Euthanasia advocate Bobbie Carroll has blood cancer. She's had it for 17 months. There's no cure.
"Average life expectancy - average - six to six-and-a-half years," she says.
"The things that will probably kill me are kidney failure or infection. More than likely infection. But the road up to that can be crushed vertebrae, all of that stuff."
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With submissions closing on Tuesday night for the End of Life Choice Bill, which would legalise euthanasia in certain circumstances, she appeared on The AM Show to share her difficult choice.
Ms Carroll's heard about horrific stories as people slowly pass away in enormous pain, and she wants to avoid this "horrendous end".
The choice, she says, should be hers - not some "religious freak in Dunedin".
"What I would like is the opportunity to make the choice to use euthanasia or not," she told host Duncan Garner.
"I'm not asking the people with religious arguments, I'm not asking people with cultural conflict with this, all I'm saying is can everyone please have the choice."
The End of Life Choice Bill argues some people are suffering unbearably at the end of their lives, and allows adults suffering from a terminal or irremediable illness to ask for a medically assisted death.
According to the latest Newshub Reid Research poll, the vast majority of New Zealanders support euthanasia.
However those in the medical profession are split on the issue. While just 37 percent of doctors support assisted dying in New Zealand, 67 percent of nurses support it.
Ms Carroll says her loved ones "totally" support the Bill, including her grandchildren and her partner.
"I would like to die at home. I would like them to know that I'm going to do it," she says.
"Just have a last hour, or two or three. Have some smiles and laughs."
Newshub.
