Aussie Woman With Cancer Is 'Selling Off' Last Moments Of Her Life To Strangers

A woman from Australia is battling terminal cancer and she is 'auctioning' her last moments to strangers. Emily Lahey is having a performance art installation called 'Time to Live' in Sydney, in which a large projection counts down from three minutes, signifying her remaining time. The 32-year-old says that the goal of this exhibit is to illustrate the emotional burden of living with or supporting someone with a terminal illness. She also hopes to raise funds for cancer research.

Emily Lahey's Story

Emily Lahey was 27 years old when she was diagnosed with NUT carcinoma, an aggressive cancer with a typical prognosis of only six to nine months. "I never thought cancer was a possibility," she shared with 7NEWS.com.au, adding that she was at the peak of her fitness before this.

The diagnosis came after she experienced chronic sinusitis and headaches, followed by loss of vision in one eye. The doctors discovered a malignant mass, roughly the size of a cricket ball, in her sinuses and skull. According to reports, the cancer does not respond well to chemotherapy.

As Lahey's medical team did not know how to proceed with her treatment, genetic testing led to the consideration of an experimental treatment known as BET inhibitors. However, she had to wait till her condition worsened to 'qualify' for the government's special access program.

Lahey told 7News, "This has given me extra time that I never thought I'd have, and my family and I are very thankful for that." The doctors have not been able to predict how long she has left to live. So, Lahey takes it one day at a time, embracing each living moment with gratitude. 

"Everything comes and goes in waves. It's like being on a constant rollercoaster. There were times I struggled to look beyond the next day or week. As time goes on, I'm gaining a bit more confidence to look towards the end of the year," she expressed.

The Exhibition

At Lahey's 'Time to Live' exhibit designed by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), visitors are given three minutes to "experience" what it must be like to live with a terminal illness. They can either engage in a conversation to learn about Lahey's life or simply reflect in silence. 

"Each participant has effectively “bought” a slice of Emily’s time," writes Dee Jefferson, a writer with The Guardian. Lahey wants to educate visitors about her condition and "fund world-class research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of [cancer]," she told the outlet.

Carly Du Toit, ACRF's General Manager of Fundraising and Marketing told 7News, "We hope this event emphasizes the critical need for funding groundbreaking research that could provide those affected by cancer with the most precious gift of all time."

Cancer In Australia

Cancer is the leading cause of death in the country, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). "Time is incredibly valuable," Lahey said. "Cancer can take too much of it." ACRF is a charity that has distributed more than $184m to research institutions across Australia. 

The AIHW \states that cancer survival rates in Australia have gone up from just over 50% in the 1990s to nearly 70% in the 2010s. Lahey said, "Until survival rates approach 100 per cent, our community must continue supporting new, progressive cancer research."