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"An insult to human dignity": Mother of Bondi stabbing victim hits out at the media

<p>The mother of Bondi stabbing victim Jade Young has hit out at how social media and major news outlets reported on her daughter's death. </p> <p>Jade Young, 47, was one of six people fatally stabbed by Joel Cauchi during his violent rampage at Bondi Junction Westfield on April 13th. </p> <p>Following the tragedy, graphic videos and images of the attacks were circulated online.</p> <p>Now, Jade's mother Elizabeth Young, writing in the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/my-daughter-was-killed-in-the-bondi-junction-attack-how-my-family-found-out-is-shameful-20240429-p5fnbw.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Morning Herald</a> on Wednesday, said it was “shameful” how her family found out about Jade’s death.</p> <p>“Members of my family recognised Jade and her husband Noel in uncensored vision being played on a mainstream TV news feed, with vision of Jade lying on the ground at the shopping centre, receiving CPR,” she wrote.</p> <p>“The vision, shared on social media and picked up — and used by — multiple news media programs shared my daughter’s final moments with millions. Finding out that a loved one has been murdered is a horror that I do not wish on anyone. But seeing the vision of their last moments and knowing it has been broadcast to millions of people is an appalling breach of privacy and an insult to human dignity.”</p> <p>Ms Young went on to say how some of the major media organisations that shared violent images of the Bondi stabbing “approached our family within hours of the attack, offering their condolences … and the opportunity to share our family’s story”.</p> <p>“These same media organisations reported the failure of a certain popular social media platform to take down videos, without acknowledging their own complicity,” she said.</p> <p>“I am not surprised at their hypocrisy, but I am angry.”</p> <p>“Sharing violent images or personal material from the lives of victims of crime is not free speech — it is enormously profitable for some but it’s speech with a steep price for the victims,” she said.</p> <p>“Those who run social media platforms are remote from the pain inflicted by their uploads and the dystopia they have helped create. It is the victims who bear the cost.”</p> <p>Last week, hundreds of mourners attended a public memorial for Ms Young, an acclaimed architect and mother-of-two, where mourners were encouraged to wear colourful clothing “in memory of Jade”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook </em></p>

Family & Pets

"I thought I was gone": Doctors reveal how close Jimmy Barnes came to dying

<p>Jimmy Barnes has shared how he fought to stay alive after being forced to undergo major surgery, admitting he didn't think we would survive. </p> <p>The rock legend underwent emergency heart surgery in December 2023, after being struck down with a dangerous infection that threatened his life. </p> <p>Speaking candidly to <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/jimmy-barnes-cold-chisel-illness-how-rock-icon-fought-to-stay-alive/3717a0d8-25ff-4400-bab3-f556e0b417c2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>60 Minutes</em></a>, the 67-year-old said he didn't have much hope in his survival. </p> <p>"I just said to Jane, 'I don't think I'm gonna make it'. I just had this horrible morbid feeling because I've never felt this sick before. I thought I was gone," he said. </p> <p>Barnes was first admitted to hospital the day after pushing through excruciating pain in November to perform at a tribute concert for his late friend Michael Gudinski. </p> <p>After being admitted to St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney with pneumonia, a team of specialists including cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Paul Jansz, soon discovered a much more sinister health issue was at play, as an infection quickly led to endocarditis: a life-threatening inflammation of the heart.</p> <p>"[The infection] was just eating at his heart. You see an abscess cavity forming around the valve, and that would've just grown and grown and grown," Jansz said.</p> <p>"It's fatal. If he didn't die of the infection, he would've died from heart failure, from the whole valve falling apart."</p> <p>By the time he was wheeled into theatre, his doctors say he had hours to live.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3e_KPSPsC-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3e_KPSPsC-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 60 Minutes Australia (@60minutes9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"When I contemplated dying before surgery, I just thought, 'you have to savour those moments; have I told my children that I love 'em enough? Have I told Jane? The people you love, make sure you tell 'em'," Barnes said.</p> <p>Surgeons managed to fix Barnes' heart in a marathon seven-hour surgery, as the musician then faced a lengthy recovery process. </p> <p>"It's like you've been ripped in half," he said.</p> <p>"Your best friend is a pillow. If you cough, it's just agony. If you breathe too deep, it's agony. And sneezing would be the end of you."</p> <p>"But I think it's made me stronger. I want to be better than I was. I've got all this new life from this and I want to make the best of it. I want every minute to count."</p> <p>Now two months into his recovery, Jimmy is getting stronger everyday, and has nothing but thanks for his loved ones that stayed by his side during the difficult journey. </p> <p>"Without a doubt, the fact that my family were there and Jane was there, I wasn't going anywhere. I wanted to spend every breath I could spend with Jane. And if that meant fighting to live longer, I was going to do it."</p> <p>When asked about his highly-anticipated <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/huge-news-for-jimmy-barnes-fans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">return to the stage</a> in April, he joked it would be his version of resurrection. </p> <p>He said, "I miss being on stage, I have to do it, I don't have a choice. I need to get out there and scream, it just clears the emotions out of you."</p> <p><em>Image credits: 60 Minutes </em></p>

Caring

Dancing with the Stars line-up revealed

<p>A star-studded cast of celebrities have been unveiled for this year's Dancing with the Stars, with some unexpected names in the mix. </p> <p>Four-time Gold Logie-winning actress Lisa McCune will be showing her moves on the dance floor, as will <em>Masterchef Season 1</em> winner Julie Goodwin.</p> <p>AFL legend and 7NEWS Sport presenter Ben Cousins and <em>Home and Away </em>hunk James Stewart will also be putting on their dance shoes, as will <em>SAS Australia </em>ex-special forces officer Ant Middleton. </p> <p><em>Better Homes and Gardens</em>’ DIY guru Adam Dovile is also set to flaunt his moves, right after BHG's Charlie Albone’s appearance on the show last year. </p> <p>Model and designer Nadia Bartel, Olympian and former senator Nova Peris, AFL star Shane Crawford, comedian Nikki Osborn, singer Samantha Jade and TV cook Hayden Quinn are also competing for the Mirror Ball Trophy. </p> <p>Each celebrity will be competing for their chosen charities and chance to win the coveted trophy. </p> <p>Although fans had to say goodbye to Daryl Somers last year, they are in for a treat this year, with TV vet Dr Chris Brown set to co-host the show alongside Sonia Kruger.</p> <p>The judges for this year are: Craig Revel Horwood, Sharna Burgess, Helen Richey and Mark Wilson.</p> <p><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

