Brave 23-year-old with terminal illness has ‘passed away peacefully’, her family confirm, after she used new assisted dying laws to end her life
- Lily Thai, 23, passed away on Wednesday
- The terminally ill woman chose to end her life
- Used new South Australian assisted dying laws
The family of 23-year-old Lily Thai confirmed her passing after the terminally ill young woman used assisted dying laws to end her life.
In a death notice placed in the Adelaide Advertiser, her family announced the young South Australian had ‘passed away peacefully’ at Laurel Hospice at the Flinders Medical Centre last Wednesday, June 21.
‘Much loved daughter of Kate and Le,’ the notice read.
‘Beloved granddaughter, niece and cousin.
‘Treasured friend to many.
‘You may have gone from our sight but you are never gone from our hearts.’
The family of 23-year-old Lily Thai (above) confirmed her passing after the terminally ill young woman used assisted dying laws to end her life
In a death notice (above), her family announced the young South Australia had ‘passed away peacefully’ at Laurel Hospice at the Flinders Medical Centre last Wednesday, June 21
Lily was the daughter of high flying culinary couple Le Tu Thai and Kate Sparrow.
Mr Thai is a Vietnamese refugee who became one of Adelaide’s most respected chefs.
He and his partner Kate gained acclaim through their Nediz Tu restaurant before Mr Thai later took over the kitchen at the city’s famous Bridgewater Mill restaurant.
Their daughter had suffered ‘excruciating’ pain from a rare condition known as autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) – where a person’s body attacks their own nervous system.
Since the age of 17, Lily’s debilitating illnesses had affected her quality of life, leaving her bedridden and unable to move.
She was receiving palliative care at the Laurel Hospice in the weeks before her death.
Lily had been not well enough to go outside in her final days and instead would remain in her bed while being comforted by her friends and family.
Since the age of 17, Lily’s debilitating illnesses had affected her quality of life, leaving her bedridden and unable to move
One person who’ had been by Lily’s side was her close friend and ambulance officer Danika Pederzolli, 28.
Ms Pederzolli recently took Lily out to the beach, with a heartwarming snap showing the pair sitting in the back of an open ambulance while enjoying the sight of the ocean and some McDonald’s fries.
Ms Pederzolli, who met Lily through a St John’s Ambulance cadet program, said she would remember her close friend as having a ‘vibrant attitude, positive and warm presence’.
‘She’s such a positive and warm presence in your life and (such a) smart person,’ she told the publication.
‘She was just so happy, and she’s still like that now, she’s no different.’
She described Lily as ‘sunshine in human form’ and wrote her a heartfelt note that she gifted to her along with a teddy bear.
Ambulance officer Danika Pederzolli recently took Lily out to the beach, with a heartwarming snap showing the pair sitting in the back of an open ambulance while enjoying the sight of the ocean and some McDonald’s fries
Lily also shared a friendship with fellow AAG patient Annaliese Holland, 23.
The pair wanted to raise awareness about the rare disease and shared their stories in the hopes it would lead to symptoms of other AAG patients being diagnosed sooner.
Lily said her experience talking about AAG had been incredible with several people reaching out to show their support.
‘Lots of people (who) I haven’t spoken to in a long time (have reached out), which has been absolutely beautiful,’ she said.
The medicine used to end Lily’s life under new assisted dying laws in South Australia was administered using an IV drip with the 23-year-old passing within 10 seconds.
Lily (right) also shared a friendship with fellow AAG patient Annaliese Hollan (right) with the pair sharing stories about the disease in the hopes of spreading awareness
