Sutherland Shire’s death cafes are back and attendees said there were lots of interesting conversations and ideas, at the first one, held last night. The popular death cafes are back, thanks to a grant from Sutherland Shire to South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, partnering with St George and Sutherland … Read more
Do you have burning questions about death or end of life care? Unsure about the choices you have for the care of your deceased body? Join us for a Q&A session like no other! Margaret Rice is an experienced journalist, author, feature writer, keynote speaker and editor. She has written … Read more
Have you recently discovered you are terminally ill? Undoubtedly, on top of feeling unwell, there are a lot of emotions overcoming you and many thoughts on your mind. Some of the common concerns the terminally ill have expressed to me are things like: How do I tell my family? How … Read more
How to have the best death possible? We discussed this question and many others in May at Kirribilli. “It was lovely to meet you and be part of the workshop. I very much enjoyed watching you engage with the audience and the way you navigated conversations. From my perspective, it … Read more
‘Where will I be buried?’ was updated on August 12, 2022. This issue may seem odd to some – but to others it’s very important. In Australia the final resting place has deep significance for Aboriginal people. But I knew a non-Indigenous woman who was troubled by not knowing where … Read more
That’s a full stop – a red stop sign with angled corners and a white line around it. Resting here, my knees have buckled, in front of that sign you planted in my path. I have walked this space so confidently, happy to share what I know, to muck in. … Read more
This morning Play School did something very special. It had an episode about new life and end of life. Emma, one of the presenters explained to an earlier television news audience that the team sought the guidance of experts on managing grief in children. Children deal with death in a … 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
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
“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
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
It’s been quiet around here for a little while because I’ve been working on an exciting project with Murdoch Books. Murdoch Books will be publishing my life affirming book about death in 2019. We agree that dying well is part of the brand’s mission to help people ‘live life well’. … Read more
Pauline looked as though she was just doing the ordinary things: just getting on with it because, as she said, you’ve got no choice. But she was being absolutely extraordinary.
Spiritual experiences around the time of death can be very powerful. Sometimes these alert others that someone they love has died. My friend Carolyn Parfitt shares a story that is a good example of this. “My husband and I were away camping in Kakadu National Park and we were out … Read more