The euthanasia of a physically healthy 29-year-old woman, Zoraya ter Beek, due to depression in the Netherlands has reignited the conversation around right-to-die laws and the sanctity of life. Ter Beek’s case is distinctive because, despite her perfect physical health, she elected to end her life owing to her mental health struggles.
Ter Beek, an Oldenzaal resident, had been diagnosed with numerous mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and trauma. She had been granted permission to proceed with physician-assisted suicide under Dutch legislation following an evaluation that referenced her “unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement.”
In an interview with The Guardian days before her death, ter Beek challenged the perception that mentally ill individuals cannot make sound decisions, labeling it as an insult. Nevertheless the right to life must be held sacred as a gift from God, and we must fight to help people suffering from mental issues to find peace and realize the beautiful gift of life.