death, she became an advocate. After a cancer diagnosis, Parker decided she wanted to die well. This led her to work with Hospice Halifax, becoming a spokesperson and fundraiser and, eventually, a decorator for the 10 new suites for residents to spend their last moments in peace. When Parker learned that cancer had spread to her brain, potentially compromising her candidacy for medical assistance in dying (MAID), she decided to speak out to help others take control of their right to die on their own terms.

Columnist John DeMont had the privilege of sitting with Parker during her final days and she was gracious enough to share her wisdom. A woman who lived her life with resilience, strength and compassion, she gave insight into her decision to take her death into her own hands, approaching it with the same philosophy as she lived her life.

Nov. 2, 2018, the day after Parker chose to take her last breath, The Chronicle Herald was honored to publish the obituary Parker had written herself. A loving and deeply personal letter to her friends, family and fans, in it Parker recounts her life in ups and downs, all for which she was ultimately thankful. She was ever the optimist. Parker left us with the "10 most influential things I did to ensure I had a fabulous end of life experience": an insightful list of tips that may be helpful to those of us who do not know when we will die.

In September 2019, Julia Lamb - a young British Columbian who lives with a degenerative and chronic illness - was told she qualifies for a medically assisted death after years of challenging the law. She sought an adjournment to th case based on evidence presented by the federal government seemed to expand the definition of a "reasonablly foreseeable death," which could expand availability of medical assistance in dying to more Canadans who want it.

During the recent election campaign, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau promised that if re-elected, he would "relax" the federal assisted dying laws in the next six months. Will he be able to fulfill his promises as prime minister in a minority government?

The national human rights charity Dying With Dignity Canada "is committed to improving quality of dying, protecting end-of-life rights, and helping Canadians avoid unwanted suffering." Find more information on the organization's website.

SaltWire's senior managing editor Steve Bartlett reflects on moments shared with Audrey Parker and her legacy as a "character of strength."

