Woman with terminal cancer first to use Victoria’s new assisted dying law

A woman with terminal cancer, Kerry Robertson, has become the first person who has used the new assisted dying law exist in the Australian state of Victoria.

The law was passed only a couple of years before. It was cleared after a violent debate that extended up to thirty hours. The process sharply divided the supporters and the rest in the parliament.

The new law allows terminally ill persons to end their lives with the support of doctors. The law prescribes certain checks also. No person below the age of 18 can use the law. Similarly, there are several checks to make sure that only truly deserving people get chance to use the provisions of the law.

The Australian woman applied for the service on the day the law was implemented itself.

She has ended her life by ending treatment for her disease.

Not in all Australian state such a law exists. Victoria is one of the very few states in Australia where such a law exists.

Meanwhile, the Australian state has many supporters internationally. In Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands, such a law already exists.

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