Vimla Devi, an Indian woman fighting cancer, died in 2006. The cause of death was not cancer but a 13-day fast called santhara.
This voluntary death by fasting is practiced by the Jains, a community that believes in non-violence towards all creatures.
Santhara is usually initiated after the person decides that life has served its purpose and is ready for spiritual purification.
There is growing opposition to the ritual, which is often seen as a form of suicide or euthanasia. But within the community, preventing santhara can invite ostracism.