"I'm lowkey dying": Brave young woman with terminal illness shares her final wish

<p>Samantha Bulloch was given three years to live after she was diagnosed with gut-wrenching stage four bowel cancer at the young age of 28. </p> <p>A year later, Bulloch has shared a heartfelt plea on social media in hopes of meeting her idol- pop star Taylor Swift. </p> <p>The Swiftie has scored a ticket to Taylor's final show in Sydney on the 26th of February, but she’s calling on “anyone to hook a sister up” so she can meet-and-greet the singer backstage. </p> <p>“I’m low key dying and honestly this would just make my year,” she said in a video shared to TikTok. </p> <p>“I’m going out on a limb here so I’m just shooting my shot and we’re going to see what happens.</p> <p>“If anyone has any connections... I would love you forever.”</p> <p>Bulloch has been a fan of the megastar since she was 15 years old. </p> <p>“Taylor means so much to me, and I’d love the opportunity to tell her just how much of an impact she’s made on my life,” she told <em>7Life</em>. </p> <p>“I’ve loved her since I was 15, and her music has seen me through so many chapters in my life — including this one.</p> <p>“I love that her music transcends all kinds of walks of life, and so many of us connect with it so personally, despite the differences in our situations.</p> <p>“She has a real talent for making you feel less alone.I recently got a new tattoo of the lyric, ‘For the hope of it all’, from her song called August.</p> <p>“I adopted that lyric during my experience with cancer. I’m choosing to live for the hope of it all.”</p> <p>As she faces terminal cancer, Bulloch said that she is determined to live the rest of her life to the fullest. </p> <p>"I’m hoping and praying for many more years than what I’ve been given. But if not, I intend to try and maximise these few I’ve got left to the best of my ability," she said. </p> <p>“Thankfully I’ve always been quite a positive and hopeful person, and that hasn’t left me during this experience.”</p> <p>Bulloch was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2023, after experiencing low iron levels, fatigue and blood in her stool. </p> <p>She is currently on a chemotherapy regime and an immunotherapy drug and added that she also hopes to tick off many of her bucket list destinations this year, including visiting UK, Paris, New York and Tasmania. </p> <p>“My doctor has said I can, providing the treatment I’m on now works," the hopeful 29-year-old said. </p> <p>“Thankfully treatment has been working so hopefully in a few months I’ll be able to do that."</p> <p><em>Images: Samantha Bulloch </em></p>

Caring

"Such a tragedy": Shannon Noll pulls dying teen from car wreck

<p>Singer Shannon Noll ha found himself at the centre of a tragic accident on a remote stretch of Ellangowan Road, just kilometres away from his northern New South Wales home. The incident involved an 18-year-old couple, Kobi Roberts-Walker and Jaselle Melrose, whose car veered off the road, crashing into a tree in a horrifying double fatal accident.</p> <p>Noll, best known for his time on <em>Australian Idol</em>, was on his way back to his family property when he became one of the first responders to the accident. The singer, faced with a burning car and desperate circumstances, didn't hesitate to take action. He bravely dragged the dying Jaselle Melrose from the wreckage and performed CPR in an attempt to save her life.</p> <p>In a statement to <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/two-teenagers-die-in-fiery-crash-after-hitting-tree/news-story/3bdf4004457b59e2078bff3caf0b3749" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>, Noll expressed the gravity of the situation, saying, “Last night was such a tragedy. I just reacted and did what I could to assist the young woman at the scene. Our prayers and condolences go out to their families at this terribly sad time.”</p> <p>Noll's manager, Paul Paoliello, revealed that the singer was deeply affected by the incident: “I can confirm Shannon did provide assistance last night and he is obviously quite shaken up by what happened,” Paoliello said.</p> <p>The local community, already shaken by the accident, has been left heartbroken over the loss of two young lives.</p> <p>Volunteer rescue workers who were present at the scene attested to Noll's immediate and courageous response. Describing the situation, a witness mentioned that Noll "literally ran" to the car engulfed in flames, pulling the passenger away before emergency services arrived. Others at the scene acknowledged Noll's determination to make a difference and lauded his hands-on approach.</p> <p>The victims, Kobi Roberts-Walker and Jaselle Melrose, were both 18 years old and deeply connected to their local community. Roberts-Walker, known by many in the area, had recently posted their car for sale, citing their anticipation of a growing family. Melrose, a recent graduate of Casino High School, was recognised for her academic achievements.</p> <p>The crash occurred on a notoriously hazardous section of Ellangowan Road, known for its narrow roadway and limited lighting. Locals have raised concerns about the safety of this stretch, and the New South Wales Police are currently investigating the incident to determine the cause and whether speed played a role.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

