NSW Central Coast man Scott Hollingshed has ended his own life under new euthanasia laws
A cancer patient with a terminal diagnosis has ended his life by lethal injection under new laws.
NSW Central Coast resident Scott Hollingshed, 58, has documented his battle with lung cancer cancer on facebook.
Although the diagnosis was only made in June, the cancer has already reached stage four, ending all hope of a cure.
Mr Hollingshed said he was ‘scared’ about taking his own life but had ‘wonderful people around him’ and wanted to express his gratitude to those who supported him more widely when he took part in the New South Wales voluntary euthanasia programme.
“I’m going to do one (a livestream video) from the hospital just to thank everyone and say hello,” Mr Hollingshed said in a video posted to Facebook on Tuesday.
‘If you’ve made this journey with me, you must see the end.
“I asked to do the screen with the flatline and the rest.”
Mr Hollingshed said his partner would say a few more words after he left.
Cancer patient Scott Hollingshed plans to livestream his death by lethal injection on Friday
“I am so grateful to you all for everything I have experienced in my life,” said an emotional Mr Hollingshed.
“The compassion and support you have shown throughout this journey, you have all been incredible.”
Mr Hollingshed had just purchased a yacht with his partner and was enjoying life on the water when he started experiencing chest pains.
“I’ve had heart attacks before, but I knew it wasn’t my heart,” he said 7News.
Seeing his father die in a hospice influenced his decision to undergo euthanasia.
“When I see him wasting away… I don’t want to see myself like that and I don’t want other people to see me like that, especially the people who care about me,” Mr Hollingshed said.
“I’ve been given the control to say, ‘Okay, it’s time.’”
After coughing up blood and being unable to sleep on his side without spluttering, Mr Hollingshed was given the devastating news that he had three to six months to live.
Since then, his condition has deteriorated even more rapidly.
Mr Hollingshed had just bought a yacht with his partner when he started experiencing chest pains, which led to a diagnosis of lung cancer.
“It got so bad I couldn’t even put my socks on. My wife got down on her hands and knees and put my socks on,” Mr Hollingshed said.
“I know people do things for the people they love, but it broke my heart to see her do that.”
On Wednesday, he wrote in a Facebook post that he “would be lucky if I could make it through another week before I couldn’t do normal things like go to the toilet, shower, cook (I can’t do that anymore).”
“I have been coughing up large amounts of blood all day and night,” the message reads.
In another recent video, Mr Hollingshed said it was “a beautiful journey, but a very quick one compared to what I expected”.
He explained that he could only sleep on the couch, and for two hours at a time, as long as the painkillers worked. He considered ‘going to the hospital’.
“All they’re going to do there is give me oxygen and pump me full of painkillers,” Mr Hollingshed said.
“I have my hydromorphone pain here and a bottle of bourbon, so I’ll be fine,” he said.
‘Everyone says I’m an inspiration and I want to thank those people for their comments.
“We only get one chance, so make the most of it, okay?”
Mr Hollingshed says he hopes his story will inspire others to live life to the fullest and turn negatives into positives.
Friend Kellie Lott has organised an online fundraiser to help Mr Hollingshed and his partner with end-of-life costs.
“We have all seen this man live an amazing life on Facebook… for me and I bet we are all inspired when we hear him speak,” the page reads.
‘He is doing his utmost to pass away with dignity and I am sure we can all agree that if he had less to worry about for himself and his partner, his final days would be much more peaceful.’
“Please try to make a donation, because every dollar helps, especially during this time.”
The page had raised nearly $1,000 of its $5,000 goal.
NSW became the last Australian state to allow euthanasia at the end of last year.
Under the law, voluntary euthanasia is only available to NSW residents over the age of 18 who are suffering from an advanced illness or condition that will result in death within at least 12 months and is causing suffering that cannot be alleviated.
Mr Hollingshed said his story had helped others in similar circumstances and urged Australians to live life to the fullest.