25-Year-Old Australian Woman Chooses Voluntary Assisted Dying After Decade-Long Battle With Rare Neurological Disease

Nov 20, 2025 11:13 pm CST

Annaliese Holland from Adelaide has made the difficult decision to pursue voluntary assisted dying after suffering from Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy (AAG) since age 18. After enduring chronic pain, multi-organ failure, and surviving sepsis 25 times, she describes her choice not as giving up but as taking control after years of merely surviving. Her story highlights the emotional journey for both patients and families facing end-of-life decisions under Australia's VAD legislation.