Terminally ill woman: Don’t end your own life

A terminally ill woman wrote a letter to a woman in Oregon who’s received national attention for her decision to end her life Nov. 1.

Brittany Maynard, 29, was diagnosed with a lethal and aggressive form of brain cancer. Doctors said she had less than six months to live. Maynard and her husband moved from California to Oregon because the state allows for physician assisted suicides. The organization Compassion & Choices produced a video of Maynard’s story. According to its website, the organization is committed to “helping everyone have the best death possible.”

“I will die upstairs in the bedroom I share with my husband,” said Maynard in the video.

Maynard plans to take the medication that will kill her on Nov. 1, two days after her husband’s birthday.

“I can’t even tell you the relief it provides me to know that I won’t have to die in the way it’s been described to me my brain tumor would take me on its own,” said Maynard in the video.

Kara Tippetts has written Maynard a letter asking her to reconsider.

Tippetts is a wife, a mother of four and a woman of faith. She is also a terminally ill breast cancer patient.

“It’s such a brokenness and it’s hard. You hope that all the treatment you worked so hard at getting through would affect change and yet I know that my days are exactly numbered,” said Tippetts.

Tippetts doesn’t know exactly how much time she has left. However, the 38-year-old mother knows she will have to say goodbye to her children and her husband.

“I know we are getting to the end of my treatment options and each day is closer to the end. I know that I am dying but today I get to live,” said Tippetts.

Tippetts’ blog, Mundanefaithfulness.com, receives 10,000 views daily as people follow her struggles and bravery in her fight against cancer.

Tippetts is grateful for every day, every laugh and every breath.

“My kids wake up every morning needing lunches packed, they need me to love them, and support them as I have the strength to love and support them. So I just show up, I show up even when it’s hard,” said Tippetts.

Tippetts said her heart broke when she watched Maynard’s story.

“I hurt for her that she is afraid of the hard that’s coming in dying. Because I also know there is beauty to be met in carrying each other’s burden,” said Tippetts.

She wrote a letter to Maynard that was posted online. In less than 12 hours the letter was shared on Facebook by more than 300,000 users.

In the letter, she asks Maynard to reconsider.

“Brittany, I love you, and I’m sorry you are dying. I am sorry that we are both being asked to walk a road that feels simply impossible to walk,” said Tippetts in the letter.

“You have been told a lie. A horrible lie, that your dying will not be beautiful. That the suffering will be too great,” said Tippetts in the letter.

She said her is proud of Maynard for sharing her story. Tippetts said society needs to have a discussion about assisted suicide. However, she does not agree with Maynard’s choice.

“As a society, it’s a dangerous place for us to go, to assist people in hastening their death,” said Tippetts.

Through her faith, Tippetts has found peace and beauty in death.

“I never wanted this story for my 5-year-old daughter, but it’s not a mistake and it’s not a bad story. She is going to know something beautiful at a young age that I haven’t learned yet,” said Tippetts.

She offered to fly out to meet Maynard and support her. She closed her letter with a message she will live by until her final days:

“But, hear me — it is not a mistake — beauty will meet us in that last breath.”