How 23-year-old Lily Thai will spend her last day alive before using voluntary assisted dying laws

There has been a huge outpouring of love for 23-year-old Lily Thai, who will end her life using voluntary assisted dying laws on Wednesday. See the video.

Lily Thai, 23, at Laurel Hospice with friend Annaliease Holland.

Ambulance officer Danika Pederzolli sits on a hospital bed next to her friend Lily Thai, knowing the brave 23-year-old will end her life in 24 hours.

Lily’s heartbreaking health journey, featured in this week’s Sunday Mail, has led to her decision to end her life on Wednesday after battling several life-limiting illnesses since she was 17.

She will be using voluntary assisted dying laws to end her physically excruciating battle with auto-immune autonomic ganglionopathy.

Lily Thai at Flinders Medical Centre with friend Danika Pederzolli, 28, days before voluntary assisted dying.

Speaking from Lily’s bedside at Flinders Medical Centre (FMC), 28-year-old paramedic Danika said she would remember Lily for her “vibrant attitude, positive and warm presence”.

“She was just so happy, and she’s still like that now, she’s no different,” Danika said.

@the.tiser Lily Thai will be departing from this life on Wednesday – a decision she’s made to free herself from her body aged just 23. Crippled with illness and pain for most of her young life, she hopes to finally find peace and freedom in self-imposed death. She will use voluntary assisted dying laws, legalised in South Australia since January 23, having signed the final paperwork last week. This year, she realised she could no longer continue with the physically painful journey ahead, having relied on her father to do everything for her. “I realised that I can’t have any more anaesthesia, so I (couldn’t) have any more feeding tube changes (or) surgeries,” she said. “I decided that pain was so severe it wasn’t worth it, and I just wanted to take it into my own hands.” #euthanasia #hospital #terminal #hospice #palliativecare #adelaide #southaustralia ♬ original sound - The Advertiser

“I think she’s got such a vibrant attitude (and) even through this process, she’s just so brave.”

Describing Lily as “sunshine in human form”, Danika said she had gifted her a bear with a heartwarming handwritten note in honour of their friendship and had taken her for a special trip leading up to her final days.

The pair shared a poignant outing to the beach, where they sat in the back of an open ambulance while Lily ate McDonald’s, gazing out at the ocean and listening to the waves.

Lily Thai and Danika Pederzolli in the back of an ambulance, enjoying McDonald's at the beach. Picture: Danika Pederzolli / Facebook

Lily Thai, 23, at Flinders Medical Centre with friend Annaliease Holland. Picture: Supplied

Throughout their friendship, which blossomed when the pair met through a St John’s Ambulance cadet program, Danika said Lily had “taught her a lot about herself” and believed her friends and family were “very lucky to know her”.

“She’s such a positive and warm presence in your life and (such a) smart person,” Danika said.

“I’ll miss her greatly. Lily’s just a really beautiful person, (and) having her in our lives – we’ve been very lucky to know her.”

Danika said she’s “devastated” that Lily has endured “so much” for the past seven years, and has wholeheartedly supported her decision to be .

“As one of my cadets, I tried to support her as much as possible,” Danika said.

“I think it’s devastating to lose her, but I think she’s very much made the decision independently and I think it’s the right thing for her because of how difficult the last few years have been.”

Frequently visiting Lily during her time in FMC, Danika says she has been making the experience as comforting and homely as possible.

“It’s hard, no young person should be in this situation. For any person going through this, is pretty horrible,” Danika said.

“She was at Calvary before and it was a beautiful place, but I think it was an older setting. Whereas (FMC) here seems very warm and welcoming, and more relaxing from a visitor’s perspective.

“When we first came in, we thought maybe they could have a bit more artwork and colour, Lily loves her colour so we’ve brought quilts and stuff.”

Lily Thai, 23, receiving medical treatment in 2022.

Danika believes the support for Lily has been incredibly heartwarming and “beautiful”.

“I think people really come together in times like this. I know it’s a very controversial topic for some people, but I think at the end of the day (it’s) what the individual wants,” Danika said.

“Being able to take that into your own hands, and make (that) decision is so important because it’s your life (and) you should be able to control (it).”

Lily also spoke of her overwhelming emotions after sharing her story and revealed how she’ll spend the last precious 24 hours before her death.

In the last days before her passing, Lily says she’s not “well enough to leave the hospital” and won’t be able to do any final activities.

Instead, she’ll be confined to her bed, spending her remaining moments “relaxing” as her long line of family and friends visit to bid their final farewells.

Speaking to The Advertiser on Monday, she says the outpouring of support from across the nation on social media has been “absolutely beautiful,” and she “really appreciates” it.

“I’ve had a lot of people reach out, which has been beautiful,” Lily said.

“Lots of people (who) I haven’t spoken to in a long time (have reached out), which has been absolutely beautiful.

“My family was very worried that we would get negative feedback, but they’re really glad to see it’s been pretty positive.”

Lily believes her family are “doing the best they can given the circumstances,” as they come to terms with her departure.

She says her parents are too emotional to speak about her health journey or her difficult decision.

Lily Thai at Flinders Medical Centre with friend Danika Pederzolli, days before voluntary assisted dying. Picture: Supplied ,

A private funeral service is being organised, with only close friends and family invited to attend the intimate ceremony.

For the Hospital Research Foundation, Lily is hoping there will be over $10,000 raised for palliative research and there will one day be a facility for younger people living in hospice.

“I feel like there needs to be a young people’s hospital in South Australia that replicates what they’re doing in Sydney and Perth,” Lily explained.

“Like video game consoles in every room, beautiful views to make it feel more like a bedroom and nature … those things make it less clinical.”

“Even just like a space for parents or visitors. There’s a couple of couches in here, but they’re very clinical. (So) I think it should be more like a bedroom or a hangout areas within the rooms would be good,” Danika added.

Lily was formally diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome when she was 17 years old.

Her health continued to deteriorate, and seven years later, doctors told Lily she had auto-immune autonomic ganglionopathy – a rare condition, where the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system.

Lily explained her decision to opt for voluntary assisted dying came after she was no longer able to bear the physically excruciating pain of her life-limiting illness, believing that voluntary assisted dying was her only option to find peace and freedom from her body.

Those wishing to honour Lily’s legacy can directly donate to The Hospital Research Foundation via their website.

A spokesperson from SA Health said, “voluntary Assisted Dying has been available in South Australia since 31 January 2023”.

“Safe, accessible and compassionate voluntary assisted dying gives eligible South Australians with a terminal illness choice at the end of life,” the spokesperson said. “Anyone who takes part in the voluntary assisted dying pathway can withdraw at any stage of the process.”