A Canadian woman sought help at a hospital due to a sudden illness, only to be shocked when a doctor suggested assisting her in dying instead.

In April 2025, Miriam Lancaster awoke with severe back pain in Vancouver, Canada, prompting her to visit a nearby hospital. There, a doctor presented her with the option of the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program, the country’s voluntary euthanasia scheme, before discussing any other treatment options.

The 84-year-old Lancaster was taken aback. “All I knew was that I woke up in excruciating pain—so much so that my daughter rushed in from another room. She called for an ambulance. I went to Vancouver General Hospital, and a young doctor approached me with the first words being: ‘We would like to offer you MAiD’,” Miriam recounted.

“I was stunned. That was the last thing I expected. I just wanted to know why something hurt; I didn’t want to die,” she expressed.

The New York Post highlights that the Canadian MAiD program allows eligible adults suffering from serious, incurable health conditions and unbearable, irreversible suffering to request assistance from a doctor or nurse to end their lives. The program has strict regulations that require voluntary requests, informed consent, and assessments by two independent professionals.

Lancaster’s story has sparked various reactions. “Don’t offer death to those who still have adventures ahead!” stated Amanda Achtman, founder of the Dying to Meet You Project, which aims to prevent euthanasia. The Delta Hospice Society also criticized the move, asserting that the doctor’s quick offer was unlawful.

I met an 84-year-old woman who was offered euthanasia at a Canadian hospital practically upon arrival.

Miriam didn’t want to die. She recovered well and travelled to Cuba, Mexico, and Guatemala.

Stop offering death to people who have adventures to lead! pic.twitter.com/ZjEfSaKmix

— Amanda Achtman (@AmandaAchtman) March 18, 2026

Lancaster shared that she ultimately spent a month in the hospital and “recovered well enough to go hiking. I recently visited Mexico and Guatemala. So my recovery was wonderful, and the thought of MAiD never even crossed my mind.”

Jordan Weaver, Lancaster’s daughter, who was with her in the hospital, remarked: “My mother and I are practicing Catholics. We would never accept MAiD under any circumstances. Her life is precious to those who care for her,” she wrote in the National Post.