AGM 2012 Roundup
A very successful and well attended AGM was held on 24 March 2012 with Chrys Stevenson providing the keynote address. The meeting was also addressed by the incoming President (Richard Mills). Various papers from the AGM can be located by clicking the following links:
- The Debate on Assisted Dying: Distortion, Misinformation and the Influence of the Religious Lobby – the address by Chrys Stevenson;
- Incoming President's Address – by Richard Mills
- The financial report
Having the 'Last Laugh"
Comedian Alexei Sayle confronts attitudes towards terminal illness and society’s last taboo in the short film Last Laugh (7 mins), which has been produced as part of Dying Matters Awareness Week which began in the UK on Monday 14 May.
I didn't want that
Dying Matters' UK has produced a poignant and powerful new short film (6 mins) 'I Didn't Want That' highlights the importance of making your end of life wishes clear.
Robert Cordover's end-of-life was torture
ROBERT CORDOVER was a marine biologist who spoke seven languages, loved music and theatre and had lived all over the world. So when the time came for him to die he wanted to do it on his own terms.
Diagnosed with the progressive illness motor neurone disease in 2008, he first lost his capacity to speak followed by his ability to swallow properly.
Mr Cordover, who lived in rural Tasmania, took his own life in June 2009 surrounded by his wife Nica and his children. He was aged 68.
His son, Gideon Cordover, works part-time for Dying with Dignity NSW. Gideon is passionate about the right to assisted dying, because of his father’s situation “''He went earlier than he had to. While he could still balance a spoon on his hand and stoop, he could take the medication. It makes me so angry that he had to go early when every day was so precious with him.”
In this video his wife Nica narrates a letter he has written to Australian politicians, explaining how his demise was like Guantanamo Bay torture, and asking for legalisation of restricted aid-in-dying.
Take control of your own death before it’s too late
It’s the Saturday morning of the Queensland election and I’ve just boarded a Virgin flight to Sydney. As embarking passengers jostle to stow their luggage, I wonder who my travelling companions will be: young or old, tourists or business travellers, chatty or silent? I rather enjoy the ‘lucky dip’ of travelling on planes.
:: Next >>