44-year-old youth worker Ian Pratt first noticeed troubling symptoms in his gut in January 2019.
"I was in a lot of pain but misdiagnosed for five months with diverticulitis. After several trips to the doctor and back to the hospital, I finally got a colonoscopy. I came out of that and they said, 'There's a lesion there'.
Surgery about a week later uncovered specks of cancer on other organs. "On my peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdomen. That's when I found out I was stage four.
"When I went to see the oncologist, they told me, on average, I'd have two to three years to live.
Ian said he didn't know if there was a conscious point where he decided VAD was an option he'd pursue.
"But when I found out that the chemo wasn't going to be viable anymore and they weren't gonna do any treatment that would actually lead to anything, that's when I started thinking about options.
"I've always felt like VAD should be an option. And I've always felt if I was in a situation like this, I'd take it."
A one time member of the Church of the Nazarene, Ian described himself as now "more philosophical than religious".
"Even though the Church was quite conservative, I was always pro choice in the sense that I believed everyone should be able to make their own choices about their life."
After studying theology degree and then expereincing a crisis of faith, he channelled his social justice beliefs into music, teaching and youth work.
The father of three hopes his children, parents and a small group of close friends will be there when he chooses to use the VAD substance.
"They've been very supportive. It would probably leave me with stress if my family wasn’t on side. But they recognise it’s my decision to make.
"VAD definitely brings comfort. The idea that I won't be lying around for months out of it or in extreme pain while my family has to look after me .
"The other thing is control. I now have some control over this mess that I woke up to after my colonoscopy four and half years ago."
