Annie Holland is 26 years old and has never eaten at a table like anyone else. Since adolescence, a rare illness has paralyzed her stomach and intestines, making normal digestion impossible. She has survived on intravenous nutrition, daily injections, complications in multiple organs, and more than 25 episodes of sepsis that put her life at risk.
After years of going in and out of hospitals in South Australia, Annie was approved for voluntary assisted dying. But before saying goodbye, she decided to make her own list: not a bucket list, but moments she was never able to have. She put on a wedding dress to be photographed with her dad, held a newborn baby in her arms, and flew in a helicopter for the first time.
“It is my way of taking back control of a life that took so much from me”, she said. An illness stole food, years, and health from her — but not the last word. 🕊️