Ana Estrada

A psychologist, poet, and activist by training, Ana Estrada launched a blog in 2019 to raise awareness about her fight to secure her right to a dignified death.

Ana suffered from a severe, incurable, and progressive condition known as polymyositis, which would have led to a painful end of life. To avoid this, she decided to fight for the right to choose how, when, and where to die—in accordance with her own definition of dignity—through euthanasia. In 2020, the Ombudsperson’s Office took up her case and, for the first time in Peru’s history, filed a lawsuit on her behalf seeking to ensure that the physician performing the procedure would not face criminal charges. In an unprecedented move, a judge granted her request. The Supreme Court upheld this decision and ordered the healthcare provider to establish a protocol for the case.

On April 21, 2024, Ana underwent euthanasia and passed away on her own terms. Thanks to her, the Peruvian justice system recognized a new right to die with dignity and set a historic precedent. Her legacy, however, extends beyond the courtroom. Ana deeply moved Peruvian society with her story, helping thousands understand the significance of her struggle for the freedom to make decisions regarding one's own body and life.