Dying dancer's final message: A plea for dignity and voluntary assisted dying

Facing her imminent death from motor neurone disease, Adelaide-based dancer and artistic director Roz Hervey used her final hours to record a powerful video message advocating for voluntary assisted dying (VAD). "I am ready," the 58-year-old stated calmly, surrounded by her family. "It is so, so important that people have the opportunity to die with dignity. I get to choose my beautiful surroundings, people who I love around me and dying in a calm, beautiful, and graceful way."

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I am ready. It is so, so important that people have the opportunity to die with dignity. I get to choose my beautiful surroundings, people who I love around me and dying in a calm, beautiful, and graceful way.

Hervey's final mission was to raise awareness about VAD and voice her frustrations with existing legal guardrails, particularly the requirement for medical practitioners to confirm death will occur within 12 months before a VAD permit can be granted. This timeline poses a significant challenge for individuals with conditions like MND. "The legislation's there for a reason, to protect our patients and to protect our healthcare professionals," explained Dr. Peter Allcroft, an MND and palliative care specialist who treated Hervey. "They're very tight boundaries that we work in."

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It really was her dying wish; it was a call to arms for us to get the information out there about voluntary assisted dying [VAD].

Hervey's advocacy was part of a larger creative project initiated by her daughter, actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey. Tilda spent weeks interviewing her mother, documenting her life and creating a film titled "It's All Going Very Well," set for release in 2027. "If I'm struggling with something, I usually end up making something about it," Tilda said. "It was something active I could do for my grief, I think."

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Knowing she had the option to end it on her own terms was what gave her the ability to live her fullest life.

While VAD is legal in all Australian states and territories except the Northern Territory, a study by VAD advocacy group Go Gentle revealed that only one in three Australians are aware of VAD as an option for those with a terminal illness. Hervey's poignant final message and her family's subsequent efforts aim to bridge this awareness gap.

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The legislation's there for a reason, to protect our patients and to protect our healthcare professionals. They're very tight boundaries that we work in.