As Marlene Bevern approached the end of her life, there was only one thing that really made her smile — the possibility her death would be life-saving.
The former nurse from Ballarat was diagnosed with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease (MND) and was given months to live.
She wanted to end her life via voluntary assisted dying (VAD) after seeing her husband Robert experience a painful death from pancreatic cancer eight years earlier.
But she also wanted to donate her organs — something that had never been done in Australia by someone after assisted dying.
However, a combination of determination, medical support, and good fortune made it possible.
Ms Bevern, 66, chose to die at Grampians Health Ballarat earlier this year, where she relinquished her lungs, liver, and kidneys.
Her organs saved four lives.
Read more .. [Source: ABC News]
Marlene Bevern with son Scott and daughter Justine soon before her death.(Supplied: Scott Bevern)