SEATTLE , Washington ( CNN ) -- A 66-year-old woman with stage 4 pancreatic cancer became the first person to use Washington 's assisted suicide law , a nonprofit organization announced Friday . Compassion & Choices , an organization that says it advocates choice for the terminally ill , said Linda Fleming of Sequim , took her prescribed medication and died Thursday evening at home with her family , her dog and her physician . She had been diagnosed a month ago with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and was told she was `` actively dying , '' Compassion & Choices said in a written statement . `` The pain became unbearable , and it was only going to get worse , '' Fleming said , according to the organization . It said Fleming had worked with the organization 's volunteers to consider her choices . `` I am a very spiritual person , and it was very important to me to be conscious , clear-minded and alert at the time of my death , '' she said , according to Compassion & Choices . `` The powerful pain medications were making it difficult to maintain the state of mind I wanted to have at my death . And I knew I would have to increase them . '' Washington 's law was approved by about 60 percent of voters in November . A similar law in Oregon passed in 1994 . Oregon says 401 people have died under the terms of its law .
66-year-old woman with stage 4 pancreatic cancer chooses to die . Woman wanted to be `` clear-minded and alert at the time of my death '' Washington 's law was approved by about 60 percent of voters in November .