One of the first Queenslanders to use Voluntary Assisted Dying service died peacefully

The daughter of one of the first Queenslanders to use the state’s Voluntary Assisted Dying service says her mum was determined to die with dignity after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Townsville’s Irene Bizon was one of the first Queenslanders to die using the state’s Voluntary Assisted Dying service. Picture: Evan Morgan

Irene knew she would be wearing her powdered blue suit from Vietnam.

She knew the song she would hear would be Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire. And she knew the last thing she would feel would be her children’s hands on her own when she peacefully passed away three weeks ago.

Irene Bizon was one of the first Queenslanders to die using the state’s Voluntary Assisted Dying service.

The 78-year-old was diagnosed with terminal lung and bowel cancer last year and was determined to die with dignity and “be the last person to wipe her own bottom.”

And while she spent four weeks in intense consultation with doctors, Irene had long been planning how she would spend her last days on earth while waiting for Queensland’s VAD laws to finally come into effect on January 1.

Corrie Petersen said her mother’s death was ‘loving, calm and tranquil’. Picture: Evan Morgan

On January 4, Irene wasted little time engaging the well-known Townsville physician and former director of Queensland Health Medical Services, Dr Michael Clements.

Dr Clements had decided not to undertake the VAD training, but he provided Irene with all the information and resources she needed to order her end of life medication, before introducing her to colleague Dr Claus Bader, a palliative care specialist GP at the Townsville Hospital.

Dr Bader would remain with Irene until she drew her final breath, administering her medication.
She passed away peacefully on January 31.

Irene’s daughter Corrie Petersen, an registered nurse with extensive experience in caring for end of life patients, said her mother’s death was “like a breath of fresh air.”

“It was so loving, calm, tranquil, that’s how my brother and I felt,” she said.

“Mum was talking, she told a joke and closed her eyes and it was sort of like that, peacefully going off to sleep.”

Irene Bizon with her son John Barclay and daughter Corrie Petersen before her death.

Irene believed her choice to take VAD medication allowed her to “live with dignity and also die with dignity,” and in true Irene fashion, her final day on earth was “far too well organised.”

“By the time she got the medication, John and I were at the hospital and talking with her,” Ms Petersen said.

“And she said okay, we’ll make it Monday the 30th and I said oh mum Thursday’s the public holiday and it was probably best to make it the following Tuesday. It was so nice to talk about it so openly.

“She picked out what she wanted to wear, it was really beautiful, an outfit she bought in Vietnam when she went on one of her cruises.

“When Dr Bader came in on the day he asked us if we wanted to talk about it or ask questions and everyone was so soothing and open and I couldn’t thank them enough for how they looked after mum and how they approached it.”

Irene went through the thorough 11 step VAD consultation and review process, before Dr Bader administered her medication.

Though they spent a short time together, he described his experience with Irene as the “greatest privilege of his life.”

“When I arrived with the mediation, it was daunting for me, especially because it was after a long weekend and I hadn’t seen her in a few days but her face was just pure happiness,” he said.

“One thing I'll never forget was even when we started giving the medication, Irene kept joking and talking to her family and laughing and kissing her son and then she just fell asleep.

“That is the last thing her family will remember, and the last thing she will remember; calm, laughter, happiness, music, love.

“Being with her when she chose to take the medication, to fulfil that wish for her was without a doubt the most privileged experience I’ve ever had and one of the highlights of my whole career.”

Even after death, Irene was remembered a person with a true zest for life, her infectious attitude staying with hospital staff.

“There wasn’t a single person in the ward who didn’t love her or didn’t want to spend time with her and you could feel afterwards, there were no bad feelings,” Dr Bader said.

“For me VAD is not about death, it’s about an additional life choice. Irene, she symbolised it to the core.”

More than 1000 terminally ill Queenslanders are expected to apply for VAD during 2023.

Queensland Health does not provide public data on registered VAD participants with an annual report to be released by a review board and tabled at parliament later this year.

Originally published as One of the first Queenslanders to use Voluntary Assisted Dying service died peacefully