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ABC radio presenter, musician and author James Valentine died aged 64 at home on Wednesday, surrounded by family after a two-year battle with oesophageal cancer.
Valentine used voluntary assisted dying, a detail he wanted to be public, two months after farewelling listeners to focus on his treatment.
Oesophageal cancer is diagnosed in about 1785 Australians every year, with men almost three times more susceptible than women. It’s also more commonly diagnosed in people over 60, but can occur at any age.
Oesophageal cancer
Valentine announced he had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in March 2024, triggering a prolonged absence from the public broadcaster to receive treatment.
The cancer affects the oesophagus, the tube that carries food from the back of the mouth to the stomach. It begins when abnormal cells develop in the innermost layer of the oesophagus, and can spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body, including the liver and lungs, and grow into nearby organs.
There are many treatment options for the cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
The causes of the cancer are unknown, though there are some factors that increase the risk of diagnosis. They include being overweight or obese, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Valentine regularly discussed his diagnosis on radio, and invited medical professionals on-air to talk about treatment plans for the cancer.
He was originally planning on undergoing a full oesophagectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the food pipe. However, he opted for a less invasive approach following an assessment from Professor Michael Bourke, a gastroenterologist at Westmead Hospital and guest on Valentine’s program. Bourke contacted Valentine after raising his diagnosis on radio.
Valentine returned to ABC radio last year, though left in June after tumours were discovered in his omentum, the tissue draping over the organs in the abdomen. His final ABC broadcast concluded 25 years with the station.
Voluntary assisted dying
Valentine died at home using voluntary assisted dying, legalised in NSW for terminally ill people in 2022. His family, in a statement, said he was “grateful to be given the option to go out on his own terms”, and was “calm, dignified as always and somehow still making us laugh”.
NSW was the final state to legalise voluntary assisted dying. The legislation was passed with 28 co-sponsors from across all parties – the highest number of any bill in Australian parliamentary history. Coalition and Labor MPs were granted a free vote in the vote.
Valentine is survived by his wife Joanne and children Ruby and Roy. He hosted a “living wake” on Valentine’s Day, attended by his family, friends, and ABC colleagues. Such occasions are an increasingly common event to celebrate the lives of people using voluntary assisted dying.
Governor-General Samantha Mostyn, a friend of Valentine’s, was among the guests at the wake. Mostyn said Valentine provided “plenty of advice as to how we cherish our lives and how we think about our futures”.
“It was a very brave thing to do, and I think everyone who was there felt extraordinarily privileged to be there with him in life, and tell him how we loved him while he was alive.”
Linda Swan, chief executive of end-of-life advocacy group Go Gentle Australia, said it was “heartwarming” that Valentine could take control of the final moments of his life.
“It’s an incredibly emotional time for family and friends, but so delightful to think that although he died, he did so on his own terms,” Swan said.
“His [experience] is a fairly typical story for people dying a voluntary death ... the illness has robbed them of their state of being and gives an opportunity to be themselves again.”
Mostyn shared that Valentine was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) last week, setting in motion an expedited process to have his medal struck and engraved before presenting the medal to Ruby and Roy at Admiralty House on Saturday.
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