Darryl Somers jumps the gun with major Dr Chris Brown announcement

<p>Darryl Somers, the man who made <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> a glittering extravaganza of dance and dazzling outfits, has decided to take centre stage once again.</p> <p>After months of speculation about Dr Chris Brown taking over the hosting reins, Somers took it upon himself to make a rogue announcement on his Facebook page that was about as expected as a cha-cha-cha in a tango.</p> <p>Rumours have been swirling for some time now about Channel Seven's big reveal, scheduled for their upfronts event, a time when media executives and TV buffs gather to find out what fresh television delights are in store. But Somers, always one to seize the spotlight, decided to drop the bombshell himself.</p> <p>"Hi All, Just want to confirm the speculation that I will not be hosting Dancing With The Stars in 2024. Seven let me know recently that they have signed Chris Brown to the network full-time, and amongst his commitments, he will be hosting DWTS," Somers wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>In a heartfelt message, Somers went on to share his gratitude for the 20-year journey he's had with <em>Dancing with the Stars</em>, dating back to 2004. He's completed ten series, with his last one being a "huge ratings success". And what better way to pass the torch than with a mirror ball, the symbol of dancefloor triumph, presented personally by Somers to Chris Brown.</p> <p>Somers also expressed his fondness for his co-host, Sonia Kruger, and the judges, Todd McKenney and Mark Wilson. It seems that while he will miss the sequins and glitter, he's "now unencumbered to pursue the projects [he] put on hold during Covid and shall have some exciting news on that score early next year." We can't wait to find out what Somers has hidden up his well-tailored sleeves. </p> <p>But let's not forget the man of the hour: Dr Chris Brown. Not only will he be grooving to the tunes of <em>Dancing with the Stars</em>, but he's also going to be hosting a brand new show titled <em>Dream Home</em>. It's not about dreaming of a dream home; it's about couples turning a run-down shack into a palace, all while winning some cold hard cash. If we know Brown, he's probably going to charm the participants into renovating their homes with just a smile and a stethoscope.</p> <p>Before all of this unfolded, there was speculation that Brown might take over for Kochie when he retired from <em>Sunrise</em> after 21 years – but of course that Big Chair went to Olympian Matt Shirvington.</p> <p>In the world of Australian television, the tango of hosting changes continues, with Somers' premature announcement adding an unexpected twist. It seems that even after 20 years of dancing with the stars, you can still surprise everyone with a perfectly timed leap and a graceful pirouette into the unknown.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

"I'm home": Paramedics grant dying grandmother's final wish

<p>Dedicated paramedics have made an emotional pit stop at the beach for a dying grandmother who wanted to see the ocean one last time. </p> <p>The ambos were transporting 94-year-old Shirl McHugh to the hospital when the grandmother asked to make a stop at Newcastle's Bar Beach: her favourite spot. </p> <p>Shirl told the paramedics she wanted to "feel the salt breeze one last time", as she had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving the hospital. </p> <p>When they stopped at the beach, the great-grandmother relaxed and told paramedic Brittaney Banks, "I'm home".</p> <p>Thankfully, Ms McHugh was able to bask in a beautifully fine day to take in the famous stretch of beach, which is busy with swimmers, surfers, lifesavers and families most days.</p> <p>Shirl, who was a respected member of her church as well as the wider community, died just 15 hours after her stop at the ocean. </p> <p>The NSW ambulance shared Shirl's story to their Instagram page, with paramedic Brittaney Banks recalling the emotional day. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyK0y_Ns8j5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyK0y_Ns8j5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by NSW Ambulance (@nswambulance)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"When I opened the doors of the ambulance, Shirley said 'I'm home', and breathed a sigh of relaxation… it's one of those jobs I will remember forever," Brittaney said. </p> <p>Her granddaughter expressed her gratitude on social media, thanking the ambulance crew for respecting the special request from the stylish great-grandmother known to many as 'Shirl the Pearl'.</p> <p>"Thank you ladies for fulfilling my Nan's final wish on her way home," Emma Brown wrote. </p> <p>"She had such a beautiful soul, it was really my pleasure," Ms Banks replied.</p> <p>"I am so glad we could bring her home."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Dying husband and wife spend their final days holding hands

<p>A married couple have spent their final days holding hands in hospital, after their beds were pushed next to each other so they could be side-by-side as they both passed away. </p> <p>The couple from Tennessee, Tommy and Virginia Stevens, both 91, were both admitted to the Vanderbilt hospital for unrelated medical issues. </p> <p>Tommy, who was suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, had been struck down with aspiration pneumonia and sepsis, and was transferred to the hospital's palliative care unit. </p> <p>The same morning, Virginia suffered a fall as she sustained six broken ribs, a spinal fracture, and a hip injury, and was admitted to the hospital's trauma unit. </p> <p>As Tommy and Virginia's family were struggling to split time between the two wards, hospital staff were able to pull strings for the longtime lovebirds to be roomed side-by-side.</p> <p>Virginia was moved into a room near Tommy’s in the Palliative Care Unit, and her hospital bed was scooted against his so she could comfort him as his health continued to get worse, the hospital said.</p> <p>“He was awake when she came in,” their daughter Karen Kreager said.</p> <p>“His eyes were open. He wasn’t communicating a lot — just in small whispers. But he knew that she was there and that she was going to be right beside him. They haven’t stopped holding hands the whole time. She won’t let go of him.” </p> <p>“It reminds me of why we do this work,” Mohana Karlekar, MD, medical director of VUMC’s adult Palliative Care Program told local news station <em><a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2023/09/19/she-wont-let-go-him-vanderbilt-helps-hospitalized-wife-comfort-dying-husband/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSMV</a></em>.</p> <p>“We take care of people — husbands, wives, mothers, fathers — not patients. We brought this family together during one of their most difficult times with little effort on our part. It involved a call, seeing an extra patient that day and some conversations.”</p> <p>“From the time we brought Mrs. Stevens over, she held her husband’s hand and fussed in a very loving way with him,” Karlekar said.</p> <p>“She was able to tell me Monday that she was at peace with what was going on, and she wanted to be there until the end.”</p> <p>Tommy died on September 8th, just a day before the couple’s 69th anniversary, and Virginia died a few days later on September 17th.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Vanderbilt University Medical Center and The Stevens Family</em></p>

