Draft:Lauren Hoeve

Lauren Hoeve (1995–2024) was a Dutch woman with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), autism, anxiety, and ADHD who chose to end her life through euthanasia at age 28 due to her severe conditions.

Life and Illness Hoeve was diagnosed with ME in 2019 at age 24. She preferred not to use the term "chronic fatigue syndrome" as she felt it did not accurately convey the severity of her exhaustion and symptoms. In addition to ME, Hoeve had autism, anxiety disorders, and ADHD. Her conditions severely impacted her quality of life.

Decision for Euthanasia Euthanasia has been legal in the Netherlands since 2002 for those experiencing unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement. In 2022, Hoeve began documenting her application process for euthanasia on her blog. When she first told her general practitioner about wanting voluntary euthanasia, he said he respected her wishes but could not carry it out himself due to the complexity of her psychological conditions.

Hoeve was placed on a waiting list to be evaluated by euthanasia specialists. The process was prolonged by the COVID-19 pandemic. After being assessed by multiple doctors, Hoeve was deemed mentally competent in April 2023 to proceed with euthanasia.

Public Awareness Hoeve gained an online following by posting about her health journey and planned euthanasia on social media. On her blog, she wrote an emotional post on January 25, 2024 announcing her euthanasia would take place on January 27 between 1:30-2:30pm and thanking supporters. Her mother also published a blog post about losing her second child but no longer fearing their suffering.

Hoeve used her platform to raise awareness about ME/CFS and encourage donations to research organizations like Open Medicine Foundation and advocacy groups like #MEAction.

Death Lauren Hoeve died by euthanasia at 1:55pm on January 27, 2024 at age 28, surrounded by her parents and best friend. An update on her blog from her parents confirmed her "peaceful" death and thanked people for their compassion and support.