​28-year-old man opts for euthanasia over living with bipolar disorder, documents his 'Last Supper' with strangers

“I am bipolar and I moved to the Netherlands to legally end my life,” Joseph Awuah-Darko, 28, a British-Ghanaian artist says in his Instagram video, which has amassed over 700K views. No, it's not that he does not appreciate life or thinks it's not worth living. In fact, he lives life with more zest than most of us do. So, why does he want to end his life? “I am not saying that life isn’t worth living. It ABSOLUTELY is. What I am saying is that the mental weight of MINE has become entirely unbearable," he wrote in a post.

Awuah-Darko was 16 when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental health condition that affects a person’s mood, energy, activity, and thought and is characterized by manic (or hypomanic) and depressive episodes. After failed attempts of treatment with no relief, in Dec. 2024, he announced to take an extreme step of choosing euthanasia, aka Mercy killing. He moved to the Netherlands where euthanasia is legal, and is currently awaiting approval, a process that could take up to four years.

The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia in 2002. This procedure is performed by a physician who administers a fatal dose of a suitable drug at the patient's request, according to the country’s official government website.

Getting through every day is a task for the man. Awuah-Darko says he wakes up every day in ‘severe pain’. For Darko, who grew up as a Catholic, taking this step was 'tough'.

His decision posted on social media sparked mixed reactions, with some supporting his right to choose, others urging him to reconsider, and some accusing him of glorifying suicide. But some good too came out. After his announcement, he received 100 messages from strangers inviting him to dinner. This inspired him to launch 'The Last Supper Project,' a global dinner tour where he meets and connects with people while awaiting approval for euthanasia. So far, he has traveled to Paris, Milan, Brussels, and Berlin, attending 57 dinners and planning more for the upcoming days.

Talking to The Times, Awuah-Darko expressed that he has an 'emotional relationship' with food, memories of his mother’s sautéed onions and jollof rice to fantastic prosciutto in Venice.



Despite how uplifted he feels by the project, it does not take away the pain and struggles of having bipolar disorder. “I am NOT special, like many people in their 20s; the constant burnout, the burden of debt, paralyzing depression, the violent media cycle, and the dystopian reality of AI… all weigh heavy. The reality I face of being bipolar exacerbates all this,” Awuah-Darko said. He also talks about how even though there are good moments, 'the lows are unbearably bad' for him.