Lifting the lid on death and dying

Organised by Eastern Metropolitan Region Palliative Care Consortium, The Death & Dying – lifting the lid on it with Anny & Shelley is a public event with a wealth of information available to help people think about future plans, getting affairs in order, death and dying and funerals.

“We are organising this event to encourage people to think about and plan for their end of life care, so they can then get on with the living,” organisers say.

“Traditionally death has been a taboo subject within our death denying society, however more and more people are becoming interested in this topic and how they can stay in control of how and where they receive care. This evening explores some important topics interspersed with some fun and humour to keep the mood light.”

Topics covered include A Healthy End of Life Program (HELP), Death, dying & legal decisions, Natural Death Advocacy and a Humorous Hypothetical – Advance Care Planning Panel.

Moderator of the Humorous Hypothetical panel Chris Fogarty asks have you ever wondered who will make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated? “What if you go a bit loopy and forget where you put the document you signed?,” he queries. “What if you change your mind when you go a bit loopy? Whose life is it anyway?”

Consisting of a doctor, a palliative care physician a psychologist and a lawyer, Mr Fogarty says the panel will help you find the answers to these and other important questions as seen through the eyes of a well-known ‘Celebrity Patient’ in our humorous hypothetical,” he says.

Organisers say not only with the event be fun, but people will go away from the event full of information and will have the opportunity to speak to the experts face to face and ask all the questions they have been dying to (pun intended) but have not had the chance.

“A free glass of bubbly on arrival, supper, entertainment and giveaways will create a fun and relaxed environment and help us tackle some challenging topics,” they add.

There will also be a door prize, raffles and giveaways include a $300 international travel voucher.

Costing $65 per person, the event is held on Thursday 23 February at the Waratah Room, Whitehorse Centre, 379 Whitehorse Road, Nunawading. Bookings can be made online and all inquiries to Karen Conte on 8804 6051 or email on consortiummanager@epc.asn.au

Any funds raised will go towards assisting health care workers in the region to improve their skills in providing quality palliative care.