By Raquel Mustillo
THE final painful and traumatic days of Limestone Coast stalwart Viv Maher were tearfully recounted by her son Kyam at last week’s voluntary assisted dying vigil.
The Labor heavyweight held back tears as he told a crowd of around 60 voluntary euthanasia supporters at the Mount Gambier event of his mother’s final days following her decision to stop cancer treatments.
“I remember on the morning of August 11, 2017 and the afternoon before, when my mother was towards the end of her battle with pancreatic cancer,” Mr Maher said.
“She brought myself, my brothers and my dad to Ashford Hospital where she was at the time and told us that she had enough and couldn’t take the pain she was in.
“She didn’t want anymore treatment, we very much wanted a way to end the suffering there and then, but that wasn’t legally possible.
“Without a legal way for that to happen, she spent the next week essentially wasting away, not getting continued medical treatment and not getting the food and water to sustain life.
“I remember the morning after she made that decision and being in the room with my three boys – which was the last time they saw their grandmother – and then watching her waste away.
“It’s not right, it’s not dignified and that’s why at that moment I knew supporting wasn’t enough anymore.
“I had to do everything in my power to make this a reality in South Australia.”
Mr Maher’s landmark bill to legalise voluntary assisted dying in South Australia was introduced into the House of Assembly on Wednesday evening and if supported by a majority of members, will become legislation.
The bill is based on the Victorian scheme which has been in place for two years and was passed by a majority of Upper House parliamentarians last month.
“Victoria has been running for two years, Western Australia starts the scheme in July and Tasmania has just passed legislation, so in some ways it becomes an equity issue.
“Two states are very, vey near east and west to us and both states allow their citizens to die with dignity if they have a terminal illness and are suffering intolerable pain.
“That is what this legislation does for South Australia.”
Mr Maher headlined a diverse range of voluntary assisted dying supporters at the candlelight vigil, including Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell, Liberal MP Nick McBride, Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying Reverend Michael Dowling and Mount Gambier resident Jane Qualmann, who is in the final stages of neurogenic bowel syndrome.
Ms Qualmann praised Mr Maher’s advocacy, telling the Labor MP “Mount Gambier is immensely proud of you for pushing such an important law forward”.
“Kyam’s strength and courage has encourage me and many others to try and lobby for this change and give people the opportunity to die with dignity,” she said.
“I have been very blessed to have been able to give a voice to voluntary assisted dying and to everyone who has suffered.”
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