Rodney Syme

Rodney Syme (1935-21 October 2021) was an Australian urologist, author and voluntary assisted dying campaigner.

Syme came from 'medical royalty', according to his friend and co-campaigner Andrew Denton: "His father, Bob, had been a respected surgeon. His grandfather, Sir George ‘Silent’ Syme, had left his established medical practice at age 54 to tend to the wounded at Gallipoli, in the hope of encouraging other doctors to join him. When he returned he founded the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons." 

Rodney Syme became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1964, and was a respected urologist: Chair of the Victorian Section of the Urological Society of Australasia in 1990-92, and chair of the Urology Study Group of the Cancer Council of Victoria in 1992-94.

Syme was the founding member of Dying With Dignity Victoria, and was on the board until his death. His books A Good Death (MUP, 2008) and A Time To Die (MUP, 2017) described some of his experiences in providing advice and medication to relieve suffering at the end of life. He was appointed a Patron of the Rationalist Society in 2017.

He died in 2021, at home surrounded by his family - including his children Bruce, Megan and Robin - following complications from a stroke.

Cunningham, M. (2021, October 22). ‘He was fearless’: Prominent euthanasia campaigner Rodney Syme dies. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/he-was-fearless-prominent-euthanasia-campaigner-rodney-syme-dies-20211021-p591uc.html

Denton, A. (2021, October 22). Vale Dr Rodney Syme. https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vale_dr_rodney_syme