Personal Reflections

Personal stories have become an increasingly important part of the VAD Board’s annual report (pp 7 – 12). 

Much of the feedback received by the Board was positive, but there was also frustration and grief about the barriers to access, in particular the time taken to move through the process and the restrictive eligibility criteria.

Here are some of these stories: 

“…We were never eligible for Medicare. Paid our taxes in Australia. I’m in aged care now. Still paying my way but was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer over a year ago. Prognosis 6 months to live. With that knowledge I applied to VAD. Sadly you have to be a “permanent resident” to apply. I applied to the courts here in Perth, presented my “case” - but “they were the rules!”.

“When all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one. I beg the authorities to change these rules. Don’t punish decent, honest people more”.

Patient “…To qualify for VAD, one must be sound of mind. This has forced me to choose my dying date sooner rather than later…For now, I qualify for VAD, but that could all change in a blink of an eye due to the effects of my terminal illness on my existing neurological condition…”

Patient “I am struggling with the knowledge that my father does not fit the appalling narrow parameters for VAD…He wants to die. Just because he is not terminal, does not take away from the fact that he feels he has no quality of life and nothing to live for and does not want to be alive any longer…My reflection is that this is not life, this is just an incredibly sad, lonely death. As a society, we should do better.”

 Family member “…On Monday, when Mum’s coordinating practitioner came to see and assess her for VAD, her mental capacity had declined over the weekend, and she was seen as too confused to proceed… Could it be added to the VAD Law that the person requesting/approved for VAD can nominate a next of kin or similar to advocate for them in times such as my mum’s… “]

If you have a personal story to tell, please let us know by sending an email to:

President, Stephen Walker at [email protected]; or

Dinny Laurence at [email protected]