Caring

Kylie Minogue drops big career news

<p>Kylie Minogue is set to return to TV with her own special that will highlight her incredible career. </p> <p>The iconic singer will feature in British broadcaster ITV's <em>An Audience With… </em>show at The Royal Albert Hall in London. </p> <p>"It's been hard to keep this one a secret... Get ready for an unforgettable evening! 🤩An Audience with Kylie, coming later this year to ITV1 and ITVX," the broadcaster announced to Instagram on Tuesday. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwh-LrdMDE-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwh-LrdMDE-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ITV (@itv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The show will take place in December and the broadcaster has promised that they will take the special TV event to the "to the next level", according to the <em>Huffington Post</em>.</p> <p>The <em>Can't Get You Out of My Head </em>singer, will perform and chat about her career, and even answer questions from the audience members, including specially invited VIP guests and celebrity superfans.</p> <p>"I'm so excited to announce that I am teaming up with ITV for An Audience with at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall!" she said. </p> <p>"I'll be performing some of my favourite tracks from throughout my career and no doubt answering some surprising questions from the audience. I can't wait to share this moment with you all."</p> <p>The singer will perform some of her top hits including her more recent chart topper <em>Padam Padam </em>and a few favourites from her award-winning back catalogue.</p> <p>This comes just two years after ITV did the special for Adele, which was met with overwhelming success, reaching over 5.4 million viewers during its peak. </p> <p>Tickets for the show will be on sale from September 8.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Terminally ill teacher convicted of child abuse granted end-of-life permit

<p>A convicted child abuser from Adelaide, who was imprisoned for his acts of paedophilia against students during his tenure as a music teacher, has been authorised to pursue assisted dying, according to an exclusive report by <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/exclusive-adelaide-news-jailed-paedophile-teacher-malcolm-day-given-end-of-life-permit-voluntary-assisted-dying/cab7e95c-f3b1-4dbd-ae0d-cc8dbfee22c0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>.</p> <p>Malcolm Day, aged 81, has emerged as the first incarcerated individual in Australia to receive approval for voluntary assisted dying following a terminal illness diagnosis, reportedly linked to cancer.</p> <p>Having received a 20-year prison sentence last June, Day's remaining term spans 17 years.</p> <p>Navigating the 11-step process required for accessing voluntary assisted dying in South Australia, Day's application is reported to be in its concluding stages, potentially reaching completion within the next few days.</p> <p>Dr Philip Nitschke, the director of the pro-euthanasia organisation Exit International, acknowledged that an incarcerated individual availing themselves of this scheme was an inevitable eventuality.</p> <p>"By the sounds of it, he satisfies all the conditions of the South Australian assisted dying legislation," Dr Nitschke told 9News. "So there should be no impediment… he should be given the option that any other person would have if they were terminally ill."</p> <p>During the 1980s, Day, while serving as a music teacher in South Australia, inflicted profound and lasting harm upon two of his students. After grooming and exploiting his victims, he vehemently refuted all allegations when investigated by educational authorities.</p> <p>When Day was sentenced, his legal representative, Stephen Ey, acknowledged the real possibility of his client passing away behind bars, saying at the time that it was "a real prospect... given his age."</p> <p>According to the latest data from SA Health, since the initiation of voluntary assisted dying in January of this year, 39 terminally ill residents of South Australia have opted to peacefully conclude their lives after being granted the necessary permits.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Legal

Return and Earn is a great way to recycle

<p>When you recycle your eligible bottles and cans through Return and Earn, the material that is used to make the bottles and cans stay in use for as long as possible and are turned into new products, rather than ending up in landfill or polluting waterways.</p> <p>The scheme has already more than halved the number of drink containers littering our parks, waterways, or ending up in landfill compared to before the scheme was launched in December 2017.</p> <p><strong>What happens to containers returned through Return and Earn?</strong></p> <p>Have you ever wondered what happens to the containers once they are returned through the scheme?</p> <p>All containers returned through Return and Earn are recycled. The containers are picked up from the return points and trucked to a sorting facility where the containers are processed depending on the material type. Cans are crushed and baled into a giant cube, glass bottles are crushed into small particles called cullet; and plastic bottles are sorted by type and colour and shredded into smaller flakes before being turned into pellets.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68727" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/crushed-cans-770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /></p> <p>The giant cubes of Aluminium cans are melted, rolled into sheets, and sent to manufacturers to be turned into new cans or other products – some even go to make up aeroplane parts!</p> <p>Glass cullet is melted and mixed with raw materials before being blown into a new glass bottle and sent to drink companies.</p> <p>The plastic pellets are melted down, moulded and blown into new plastic bottles, ready to be bought be retailers.</p> <p>The new bottles and cans made from the recycled materials are filled by the beverage companies, labelled, capped, and ready to be consumed.</p> <p>By using the recycled material from Return and Earn, we save water, energy, and landfill, as well as reducing the carbon emissions that would be used if new raw materials were used instead. This conservation contributes to a more sustainable and efficient economy.</p> <p><strong>Keeping materials in Australia</strong></p> <p>The purity and quality of the material from Return and Earn plays a crucial role in establishing local recycling facilities so most of the key materials stay in Australia. A key milestone was the opening of the Circular Plastics Australia plant in Albury, NSW, in March 2022. This state-of-the-art PET plastic recycling facility is a joint venture between waste industry and beverage industry partners and is the largest of its kind in Australia.</p> <p>The facility reprocesses 100% of the PET (one of the materials that make up plastic containers) collected through the Return and Earn network of over 600 return points and uses the materials to remake new bottles and other food-grade plastic packaging.</p> <p>All glass collected through the Return and Earn network is also being reprocessed in Australia and contributes to the growing demand of locally sourced glass to use in making new bottles and other products.</p> <p>Having facilities in Australia means that the cycle of making a new container from the recycled material is fast. Plastic bottles can be back on the shelf in as little as six weeks and glass bottles in four weeks. Now that’s recycling at its best.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68725" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/what-happens-when-you-return-and-earn-journey-image_770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="846" /></p> <p><strong>Do you recycle?</strong></p> <p>It’s easier than ever to recycle your empty containers through Return and Earn. We have over 600 return points across Australia, and we continue to work with businesses and local councils to identify more sites.</p> <p>Every container counts – recycling is an important way to reduce the load on our natural resources and keep valuable waste on the path to being remade into new products and used again. These small acts can make a big impact.</p> <p>If you’re not interested in returning the containers, consider leaving them out for others in your neighbourhood that are collecting them, or donate them to a charity or community group who is fundraising through the scheme. If you are unable to give them away, place your empty drink containers in your yellow lid recycle bin.</p> <p>For more information about Return and Earn, and to find your nearest return point visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/">returnandearn.org.au</a></p> <p><strong>Case Study: </strong><strong>Sharing the dignity through recycling</strong></p> <p>Semi-retiree Wendy Pluckrose from the far north NSW coast has supported Share the Dignity for years, so when she discovered Return and Earn it seemed an obvious way to raise some extra funds as well as protect the environment.</p> <p>Share the Dignity is a women's charity in Australia, that works to make a real difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or doing it tough.</p> <p>Wendy has installed bins at home and at local shops and restaurants to collect eligible drink containers. Most days she collects between 100 – 500 containers, and in the last year has raised nearly $3,500 from around 35,000 containers recycled through Return and Earn.</p> <p>“Return and Earn is just free money!” Wendy said. “It’s a little bit of effort, but it makes a big difference.”</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68728" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/share-the-dignity-photo-article-770.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="733" /></p> <p>With the containers collected so far, not only is the refund going towards buying women’s sanitary products to women experiencing hardships, but it has also contributed to protecting the environment.</p> <p>By recycling 35,000 containers to be remade into new containers rather than using virgin materials, the environmental savings calculated by the <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/impact-calculator/">Impact Calculator</a> include 206,000 litres of water; 46 gigajoules of energy that equates to six months of energy consumption for a household; and 2,100 kilograms of material entering landfill. The carbon emissions avoided equates to keeping two cars off the road for 18 months.</p> <p>To learn more about Return and Earn, <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/">head to their website</a>.</p> <p><em>Images: Return and Earn.</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Return and Earn.</em></p>

