When I was 19-years-old, I became the primary carer for my mum, who was in the advanced stages of ovarian cancer. She had been fighting the disease for three years, and by that point had lost some of her bowel and most of her stomach. My beautiful mum, who lived her life the epitome of pure elegance, who was so generous and radiated so much light and warmth, was reduced to skin and bones by the time she passed.

An overwhelming majority of Australians, Allanah MacTiernan said, wanted the right to choose to die with dignity should they face unbearable pain and suffering.

My Mum and Dad, Joy and Jim Jarratt, were fit, healthy people and active all their lives. They lived in Albany and were involved community members. They loved to fish. They’d go out and catch fish all the time, off the beach and the rocks. Mum had allergies and had a special diet. Catching her own fish was the only way she knew what she got was okay for her. They kept fishing until virtually they couldn’t, which was in the last year or six months of their lives.

My partner, Rod*, of 20 years lost not only his life in a great deal of suffering but also lost control over his possessions in his last weeks.

I have just written the following email to five of our MPs:

My Dad, Franc Polak, passed away in July 2017 from gall bladder cancer.

He was a very healthy and proud man. He didn’t smoke and rarely drank. He ate onion, garlic and vinegar every day and didn’t use chemicals in the home. We never dreamed he would die of anything other than being over 100 years old. 

Professor Max Kamien, one of Australia’s most senior and influential general practitioners in a career that spanned 59 years, says he believes voluntary assisted dying has an important place in the medical system.

My husband Andy was my best friend. 

When my daughter Scarlett was 11-months-old, she woke up one morning and her body had turned to jelly. She couldn’t crawl. Her head flopped sideways. And she screamed and screamed and screamed, with a haunting pitch that will stay with me forever. It sounded like she was imploring me to help her.

As a female semi-rural GP involved in palliative care for the past 25 years, I have helped many patients and their family attain a ‘positive’ death experience through psychological, spiritual and medical support.