If you missed our webinar on 9 April (or would like to watch it again) you can access the recording below or use this link to view on our You Tube Channel. Please feel free to pass it on to friends and family.

Professor Felicia Huppert was a pioneering psychologist, world renowned for her work on wellbeing and positive psychology. After her suffering from metastatic breast cancer became unbearable in August 2024, she chose to die peacefully surrounded by her loved ones at her home in Sydney using the NSW voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws. 

We heard from Felicia’s son Rowan Huppert who talked of his mother’s illness and the immense sense of relief she felt knowing that VAD was available to her, along with the complex emotions experienced in the lead up to her death. We also heard from VAD doctor, Associate Professor Patrick Bolton who assessed Felicia’s eligibility for VAD and administered the medication which allowed her to die quickly and peacefully, and from Care Navigator, Warren Stewart who has supported numerous dying people through their VAD applications and worked with Felicia’s family to guide them through the various steps in the process.  

It was a wonderful opportunity to understand how VAD operates in practice and hear first-hand from those who supported Felicia’s decision to pursue VAD, through to the end of her life.  

This lovely feedback really says it all…..

“Excellent webinar. This was not only a most intimate and wonderful opportunity to respect Felicia’s memory and Rowan’s warm and loving account of her VAD journey but it also gave so many of us an insight into the careful operation of the VAD process.”  Diana Olsberg

Watch webinar here:

Contact details for NSW Health VAD Care Navigators

For anyone considering applying for VAD we encourage you to contact the VAD Care Navigator service. They can give you personalised advice and information and put you in touch with trained VAD doctors who can assess your eligibility.  

Call: 1300 802 133 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm (excluding public holidays)

Email: [email protected]

The NSW Health VAD website has general information about eligibility and the VAD process including the pages below: 

LINK: NSW VAD Request Process and 11 Steps

LINK:  NSW Patient Request Guide

Support Services

Crisis support: If you are feeling distressed and you need to talk to someone urgently, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636

Grief and bereavement: For anyone seeking more information or support about grief and loss, we encourage you to take advantage of the wonderful resources and services offered by Griefline which include a telephone support line, free individual grief counselling sessions (for NSW residents), support groups and on-line forums. They also have VAD specific resources and support groups. You can find out more here or go direct to their website at griefline.org.au