I'm very pleased to find you here in your journey supporting someone you love through VAD. I hope that you find support and care as you travel this path with your loved one.
My own story is that my Dad passed away with VAD peacefully and surrounded by his loved ones, at home, as were his wishes, in August 2022.
He was facing an ever-growing litany of medical issues, each of which was compounding the others, affecting his quality of life, which would ultimately end his life. He chose VAD because he was an incredibly strong, independent man, who knew that his decline was leading him to a dependency he didn't want for himself and he wanted to leave the world with dignity and on his own terms, at a time of his choosing. Stubborn and headstrong to the end, with his characteristic dry, witty sense of humour, he knew what he wanted and thankfully, was fortunate to have the option of VAD in Western Australia at the end of his life. I am incredibly grateful for him, that this was the case.
As many of you will know, supporting this journey with your loved one can be incredibly special but also bring some uniquely painful and difficult feelings. I am so thankful to be a part of starting Willow, so that those of us who have travelled this path can help share and support those yet to come.
Thank you for being part of our group, I hope you find comfort within.
Welcome to Willow.
I’m Sam, a wife to a very supportive husband and a mum to 2 very energetic boys and a very fluffy golden retriever named Willow (My mum chose her for our family when we found out she was terminally unwell). We are so thankful to have been able to start this support group as it’s a life journey that’s very close to my heart.
My Mum was an incredibly strong woman who loved to laugh, play pranks and was determined to die with dignity when her time came.Voluntary Assisted Dying was able to grant my mum her dying with dignity wish.
After a terminal prognosis, mum chose to look into VAD and decided that it was her end of life way.
I was so fortunate to be on her life journey with her. It gave us so many opportunities to really embrace life, love each moment and tick off mums bucket list wishes, knowing that she was in full control of her body when the time had come to say goodbye.
Throughout our journey, we realised that because VAD was still new to WA in legislation, so many people we spoke to didn’t know it was even legal, so trying to navigate the journey and connect with people, it was very often starting with explaining what VAD actually was.
This is why, now with having lived the experience with VAD, creating a community and family support network was a passion.
We have started this group with just 3 of us who all have a passion and desire to help support people going forward, as it can be an isolating and different grief journey to what others may experience.
Thank you for joining our group!