Retirement Income

Dancing With The Stars winner crowned!

<p>After five weeks of dancing up a storm, the winner of <em>Dancing With The Stars</em> has been crowned. </p> <p>The finale came down to an actress and a singer going head-to-head, with the mirrorball trophy awarded to the champion at the end of the epic battle.</p> <p>The two finalists were <em>Home & Away</em> star Emily Weir, and Human Nature singer Phil Burton, with Burton emerging victorious to win the show’s 20th season.</p> <p>“This show has just been so incredible for the last seven weeks. I’ve had the absolute time of my life. And, you know, it is a competition but it doesn’t feel like it when you are out here and you are with all these amazing people. It’s been an absolute joy to be a part of it,” Burton said after his win.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvCec-utGhC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvCec-utGhC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dancing with the Stars Australia (@dancingau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The colourful finale saw the six remaining couples each perform a freestyle routine in the hopes of winning the coveted trophy.</p> <p>Weir and her dance partner Lyu Masuda performed an energetic routine to the Spice Girls hit track <em>Spice Up Your Life</em>, with judge Todd McKenney saying he “absolutely loved” the “fantastic” performance.</p> <p>“You were shimmying for Jesus, darling,” fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood told her.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Burton and dance partner Ash-Leigh Hunter danced to Wilson Pickett’s 1962 classic <em>Land of a Thousand Dances</em>, a performance Revel Horwood said was “full of rhythm and musicality.”</p> <p>“It seems, Phil, that you can turn your hand to any genre of dance - and that proves it,” he said.</p> <p>Both Burton and Weir scored the highest score from the judges for the night, tied at 39 points, putting them at an equal footing for the top two.</p> <p>But in the end, Burton’s Human Nature fanbase helped him win the audience vote over Weir, becoming the newest champion of the show. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven / Instagram</em></p>

“My heart is breaking”: The Wiggles perform for dying young fan

<p dir="ltr">The Wiggles have made a young girl’s dreams come true, as they stood by her and performed just hours before she died. </p> <p dir="ltr">Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie, new Blue Wiggle Lucia Field, and Dorothy the Dinosaur visited young Zahra’s bedside in Westmead Children’s Hospital, just before she passed away last month to perform a sweet rendition of <em>Twinkle Twinkle</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this week, Zahra’s mum posted the sweet video on TikTok, while sharing the story of how Zahra was diagnosed with Leigh syndrome, a rare neurometabolic disorder that affects the central nervous system.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On Zahra’s last day, she got a special visit from her fav Wiggles,” Zahra’s mum wrote in the video shared on her TikTok account. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 611px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7254527205701733633&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40keish_el%2Fvideo%2F7254527205701733633&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoACeAheW25teaIoFQJHPEC2YgpcNAKrzDgaksj%3Fx-expires%3D1689325200%26x-signature%3D8aPR7s6As4g3eiheXA%252B7PmnZSBk%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">In the caption, she added, “This day was so special to us, Zahra was obsessed with the Wiggles and for them to come and see her is a memory we will never forget.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to say that on her last day on earth, her doctors and parents gave her “one full day” off the tube where she got to do “all her favourite things with family and friends”, including the Wiggles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lucia, who is the daughter of original Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, commented, “Lachy and I were so grateful to have met your beautiful family. May your beautiful little girl be happily resting”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has racked up over two million views, with many sharing their condolences for the grieving family. </p> <p dir="ltr">One user said, “I can't handle it. I'm so sorry… my heart breaks for you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another emotional viewer wrote, “RIP you little angel, you have earned your wings.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote that they were praying for Zahra and her family, and her grieving mother responded, “Thank you so much for those prayers. I know they would have kept her with us for as long as she could.”</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 18pt;"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-efb41070-7fff-f887-2ec2-5f55686b6eca"></span></p>

