A partner's journey through love, illness and voluntary assisted dying

Hilda Quiroga first encountered Steve Mayer at a gym café in Melbourne in 2007, and their connection soon turned into an 18-year partnership marked by shared adventures across continents. Their lives together were free of children, allowing them to travel extensively, including trips to Machu Picchu and the Amazon. A routine scan in June 2023 uncovered a lung tumour that had already metastasised to his brain and elsewhere, prompting a shift in Hilda’s employment and the receipt of carer benefits.

As Steve’s condition worsened, he discussed voluntary assisted dying with his specialist and later elected to proceed, receiving the medication at home. Surrounded by his nephew, a VAD nurse and Hilda, he ingested the dose and died shortly thereafter, leaving Hilda to navigate grief while cherishing memories of their love.