- LETTER TO COTA POLICY
OFFICER 01/02/06 -
From the desk of Mary Walsh:
Patricia Reeve,
COTA Policy Officer
Council on the Ageing (Victoria) Inc. Level 4,
Block Arcade
98 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, 3000.
Dear Ms Reeve,
Please allow me to introduce myself.
I am a 63 year old in remission with ovarian cancer seven years. I would like to see Law
Reform for the Medical Treatment Act 1988, introduced into Parliament, a law that would legally accommodate specifically those who wish to have choices about the final stages of life.
I want to see an amendment to the Medical Treatment Act 1988 that would make Advance Directives and/or Living Wills acquire Legal Status within Victoria. A Resolution was passed at the December 2005, ALP State Conference to enable people in the
final stages of dying to have their Advance Directive, honoured legally. Unfortunately I can't see this Resolution being adopted without a ground swell of support from rank and file interested people. I am asking your organisation to facilitate the means of communication, perhaps working in conjunction with the soon to be known as, Dying with Dignity organisation, previously
VESV.
I realise from your COTA News, that as an organisation you appear to deal mainly with other organisation and government departments. May I suggest you contact the President, Dr Rodney Syme on their new phone number 9887 7677 recently moving offices to 3/9B Salisbury Avenue, Blackburn, 3130.
I, on the other hand, am a single entity endeavouring to promote legislative change. To achieve this I have set up a personal website www.yourchoiceindying.com to encourage the public of Victoria to lobby politicians of all persuasions to legislate for change and choice. Encoding the Medicare Card and/or set up a Register within all hospitals to highlight the existence of a person's wishes regarding resuscitation and/or continuing treatment, and that their instructions are legally binding on medical staff, are two possibilities I have put forward to all politicians.
I am asking any interested reader to participate by getting involved at a personal level with their local M.P. Having written three letters to each of the 130 Victorian Politicians of all persuasions, they may well remember the issue of choice and dignity in dying being raised previously. My website contains copies of my letters and some formal responses from the current Government. Relying on my webmaster, I can't always keep this section of the Web Site current.
I have noted in your December 2005 COT A News that the initiative Have Your Say will involve COT A actively listening to more seniors than every before, encouraging a wide range of
backgrounds and views, and identify issues for COTA's attention. I believe that while the majority of seniors interests lie with the living and socializing routine of life, there is a place for Seniors to come together to share their thoughts on dying. Many have said to me, that they can't talk to their families about their vital concerns at a later stage
of life, often living alone, frail and have no one to share their deep thoughts. I believe this is where you can help Members by contacting Dr Rodney Syme, an extremely good listener, and fantastic public speaker. (No! he doesn't know I am saying nice things about him.)
Needless to say I am only asking participation of those who would prefer "Choice" and understand fully that there will be some who prefer to accept every medical option available to meet their needs. I ask only that others, including myself, be allowed their choice through legislative change.
I would very much appreciate a response to this letter and thank you in anticipation of a response.
Mary Walsh Card attached:
February 1,2006
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