**Alaska Woman with Terminal Breast Cancer Advocates for Right to Die on Her Own Terms**
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Kim Clune, a 56-year-old photographer from Haines, Alaska, is facing the harrowing reality of living with stage 4 breast cancer. Diagnosed in March 2019, Clune underwent a mastectomy and intensive chemotherapy, but by March 2025, she received the devastating news that her cancer had metastasised to multiple areas of her body, including her pelvis, lungs, ovaries, bowels, and spine.
“There is no cure; it is all through my body,” Clune stated in an interview with Alaska Public Media. She highlighted the shift in her treatment approach, which has now transitioned from life-saving interventions to measures aimed solely at managing her suffering. “We’re treating to spare me from a hideous death,” she said, expressing the grim reality of her situation.
Doctors have warned her that she has five years or less to live, and Clune has been open about the potential agony she may face as her condition progresses. “The contents of my bowels will be coming out of my mouth. That is a horrendous way to die,” she reflected, articulating the extreme pain that is likely ahead.
In light of her circumstances, Clune has expressed a desire to exercise what she refers to as her right to die on her own terms, specifically through medical aid in dying (MAID). This procedure permits individuals with terminal illnesses to end their lives using prescribed lethal medication. Notably, MAID differs from euthanasia, as patients themselves administer the drugs rather than a physician.
Despite her wishes, Clune faces a significant barrier; assisted dying is currently illegal in Alaska. In contrast, numerous states across the US, including California, Colorado, and New York, have enacted legislation to permit MAID. This disparity in legal options has prompted Clune to reflect on her choices, and she has considered travelling to New York, where she previously lived and received treatment, to access MAID legally should her suffering become unbearable.
In her quest for autonomy at the end of life, Clune is determined to raise awareness about the need for MAID legislation in Alaska. She hopes that sharing her personal journey will inspire support for changing laws and provide others in her situation with the choices she currently cannot access.
Public opinion in Alaska appears to be shifting in favour of MAID; a poll conducted in 2025 indicated that approximately 75% of Alaskans support the option of medical aid in dying for adults. Advocacy groups such as End-of-Life Options Alaska are actively working to promote awareness and campaign for legislative changes surrounding end-of-life options.
Although she is committed to her advocacy, Clune remains realistic about the timeline for change in her home state. She acknowledges a lack of confidence that actionable legislation will come to fruition in time for her. Clune hopes to spend one last summer in Alaska, although the uncertainty of her health complicates those aspirations.
“I’m not afraid to die,” she stated resolutely. Through her experience with cancer, Clune has come to terms with the idea of mortality, describing moments during her illness when she felt as if she had transcended her physical body. “I know something else exists out there. I don’t know what it is… but I know for me, this isn’t the end.”
Through her poignant story, Clune sheds light on the urgent discussions around end-of-life care and the fundamental rights to choose how life concludes. As she faces her own mortality, she remains hopeful that her experience can contribute to a broader dialogue on compassionate choices for those with terminal illnesses in Alaska and beyond.