Jo, Rosemary's friend
Meet Jo in her early seventies, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer earlier this year. She decided, after exhaustive diagnostics, to opt out of all treatment in the hope that it would not take too long before she'd pass away. After a few weeks in a public hospital, enduring persistent pressure from medical staff to accept treatment, she was transferred to a palliative care hospital.
"Jo believed in euthanasia, but it is illegal in the state where she lived so it was not an option for her."
She was hoping that without treatment it might only take a couple of weeks before she could die… she was wrong! After suffering for over two months with pain management that was not effective she finally succumbed to the horrific disease invading her body.
"She did not have a peaceful or dignified death."
What a difference her end of life care would have been if she had been able to access the choice of legal euthanasia!
Rosemary Doolan, November 2016