Brittany and Lauren

It isn’t often that we see a juxtaposition like this. On Sunday two young women, facing very similar crises, both made national news. Brittany Maynard has taken her own life:

Brittany Maynard, the terminally ill 29-year-old who spent her final days advocating for death-with-dignity laws, took lethal drugs prescribed by her physician on Saturday and died, a spokesman said, “as she intended — peacefully in her bedroom, in the arms of her loved ones.”

Maynard, who was diagnosed earlier this year with a stage 4 malignant brain tumor, said last month she planned to die Nov. 1 in her home in Portland, Ore., with help from her doctor. And Saturday, she said farewell, having succeeded at reviving interest — and debate — in a charged subject that had been out of the news for some years. (See “How Brittany Maynard may change the right-to-die debate.”

“Goodbye to all my dear friends and family that I love. Today is the day I have chosen to pass away with dignity in the face of my terminal illness, this terrible brain cancer that has taken so much from me … but would have taken so much more,” she wrote on Facebook, according to People. The magazine reported she took a fatal dose of barbiturates. “The world is a beautiful place, travel has been my greatest teacher, my close friends and folks are the greatest givers. I even have a ring of support around my bed as I type…. Goodbye world. Spread good energy. Pay it forward!”

Within hours of Ms. Maynard’s suicide, Lauren Hill made a basket in her first college basketball game:

Lauren Hill felt so good after fulfilling her dream that she felt inspired to play another game.

Makes sense, since the freshman forward for Division III Mount St. Joseph’s stirred a capacity crowd just by taking the court.

Much depends on Hill’s health and energy as she deals with an inoperable brain tumor that has left her with just months to live. In between making two layups that started and finished Sunday’s 66-55 victory over Hiram College and brought a crowd of 10,250 to its feet, she spent much of her inspiring game sitting on the bench wearing sunglasses and headphones.

Hill’s condition has made her extremely sensitive to sensations her teammates and opposing players take for granted, but she still enjoyed the bright gym and the cheering crowd. And she certainly savored her two baskets on a day she will never forget.

“This game was amazing,” Hill said. “It was awesome in every way. It’s a dream come true. To play on a college court, to put my foot down on the floor and hear the roar of the crowd — I just love it so much. I love basketball.

“Everything that happened today was amazing. I’m truly happy, it’s a really good day.”

I grieve the ordeal that life has brought these two young women. The world can be a very cruel place.