Perth philanthropist Ros Worthington OAM dies weeks after brave decision to terminate her life

A decorated philanthropist and charity worker who spent a lifetime serving others has died after choosing to end her life.

Ros Worthington OAM was recently told she had weeks to live after she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and organized to end her life on her own terms under Western Australian voluntary assisted dying legislation.

She spent her final weeks organizing her own farewell and reassuring loved ones that she was at peace.

On Sunday, Perth ABC breakfast radio host Mark Gibson led the moving tribute to a charitable life well lived.

“Dear Ros, I was so lucky to know you and so lucky to have had the chance to say goodbye,” he wrote.

‘You made the world a better place. Now fly free.”

Others who knew her remembered the amazing lasting impact Mrs. Worthington had on their lives.

“Oh god, what a sad loss for our world, but just as Ros wanted,” one person wrote.

Ros Worthington dedicated many years to charity work and became one of WA’s most awarded philanthropists

Another said: ‘Such a wonderful lady.’

Ms Worthington has been the driving force behind several well-known charities in WA.

She founded the Make-A-Wish foundation in Washington to grant the wishes of terminally ill children.

She started Breast Cancer Care WA after her own battle with a chronic breast disease, discovered at the age of 16.

She also founded the Love Angel Foundation to teach children compassionate values ​​and raise money to feed and educate orphans and widows in underprivileged countries.

Mrs Worthington saw the need for the recognition and destigmatisation of suicide after her husband Ross committed suicide in 2002.

She teamed up with Lifeline WA to create a campaign called HelpME to help people suffering from depressive and suicidal thoughts.

Ms Worthington was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2011.

ABC Perth breakfast presenter (left) Mark Gibson said he was “lucky to know Mrs Worthington” and even luckier to have “the chance to say goodbye” as she spent her final weeks with family and friends

She has also received numerous awards in recognition of her philanthropic work, including an appearance on the West Australian list of 100 most influential people in WA.

Last month she spoke publicly about her terminal diagnosis after battling what she thought was a respiratory infection.

After several hospital visits and tests, she was told she had stage four lung cancer, which had spread to her brain.

The philanthropist was told she had just eight weeks to live and underwent ‘cyberknife’ radiation treatment to buy some time with her family.

“If it gives me a few more weeks, whatever, I’m blessed right now because they’ve given me this time to be with my family and my grandkids and see them and tell them how much I love them,” she said against the newspaper. ABC in September.

She then chose to end her life at a time of her choosing through voluntary assisted dying, and was grateful for the option.

“It’s really amazing because you always hear the accolades after someone passes,” she said.

“I’m now getting the accolades and love from everyone in WA.”

Mrs Worthington had previously said she never really thought about what she had achieved until she was given just weeks to live, but was proud of her work

Ms Worthington added that she was proud of what she had been able to achieve in her life, even though she had never thought about it before, and hoped her work would have a lasting impact.

She recently held a ‘farewell’ at a yacht club to say goodbye to friends and her closest loved ones.

Western Australia passed voluntary assisted dying legislation in 2021 as the state recorded 445 assisted deaths in the following two years.

She had a documentary film crew follow her end-of-life journey, hoping to show that voluntary assisted dying can be a beautiful experience.

Ms Worthington spent her years helping those in crisis, and had one final message for the wider community.

She wanted everyone to love their family and described family as the most important thing when you die.