Caring

Sudden exit leaves Dancing With the Stars viewers stunned

<p>Fans of <em>Dancing With the Stars</em> were left in shock as celebrity chef Matt Preston made an unexpected decision to quit the show on Sunday night, creating a first in the series' history.</p> <p>After finding himself in the bottom two and facing a dance-off against former AFL star Gavin Wanganeen to secure his spot in the competition, the former <em>MasterChef</em> judge interrupted host Daryl Somers to drop a bombshell announcement.</p> <p>“I’ve loved everything about this, but my ankle is cooked,” Preston revealed to Somers and co-host Sonia Kruger.</p> <p>“I can’t dance again tonight so what I want to do is to concede and give the win to Gavin, who did brilliantly today and I’m so proud to be doing this for you, brother.”</p> <p>Somers, clearly taken aback, expressed that such a situation had never occurred before and invited the judges to share their thoughts on Preston's decision.</p> <p>“I mean, injuries happen and there’s nothing you can do about that,” Craig Revel Horwood said.</p> <p>“I’ve been a dancer all my life, if you’re injured you shouldn’t dance on an injury – so Matt, I think you’ve made the right decision. Sad to see you go, but Gavin, darling welcome, for you get another life on the show now.”</p> <p>“You’re absolutely doing the right thing and thank you for giving us determination and your courage, you’ve been wonderful,” Sharna Burgess agreed.</p> <p>“And I’m gonna give you a big hug after the show.”</p> <p>During a recent candid interview on the Stellar podcast "Something To Talk About," Preston shed light on his motivation for joining the dancing competition in the first place, explaining his desire to step far outside his comfort zone.</p> <p>“An opportunity like <em>Dancing</em> comes along and you go, ‘I don’t need to do it.’ And then you go, ‘Well, let’s have a crack,’” he said.</p> <p>“There’s one word that I keep hearing a lot from certain people of a certain age who’ve achieved a lot, and that’s the fear of ‘humiliation’. I think this is a really debilitating idea, this idea that your children are going to think less of you or your friends are going to joke about you.</p> <p>“Humiliation is just an anxiety that really has no place in the modern world.”</p> <p><em>Images: Channel 10</em></p>

23-year-old bravely dies on her own terms

<p> A terminally ill young woman from Adelaide has ended her life under the state’s voluntary assisted dying laws.</p> <p>In a funeral notice published in the<em> Adelaide Advertiser</em>, the family of Lily Thai said she died at the Flinders Medical Centre on June 21.</p> <p>“Much loved daughter of Kate and Le. Beloved granddaughter, niece and cousin. Treasured friend to many,” the family wrote.</p> <p>The family have shared that her funeral will be held at Centennial Park Cemetery on June 29.</p> <p>She made the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/23-year-old-reveals-why-she-s-chosen-to-end-her-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heartbreaking decision</a> to take her own life after countless surgeries failed to improve her illness.</p> <p>Thai suffered from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) – a genetic condition that left her completely bedridden and in constant pain.</p> <p>Her powerful story touched thousands nationwide before she passed away.</p> <p>Thai had long wished to take her own life with dignity after a battle with such a debilitating condition.</p> <p>“I decided that pain was so severe it wasn’t worth it, and I just wanted to take it into my own hands,” Thai told the Adelaide Advertiser.</p> <p>After her painful health battle, she spent her last days at the Flinders Medical Centre, where she said she mainly slept while in “excruciating pain”</p> <p>Thai had recently signed the paperwork to use South Australia’s voluntary assisted dying laws, which came into effect in January 2023, to end her life after being administered an IV medication.</p> <p><em>Image credit: The Advertiser / TikTok</em></p>

Caring

23-year-old reveals why she's chosen to end her life

<p>23-year-old Lily Thai has made the crippling decision to end her life.</p> <p>The Adelaide native, who suffers from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), will use recently passed voluntary assisted dying laws after signing the final paperwork a week prior.</p> <p>In January 2023, South Australia legalised assisted dying with the government funnelling in $18 million over the next five years to support safe access to the service.</p> <p>“I realised that I can’t have any more anaesthesia, so I (couldn’t) have any more feeding tube changes (or) surgeries,” Thai told <em>The Advertiser</em>.</p> <p>EDS is a debilitating genetic condition which has left the 23-year-old completely bedridden and in constant pain.</p> <p>It affects her joints, skin and walls of the blood vessels so severely she is reliant on her father as a caregiver to do everything for her, “even the most intimate things”.</p> <p>Doctors will administer an IV medication that will terminate the young woman’s life within 10 seconds.</p> <p>“I’ll no longer have any pain, I will no longer suffer with any of these issues, and I’ll finally be free of all the suffering that I have endured for so many years.”</p> <p>Thai had initially thought her health deterioration was caused by a spinal fluid leak, but after undergoing treatment to fix it, her condition did not improve and doctors couldn’t give her a definitive diagnosis.</p> <p>As a desperate last measure, she travelled to Sydney to meet a surgeon who “specialised in spinal issues (for) patients with EDS” when she was 21.</p> <p>She was then confined to a halo brace and required a nasal feeding tube as she "couldn’t keep anything down,” and weighed just 40kg.</p> <p>In May 2021, Thai had spinal fusion surgery and just a week later was fitted with a gastro Jejenul feeding tube to vent out stomach acid and secretion.</p> <p>Through her rehab period, hospitals were under strict Covid-19 protocols, so Thai suffered alone without any visitors.</p> <p>“I couldn’t stand not seeing my dad, so I got discharged early,” she said.</p> <p>She was later diagnosed with auto-immune autonomic ganglionopathy — a rare condition where the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system.</p> <p>“The neurologist said that I was in multi-organ failure, but it wasn’t until I had a severe decline after one of my surgeries, (and) when I saw my rehab doctor they found a large lesion of the left side of my brain,” she said.</p> <p>“He suspected I had a type of motor neurone disease.”</p> <p>Thai has spent the past two years at Flinders Medical Centre’s Laurel Hospice, where she shared that most of her days are filled with sleep to avoid being in “excruciating pain”.</p> <p>Healthcare staff there granted one of her final wishes, which was to visit a beach, and so they took Thai in the back of an ambulance to the coastline. </p> <p>An image (at top) shows Lily resting on a bed, enjoying her Maccas fries and looking out at the golden sand and blue water in front of her.</p> <p>While at the hospice, Thai also formed a strong bond with another young woman, Annaliese Holland, who was also suffering a terminal illness at the hospice.</p> <p>The pair say young people with a terminal illness often mourn the “life (they) never got to have.”</p> <p>“For elderly or older people, (they) have memories to look back on to laugh about and cry about,” Holland said. “But for a young person in palliative hospice, you haven’t formed many of them.”</p> <p>“You never do the normal things like going to your high school graduation,” Thai said.</p> <p>“What makes me sad is that … you just want to push on, but at the same time it’s really hard because you know you won’t have babies or any of that,” Holland said.</p> <p>Holland has vowed to do everything in her power to make Thai’s last days in hospice more bearable.</p> <p>“All I can do is brush her (Lily’s) hair or moisturise her legs. I just want her to know that I’m there and people care,” a tearful Holland said.</p> <p>Thai has been able to plan parts of her own funeral and has been busy saying goodbye to family and friends.</p> <p>As part of her legacy, she’s inviting donations for palliative research to The Hospital Research Foundation on her memorial card to be given to funeral attendees.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

