Annaliese “Annie” Holland, a 25-year-old from South Australia, made the difficult decision to pursue voluntary assisted dying after more than a decade of relentless illness. Misdiagnosed for years, she later learned she had Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy, a rare disorder that caused multi-organ failure and left her dependent on a single remaining feeding line. After countless near-fatal infections, fractures, and medical crises, she reached the point where ongoing treatment meant only more suffering.

Despite her condition, Annie fought hard for years. She endured major surgeries, chronic pain, and devastating side effects, including severe osteoporosis and necrosis. But as her health continued to decline, the fear of dying slowly and painfully — particularly from starvation if her final nutrition line failed — became unbearable. Gaining approval for assisted dying brought her a sense of control she had long been denied, even as her family struggled to accept the reality.

Annie is determined to make the most of the time she has left. She is creating a bucket list, planning to move into her own apartment, looking forward to seeing Lady Gaga with her family, and hoping to try on a wedding dress — experiences she never had the chance to enjoy. Inspired in part by her late friend Lily Thai, who also chose VAD, Annie wants to live meaningfully before she says goodbye. Sharing her story publicly is her way of helping others avoid the delayed diagnoses and prolonged suffering she endured.

Though her decision has been heartbreaking for her parents and sister, Annie believes deeply that this choice is hers alone — the first moment in years where she feels autonomy over her body and her fate. She hopes her experience encourages more open conversations about end-of-life choices. After spending most of her life in medical systems that treated her like a case file rather than a person, she wants her final chapter to be defined by dignity, honesty, and peace.