A Dubuque County woman who's dying of cancer is leading a new fight to create "right to die" laws here Iowa.

Earlier this year, four members of the Iowa state senate introduced a bill called the Iowa Death with Dignity Act. The bill stalled in the Senate Human Resources committee, effectively killing it for the legislative session. That was after a similar bill failed in 2015.

Like so many people, Lori Gibbs of Epworth, wishes for a long and healthy life. But a rare form of cancer is changing all that.

"The life expectancy of my cancer is 4 months to two year. I was told I have a 20 percent chance of making it to 5 years. This is my 5th year," said Gibbs.

She's been through clinical trials and has been doing back to back chemo therapy for the past two years. She says her doctors say the cancer will eventually kill her. A slow and painful death she doesn't want her family to watch.

"I don't feel they should have to go through that and have their last memory of me in that state. I don't want them to see that," said Gibbs.

She's part of new Dubuque County group pushing Iowa law-makers to pass the Death with Dignity Act. The group wants Iowa to have a law similar Oregon's law. That would allow Iowans who have less than 6 months to live due to terminal illness to take a doctor prescribed pill to immediately end their own life.

"This is not assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is when a physician or someone or you take your own life. I am not taking my own life. My disease is taking my life. My disease is killing me. "

But Mark Schmidt, M.S.W, M.A from the Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque says it is absolutely suicide.

"It is physician assisting a suicide. It's not really compassionate, because that doctor is not entering into the suffering with the person. It's not really dignified because that person is worth more than offering them death immediately," said Schmidt.

The Archdiocese says terminally ill patients should instead rely on Hospice or palliative care. While Schmidt says this is a religious issue, he believes the government should be involved.

"It takes financial advantage by insurance companies and medical professionals who'd rather do the suicide instead of standard care," said Schmidt.

Gibbs says religion and politics shouldn't mix when it comes to the terminally ill.

"It's not up to law-makers to decide what is religiously right or religiously wrong for me. I am the one with the terminal disease. I am the one who is dying; therefor I am the one who should have the choice and the decision on how I die," said Gibbs.

As the reality of her impending death sets in, Gibbs finds herself wishing for something else. A painless, peaceful death.

"To be able to have my family at my bedside were I can have a peaceful saying goodbye to everyone, and slip away peacefully. That's my wish," said Gibbs.

A wish she knows she may not live to see come true.