People thinking of voluntary assisted dying may be able to donate their organs. We need to start talking about this

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-ray-1441988">Robert Ray</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>The number of people needing an organ transplant vastly outweighs the number of organs available.</p> <p><a href="https://www.donatelife.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/OTA%202022%20Donation%20and%20Transplantation%20Activity%20Report.pdf">In 2022</a> there were about 1,800 Australians waiting for an organ but only about 1,200 people received an organ transplant.</p> <p>But in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16085">a recent paper</a>, I outline one unexplored option for increasing the number of potential organ donors in Australia – transplanting organs from people undergoing voluntary assisted dying. This would involve transplanting organs only after someone had died.</p> <p>It’s estimated <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2616383">about 10%</a> of people eligible for voluntary assisted dying are likely to be medically suitable to donate their organs. Based on <a href="https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/Voluntary%20Assisted%20Dying%20Review%20Board%20Report%20of%20Operations%20July%202021-June%2022_FINAL.pdf">Victorian figures</a> alone, this could lead to about an extra 40 potential organ donors each year.</p> <p>This type of organ donation has taken place <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9297969/">for more than 20 years</a> in Europe, and more recently in Canada.</p> <p>Organs transplanted from donors undergoing voluntary assisted dying <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2769118">have</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16267">similar</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16971">success rates</a> to more traditional donations.</p> <p>Yet, this is a discussion we’ve yet to have in Australia. Here are some of the ethical and practical issues we need to start talking about.</p> <h2>Is this ethical? It’s tricky</h2> <p>The main ethical challenge is ensuring a person isn’t motivated to end their life prematurely so they can donate their organs.</p> <p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">Internationally</a>, <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/42/8/486.short">this challenge</a> is mainly addressed by having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613523000291">independent assessments</a> by multiple doctors. This is to ensure the motivation is genuine and honest, much like assessing someone before voluntary assisted dying.</p> <p>Similarly, it is important the doctor of someone undergoing voluntary assisted dying isn’t persuading them to donate an organ. This means any doctor overseeing voluntary assisted dying may be limited in how much they can discuss organ donation with their patient.</p> <p>Again, this <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">has been managed internationally</a> by having separate, independent doctors overseeing organ donation and voluntary assisted dying, <a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/44/E1305.short">without one influencing</a> the other.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528192/original/file-20230525-27-sjwdaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Elderly woman in bed hand on covers" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Is this what people really want, with so little time left?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-woman-laying-on-bed-hospital-1054837748">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Organ donation may also affect the way voluntary assisted dying is conducted, which <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1600613523000291">may impact</a> participants’ very limited quality of life.</p> <p>That’s because determining if someone is eligible to donate an organ involves a number of <a href="https://jme.bmj.com/content/43/9/601.short">investigations</a>. These may include blood tests, radiology (imaging) and numerous clinical encounters to exclude diseases such as cancer, which would prevent someone donating their organs. These investigations may be exhausting but necessary.</p> <p>This burden must be weighed against the participant’s wishes and motivation to donate their organs. So people must also be informed of the impact organ donation will have on their limited life left.</p> <p>The choices of people considering this option must be respected and they must be given multiple opportunities to review their decision, without undue influence or bias.</p> <h2>Practical issues: coordination, location, regulation</h2> <p>Practically, combining organ donation and voluntary assisted dying is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.13746">challenging</a>. This includes the difficulty organising and coordinating specialists in organ donation, voluntary assisted dying and transplantation.</p> <p>This is why, internationally, organ donation of this nature mostly occurs in large hospitals, where it’s easier to coordinate.</p> <p>So if people want to donate an organ this way, they may spend their last moments in an unfamiliar environment.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528195/original/file-20230525-15-irsqg9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Patient being wheeled on stretcher through hospital corridors" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">People may have to be moved to a large hospital with the facilities and staff on hand.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/surgeon-assistant-team-transport-move-stretcher-2062330820">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Efforts have been made <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2776765">internationally</a> to prioritise these valuable last moments by giving people the choice of where voluntary assisted dying occurs (<a href="https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/44/E1305.short">such as their home</a>). But this currently only occurs in a minority of cases and increases the complexity of organ donation.</p> <p>Regulating the process is also essential to developing a safe, trustworthy and effective program. Ideally a centralised organisation such as Australia’s national <a href="https://www.donatelife.gov.au">Organ and Tissue Authority</a> would organise, undertake and regulate this.</p> <p>However, this may be challenging given voluntary assisted dying practices are specific to each state.</p> <h2>The challenges ahead</h2> <p>If someone considering voluntary assisted dying wants to donate their organs and is deemed eligible, there is currently <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imj.16085">no legal barrier in Australia</a> to stop them.</p> <p>What might prevent them is how their doctor responds, and whether there are the services and organisations willing to fulfil this request ethically and practically.</p> <p>The next step in considering this form of organ donation is to discuss the prospect publicly.</p> <p>Every extra donated organ is potentially lifesaving. So we should make every effort to consider potential safe and ethical ways to increase donation and transplantation rates.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206298/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-ray-1441988">Robert Ray</a>, Affiliate Associate Lecturer, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-thinking-of-voluntary-assisted-dying-may-be-able-to-donate-their-organs-we-need-to-start-talking-about-this-206298">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Rolf Harris' dying words revealed

