“Hello, I’m just calling on behalf of an organisation called ‘Gather My Crew’,” Susan said when she rang in to Jon Faine’s ABC Melbourne Known Unknowns program to discuss ‘the good death’. We were taking calls from people about how we can help each other improve today’s experience of death. … Read more
Dr Michael Barbato recently made a big claim: “There is no such thing as unconsciousness.” He said this when I interviewed him for North Sydney Community Centre’s Conversations about Death and Dying. “Can you share with us, what the latest wisdom is, about the experience of the unconscious when somebody … Read more
Sadly, until recently children were often excluded from funerals, something we recognise today as harmful. Christine was only seven when her father died and she will never forget it. But one emotion that loomed large for a long time after was anger – not because Fred had died but because … Read more
I picked up many, many gems of wisdom from North Sydney’s ‘Conversations about Death and Dying’ on Saturday, (May 25, 2019.) It never ceases to amaze me that no matter how much you think you know about a subject there is always so much more to learn.
“I cannot conceive of any higher or more charitable motive to induce humanity to do its best than that which lends comfort to the last moments of the human being,” Rabbi Davis, 1903 When CEO of St Vincents, Sydney, Associate Professor Anthony Schembri, was working in the hospital’s archives recently, … Read more
Singapore broadcaster Jason Dasey and author Neil Humphreys have something in common that’s not all that unusual. As Jason explained when opening our interview on Singapore’s Money FM program on Saturday: “Both of us (Jason and Neil) have been affected by sudden death in our own families.” The week before … Read more
Christine from Brisbane’s father died in August, so not that long ago, as she explained on Radio National yesterday. She phoned in to speak on Hilary Harper’s Life Matters program: “Preparing for the loss of a loved one.” Christine’s father had a stroke 18 months before and as his death … Read more
Do you want two tickets to Sallie Tisdale’s talk at the Sydney Writer’s Festival? Just get in touch if you do. I’ll give them to the first who ask for them. (Go by the comment link in Good Grief – I’ll check it often until the day.) The session is … Read more
Today a Mexican Cross to remember Chris by, because later this morning, Sydney time, his family who are dear to my heart will bury him. They are a large Catholic family just like the one I grew up in and now he, one of the six siblings, is gone. If … Read more
Today, like most of the world, I’m thinking about Christchurch in New Zealand where 49 people died because of an act of horrible violence. It’s a beautiful city and I’m determined to hold on to recent memories of all that is good about it: great people, wonderful walks, innovative architecture … Read more
“Have you been around during the last months of someone’s life, either a friend or a relative?”
When I started interviewing people about their experiences of death, my selection process was a fairly random one. That was deliberate because I wanted the conversations to reflect life around me as it is in my country, in my time, in my culture – no pretence, no artifice, no filter. … Read more
Thanks to the wonderful people at Murdoch Books A Good Death: a compassionate and practical guide to prepare for the end of life is now published. To pre-order just follow this link: https://bit.ly/2XeRU9p or this one: https://bit.ly/2X8MNYF What the publishers say: This is a guide to facilitate much needed conversation … Read more
Beautiful Fran Brodie died of ovarian cancer this week at only 72. Here she is on her wedding day. She trained at St Vincents Hospital, Sydney, and then went on to work as a community based palliative care nurse with Neringah Hospital, Wahroonga, where ironically she died this week only … Read more
It’s all about the radio today. Aubrey de Grey is a researcher who believes the first human being who will live for 1000 years has already been born. This morning I was reminded of de Grey when ABC radio interviewer Cassie McCullagh interviewed Professor John Rasko. Tonight, Professor Rasko will … Read more
Join our mailing list to receive our latest articles, useful resources and news on upcoming events.