Hello, my name is Laurence and I am writing to you about your recent article in the August 2025 About Time newspaper in regards to end-of-life care in prisons.
I am currently housed at the Maryborough Correctional Centre. I am 79 years of age and I was recently diagnosed with terminal inoperable cancer.
Day and night I experience unbearable pain, rapid bursts of tiredness, sickness and feeling weak – all signs of the end.
Last week, the prison nurse told me that she had never seen cancer progress so quickly and that I would be lucky to survive another six months. A month ago the hospital via video link said I had no more than 11 months to live.
I’m seven years into a 10 year sentence and have applied for the exceptional circumstances parole which has only been stonewalled by the parole board, for reasons ranging from that they had no proof of my terminal cancer all the way to that I rejected an MRI and blood test. That was after I was deemed inoperable and put on the “do not resuscitate” list.
It seems that throughout that process, the Queensland Parole Board has cherry-picked reasons to reject my parole and not allow any positives of me being released into the community.
I am a model prisoner and my approved home assessment address ensures I would receive gold class standard care, something I’m unable to receive in prison due to security and good order.
I have reached out to Prisoners Legal Service in Brisbane but due to their limited funding for these matters they can only act at a limited speed, but they are advocating for me to be released on exceptional circumstances parole.
I know that I only have limited time left – Queensland Parole Board as far as I am concerned are saying that I do not meet the requirements for that type of parole and want me to apply in a little under 18 months time to apply for normal parole, which I know exceeds my life expectancy.
In regards to my care, on the daily I’m expected to put my shoes on which I struggle with and it takes up to 30 minutes with agonising pain and dizzy spells, and march my way up to medical to receive my opioid medication.
I am always dizzy and I know that I am about to faint and collapse each time I stride up to medical. At night I am too weak to even buzz up for assistance – this is why I require outside palliative care.
The approved address I am able to go to is able to manage all my needs for care, transportation, grooming, dressing and that I am able to fulfill parole obligations.
These are all things I would greatly benefit from and give me a better chance of surviving longer.
I also reached out to the Salvation Army in Brisbane via mail about a month ago with assistance after my death in locating my family members in Melbourne that are still alive, my eulogy requests and assistance with the costs of my funeral and I have heard nothing back.
What I’m hoping to achieve by writing this is awareness of the care I receive and the stubbornness of the exceptional circumstances parole in Queensland.
I don’t mind if you publish this in your newspaper, I look forward to hearing about any way you can help.
Hello, my name is Laurence and I am writing to you about your recent article in the August 2025 About Time newspaper in regards to end-of-life care in prisons.
I am currently housed at the Maryborough Correctional Centre. I am 79 years of age and I was recently diagnosed with terminal inoperable cancer.
Day and night I experience unbearable pain, rapid bursts of tiredness, sickness and feeling weak – all signs of the end.
Last week, the prison nurse told me that she had never seen cancer progress so quickly and that I would be lucky to survive another six months. A month ago the hospital via video link said I had no more than 11 months to live.
I’m seven years into a 10 year sentence and have applied for the exceptional circumstances parole which has only been stonewalled by the parole board, for reasons ranging from that they had no proof of my terminal cancer all the way to that I rejected an MRI and blood test. That was after I was deemed inoperable and put on the “do not resuscitate” list.
It seems that throughout that process, the Queensland Parole Board has cherry-picked reasons to reject my parole and not allow any positives of me being released into the community.
I am a model prisoner and my approved home assessment address ensures I would receive gold class standard care, something I’m unable to receive in prison due to security and good order.
I have reached out to Prisoners Legal Service in Brisbane but due to their limited funding for these matters they can only act at a limited speed, but they are advocating for me to be released on exceptional circumstances parole.
I know that I only have limited time left – Queensland Parole Board as far as I am concerned are saying that I do not meet the requirements for that type of parole and want me to apply in a little under 18 months time to apply for normal parole, which I know exceeds my life expectancy.
In regards to my care, on the daily I’m expected to put my shoes on which I struggle with and it takes up to 30 minutes with agonising pain and dizzy spells, and march my way up to medical to receive my opioid medication.
I am always dizzy and I know that I am about to faint and collapse each time I stride up to medical. At night I am too weak to even buzz up for assistance – this is why I require outside palliative care.
The approved address I am able to go to is able to manage all my needs for care, transportation, grooming, dressing and that I am able to fulfill parole obligations.
These are all things I would greatly benefit from and give me a better chance of surviving longer.
I also reached out to the Salvation Army in Brisbane via mail about a month ago with assistance after my death in locating my family members in Melbourne that are still alive, my eulogy requests and assistance with the costs of my funeral and I have heard nothing back.
What I’m hoping to achieve by writing this is awareness of the care I receive and the stubbornness of the exceptional circumstances parole in Queensland.
I don’t mind if you publish this in your newspaper, I look forward to hearing about any way you can help.
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While being incarcerated, I have learnt how many members of the community are Deaf and have a lot of trouble communicating as very few people know how to use sign language.
When I get out I’m going to be hitting the gym but not sure if I’ll be taking steroids.
I just wanted to give a big shout out to the amazing people at the Salvation Army for everything that they do for us in prison and outside in the community over the Christmas period.
It’s a positive and strange feeling hearing your own story through the words of another and here was me thinking I was alone in my travels as many of us do.
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