<p>Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris spent the final years of his life struggling to eat, walk and communicate as his health rapidly declined.</p> <p>His <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/rolf-harris-cause-and-date-of-death-confirmed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a> at 93 was confirmed on May 23 but it was later revealed his death certificate documented he had passed on May 11 as a result of neck cancer, which he had been suffering from since his release from prison in 2017.</p> <p>An ambulance was spotted outside his home in Berkshire, west of London in May. He lived there with his wife of 65 years, 91-year-old Alwen Hughes, who has Alzheimer’s disease, and both required round-the-clock care.</p> <p>2022 saw the severity of his illness, with author and private investigator William Merrit telling <em>The Daily Mail</em>, “Rolf has been very sick,”</p> <p>Merrit noted that Harris was still “the entertainer” and would “turn into a big kid” as soon as someone walked into the room, trying to “perform on cue even when he’s unwell”.</p> <p>A neighbour told <em>The Telegraph</em> that his health had declined after the death of his poodle, Bumble.</p> <p>“Only carers and nurses, who care for him 24 hours, come and go. I’m told he can’t eat anymore,” the neighbour, Portia Wooderson, said.</p> <p>His dying words have been revealed, with Harris begging his daughter Bindi to make sure his wife receives the proper care.</p> <p><em>News Corp Australia</em> reported a source saying Harris told Bindi, “Look after your mum. I always believed we would go on longer together but, if I go first, promise you’ll take good care of your mum.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Caring

Dancing with the Stars cast revealed

<p>The full cast of the upcoming season of <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> has been revealed, with the contestants ready for their foray into the world of glitz and glamour. </p> <p>This year, the contestants range from athletes and musicians, to reality TV personalities and niche experts in food and quizzing. </p> <p>Matt Preston, food critic and former judge on <em>MasterChef Australia</em> will be making his TV comeback in the new season, as he swaps his taste testing for tap shoes. </p> <p>Preston, who left Network Ten in 2019, took to Instagram with a photo of himself on the set for the show, as the caption read, “So, time for something totally new and way out of my comfort zone!”</p> <p>Joining Preston in the star-studded cast is former <em>Bachelor</em> winner Laura Bryne, <em>The Chase Australia</em> quizmaster Issa Schultz, and Australian actors Mary Coustas, Christie Whelan Browne, Emily Weir, Virginia Gay and Pia Miranda.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHmuZOB5aw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHmuZOB5aw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dancing with the Stars Australia (@dancingau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Better Homes & Gardens</em> host Charlie Albone will also be competing for the trophy, alongside performers Paulini and Human Nature singer Phil Burton. </p> <p>Representing sport, Olympians Sally Pearson and James Magnussen and AFL legend Gavin Wanganeen make up the cast.</p> <p>Sonia Kruger and Daryl Somers will also be returning as hosts for the new season of the show. </p> <p>Upon releasing the cast, Seven didn’t reveal an official air date but added <em>DWTS</em> would return to screens soon.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven</em></p>

Dancing with the Stars still searching for stars

<p>As <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> prepares to return to screens in 2023, it seems the upcoming season of the show is already in dire straits. </p> <p>Channel Seven announced the show would be making its comeback to the network, originally airing from 2004 to 2015, before losing broadcasting rights to Network 10 from 2019 to 2020.</p> <p>Now, more than two years after the pandemic delayed the network's plans for the show's resurrection, a source told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/television/dancing-with-the-stars-is-still-searching-for-stars-ahead-of-2023-season/news-story/659b91f31f4f732221908810f2db12eb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a> that the show is reportedly struggling to secure big name talent for the new season.</p> <p>Many personalities already contracted to Channel Seven have confirmed they will be sitting out the dancing program, ruling out any possibility of taking to centre stage for the 2023 season. </p> <p>Dr Chris Brown, who recently jumped ship from Channel 10, will be wrapping up in Africa for his co-hosting role on <em>I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here</em>, while former <em>Sunrise</em> host Sam Armytage is also a firm no after being promoted to the helm of <em>Farmer Wants a Wife</em>.</p> <p>Armytage previously appeared on the show in 2011, making it to week nine of the competition despite week's of consistently low scores from the judges.</p> <p>Also unwilling to put on his dancing shoes is sports news reader Matt Shirvington, and with production of the show only two months away, it is predicted that the cast will not be announced until the final hour. </p> <p>No judges have been confirmed to appear on the series at this time, however many suspect we may see veteran judges Todd McKenney, Helen Richey and Paul Mercurio make an appearance or two. </p> <p>Former hosts Sonia Kruger and Daryl Somers have also yet to confirm if they will be returning. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven / Instagram</em></p>

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