MARJ HOLDS DIGNITY HIGH
MARJ Lawrence has already planned her death in detail.
The Dying With Dignity Queensland ( DWDQ) committee member and cancer survivor arranged the end of her life after watching close family members suffer through painful deaths.
And she is determined to use her experience to educate others to lobby for state law reform to legalise Voluntary Assisted Dying.
“I’ve learned how I can end my life quickly and peacefully and that’s what I intend to do,” Ms Lawrence said.
“It’s only when I get to the stage where I’m suffering badly from pain and there’s no hope for me to get better, that’s the time for me to go.
“You can’t underestimate the comfort I have knowing that I’m not going to suffer, and I think everybody should have that choice. If we had a law, everyone would have that comfort and that’s the important thing that I’m trying to get across.”
Ms Lawrence is hosting information sessions for people to learn why voluntary euthanasia laws need reform in Queensland, similar to Victoria’s law reform that will come into effect in 2019 to allow Voluntary Assisted Dying.
“It’s all about telling people what DWDQ does. I want to go through the Victorian law and the 68 safeguards that are set up ( to protect people).”
Ms Lawrence said the Voluntary Assisted Dying information sessions would not include information on how to end a life.
“I cannot tell people the knowledge that I have,” she said. “I would finish up in jail for advising people how to kill themselves so I just cannot tell people that.”
Ms Lawrence watched six close family members and three close friends die “horrendous” deaths, which sparked her law reform.
“I’ve been a very strong supporter of DWD ever since my mother died over 30 years ago,” she said. “She faded away to a skeleton, she didn’t deserve to die like that and I thought there had to be a better way.
“When my husband died about 18 years ago I became very active, he was bedridden for 18 months and faded away to a skeleton too.
“People shouldn’t go through that if they don’t want to.”
Ms Lawrence said her three daughters supported her activism but struggled to discuss her choice with her.
“I’ve got no argument with people who don’t want ( to choose euthanasia), but I don’t think it’s right that they should stop other people,” Ms Lawrence said.
>> Marj Lawrence will be hosting a Dying With Dignity Queensland information morn
ing at the Carlyle Gardens allpurpose room on Monday, May
21 at 10am. activism for