Three years ago Venessa Patullo faced an impossible choice – slowly suffocating to death from a terminal illness, or an illegal and lonely suicide without saying goodbye to her family.
Her husband, a pain management specialist, is now one of more than 100 doctors who’ve signed a letter urging the NSW parliament to make sure no one else has to confront such a vexed decision.
The letter, presented to the parliament on Wednesday, calls for MPs to support a bill to legalise voluntary assisted dying, as debate on the legislation continues in parliament.
“Even with optimal palliative care, some patients still suffer a prolonged and distressing death, with symptoms that medical science is not able to adequately relieve,” the letter reads.
“Please … allow us, as medical practitioners, the ability to provide humane options to those with significant suffering at the end of their lives.”
In 2018, after a long battle with leukemia which had left her lungs destroyed, Dr Gavin Pattullo’s 42-year-old wife made the “brave” decision to take her own life.
“I had no inkling whatsoever,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“I was on my way out the door to go to the hospital … Venessa gave me a brief, deep hug, tears welling up in her eyes, and that was a little bit unusual… (but) it seemed like any other day to me.”
Venessa Pattullo – a doctor herself – did not want to die. She’d spent 14 years undergoing often “horrific” treatments trying to avoid death.
But if she had to go, she wanted it to be peaceful.
That meant she had to die alone, and without saying a proper goodbye to any of her loved ones.
“She couldn’t tell me because if she did, then I could be accused of assisting her death and vulnerable to prosecution under NSW state law,” Dr Patullo said.
He urged MPs to support the bill and to make it law “sooner rather than later” – a day after the upper house vote on the bill was delayed until next year.
Alex Greenwich – who drafted the legislation – had hoped it would pass both houses of parliament this year.
However, the bill will now be sent to an upper house inquiry, once it passes the lower house.
The Sydney MP on Wednesday moved that the debate on the legislation in the lower house be fast-tracked to allow the inquiry to begin – and end – as soon as possible, saying delaying dealing with the legislation is “downright cruel”.
But the government and Labor blocked the move, with debate on the bill now likely during extra sitting days in November.
“Poll after poll has shown us the people of NSW want this reform,” Mr Greenwich said in a statement.
“This bill already has more co-sponsors than any bill in our nation’s history, with politicians crossing the divide to get this bill across the line.
“It’s time to do our jobs and give people in NSW the same choices as the rest of Australia.”
Both Labor and the coalition will allow a conscience vote on the issue, but Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns won’t support the bill.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mr Perrottet said prolonged debate is a good thing.
“I for one … have no concern with the debate going on,” he said.
“No one’s trying to undermine (the process).”
The legislation would limit access to voluntary assisted dying in NSW to people with terminal illnesses who are expected to die within six months.
If they have a neurodegenerative condition and are experiencing unbearable suffering, that will be extended to 12 months.
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