Adriana Stagnaro

The anthropologist who publicly called for the passing of an euthanasia law in Argentina to allow for a peaceful death as her illness progressed.

Adriana Stagnaro was a lawyer and a renowned social anthropologist from the University of Buenos Aires who had been living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) since 2018. She lived with the disease for over five years, and in March 2023, she publicly expressed her wish to access euthanasia.

Adriana campaigned for the legalization of euthanasia in her country. "What I ask is for people to be more empathetic and open their ears to the suffering of others. When death unfolds day by day, the suffering is worse," she maintained. Her case sparked a significant debate in Argentina regarding the right to a dignified death and euthanasia. However, in October 2023, at the age of 70, Adriana passed away without the legislation she had advocated for being enacted.