"My terminally ill family member’s journey"

My sister had breast cancer which spread to her brain She was ill for 8 years with frequent surgeries for both conditions We were devastated to hear she had an aggressive cancer.Early last year her doctors recommended that she stop treatment as her brain cancer had. spread further

As a result her will to keep fighting her illness disappeared

She was depressed and felt helpless, a state of mind she could not bear as she was always an independent person

She and her husband were made aware of the work of VAD and wanted to explore it further

Within a day or so someone from VAD contacted her and asked her why she wanted to call them

I heard her say clearly “I have lost all hope and I want to die”

The VAD team of a doctor and health professional visited her home within a week They spent time listening intently to her outline her wishes to end her life in her way in her own home with her husband and close family by her side

The team were totally professional and highly attuned to the gravity of this situation

My sister reported that at last she felt validated given back her dignity to have some say over when she would say “I cannot stay another day” She was relieved and felt calm for the first time in many years

She did not complete the last step of the VAD process as she was admitted to palliative care at her request and died peacefully in no pain

The wonderful assistance VAD offered was one of the reasons she survived beyond her specialists most optimistic predictions and she did so from a place of self respect and self worth empowered by the choice to ‘Do as She Wished ‘ free of the views of others or self blame

Thank you VAD

May you be facilitated to continue your caring professional work to support people faced with mental and physical suffering