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Esteemed writer for young readers Robert Munsch has received approval for medically assisted dying in Canada.

Munsch, who has 85 books in print are led by Love You Forever, was identified with dementia in 2021 and additionally suffers from a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

He noted that he had not decided a date for his death, but mentioned he would take action "once I begin experiencing major challenges speaking and expressing myself."

Canada began allowing euthanasia in 2016 for those diagnosed with life-ending conditions. In 2021, the rules were amended to include those with severe and long-term physical conditions, including non-life threatening situations.

Munsch has sold over 80 million books across the continent and his stories have been translated into two dozen languages—among them Arabic, Spanish and Anishinaabemowin.

Back in 1999, Munsch was honored as part of the prestigious national order. A decade later, he was awarded a recognition along Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.

Munsch revealed that his decision was shaped by observing his sibling succumb to ALS, referred to as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

He commented, "He was sustained through all these interventions. I felt, let him die."

Under Canadian law, individuals aged 18 and above must satisfy several criteria to be qualified for aid in dying.

Requirements involve having a "severe irreversible disease", making a "self-motivated application" that is not the result of outside influence, and being in an "advanced state of unavoidable degradation in function".

Two independent medical professionals must then review the individual to confirm that all qualifying conditions are fulfilled.

Munsch's literary representative stated that his choice to discuss frankly about assisted death "highlights why Robert's work continues to resonate with many generations."

Munsch's child, Julie, shared that her father's choice to opt for medically assisted dying was determined in 2019.

Julie called the feature as "informative", but noted that "at no point is it indicated my dad is declining rapidly, and certainly not that he's passing away in the near future."

According to legal requirements, the patient must be able to give explicit agreement on the date of his death.

Munsch stated, "I must decide on the time before I lose the ability for it."

Medically assisted dying represented 4.7% of deaths in Canada in 2023, based on the newest official government statistics.

Roughly 96 percent of the 15,300 people who opted for assisted dying in 2023 had a death considered "reasonably foreseeable", because of grave health issues including cancer.