Ian and Cheryl Shearer were no ordinary couple. From crossing swords with former prime minister Rob Muldoon to selling up everything and moving into a motor home, the pair lived life their own way.
It is hardly surprising then, that when Ian received an unexpected terminal diagnosis, they immediately began to plan how they would prepare for the end of his life in a way that suited them.
“No one who truly knew us as a couple would be the least bit surprised that we had been talking about this together almost daily since we knew there would be an end we hadn’t planned for,” Cheryl said.
Ian was an advocate of advance care planning – the process of thinking about, talking about and planning for future healthcare, including end-of-life care – although he preferred to call it “absolutely critical preparation”. This meant Cheryl was able to enjoy the time they had left together while knowing for certain what treatment he did and did not want and what to do when he was gone.
“Long story short, Ian’s advance care plan didn’t end with his death, it rolled into my future so that I am continuing to share my life with him,” she said.
Cheryl and Ian’s story shows how advance care planning provides comfort and certainty for both the person whose
