Hanne Schafer's friends and family speak after publication ban lifted in doctor-assisted death case

Hanne Schafer wanted privacy leading up to her doctor-assisted death but her husband and best friend say she was a "trailblazer" who wanted to make life easier for others suffering as she was.

"She was not ashamed of what she was doing," said Schafer'sfriend,Mary Valentich."She saw herself as an activist."

On Wednesday, the sameCalgary judgewho granted Schafer's request for a legal exemption to have a doctor-assisted death just over a month agolifted thepublication ban that protected Schafer'sidentity.

Schaferwas diagnosed with ALS a degenerative neurological disease in April 2013.

In March,Schaferendedher life in Vancouver with the help of two physicians.

"She couldn't die in her own bed, in her own home," said Schafer's husband, Daniel Laurin. "She had to die in some strange place. This shouldn't happen to anybody."

It is believed Schafer who was 66 at the time of her death andworked as a clinical psychologist for 38 years was the first person in Canada outside of Quebec to be allowed to legally end her life with help from a doctor.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Justice Sheilah Martin granted the application in late February aftersubmissions were madeat an in-camera hearing.

On Wednesday, Martin lifted both the in-camera order as well as the publication ban on the names of the people involved in the case.

Schafer's family willnow be allowed to publish an obituary that names her and talks about how she died.

In constant pain, Schafer was almost completely paralyzedand wastold the disease would havekilled her within aboutsix months.

"I do notwish to have continued suffering and to die of this illness by choking," she wrote in one of her twoaffidavits. "I feel that my time has come to go in peace."

'Her smile to the end'

Schafer was found to have metthe criteriaas she wasa competent adult with a "grievous and irremediable medical condition" that causes intolerable suffering that can't be alleviated and who clearly consents to the termination of life.

"The suffering has to stop," said Laurin."People have the right not to suffer."

Though Martin granted the request to lift the publication ban, she urged others in similar situations to discuss the issue of privacy and publication bans more thoroughly so the courts can have a better idea of applicants' wishes after their deaths.

"This was the first case of its kind in Canada," said Martin Wednesday in court. "In some respects we were in uncharted waters."

Laurin teared up talking about his wife and what he will miss the most.

"Her smile. Her smile to the end."

The Liberal governmenttabled its doctor-assisted dying legislation, which includes age requirements and limits on who can seek doctor-assisted death, earlier this month,