Talking about death and dying is never easy, but Northern Health staff, patients and visitors embraced the opportunity to have open and honest conversations during Dying to Know Day, hosted by the Northern Health Standard 5 End of Life Care Subcommittee in the front foyer of Northern Hospital Epping on 11 August.

Dying to Know Day is an annual Australian campaign that encourages people to discuss future planning, death, dying and grief. This year’s theme, ‘Nobody Knows’, highlighted the uncertainty and distress families and clinicians can face when a person’s end-of-life wishes are not known or shared.

The foyer was transformed into a vibrant community hub, bringing together a range of teams and organisations dedicated to supporting people through end-of-life care and planning. Staff and visitors had the opportunity to speak with representatives from the Advance Care Planning team, Banksia Palliative Care, Northern Palliative Care, DonateLife, Spiritual Care, Narrun Wilip-giin Aboriginal Support Unit, Joanne Young, our Standard 5 consumer representative, Transcultural & Language Services (TALS) Interpreters, National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), Hospital Without Walls and Outreach, Whittlesea Community Connections, Howard Squires Funeral Services and many others .

The Northern Health Choir performed as well, creating moments of reflection and connection for those attending.

At the heart of the event stood the “What’s Important to You at the End of Life?” tree, which quickly became the centrepiece of the day. The tree invited participants to write messages reflecting on what matters most to them and their loved ones at the end of life.

The striking tree was created by Year 9 students from Broadford Secondary College, with Director of Nursing and Site Operations Director, Kilmore District Hospital, Tania Nicholson’s family assisting with the preparation of leaves and lettering.

“The ‘What’s Important to You at the End of Life?’ tree became so much more than an activity,” said Tania. “As the day progressed, the tree grew, the conversations expanded, and people stopped, reflected and shared things that are often difficult to talk about.”

The diversity of teams represented highlighted the holistic nature of end-of-life care, encouraging conversations not only about medical care, but also cultural considerations, spiritual wellbeing, legal planning, organ and tissue donation, and community support.

The event generated widespread interest, prompting thoughtful discussions among staff, patients and visitors about their wishes, values and priorities.

“It was amazing to see so many people in the foyer, asking lots of questions with a sense of curiosity, considering end-of-life care planning, and sharing their personal stories and journeys,” said Bridget Walters, Donation Specialist Nurse.

The conversations extended beyond Northern Hospital, Epping. Earlier in the week, on 6 August, Northern Health partnered with Nillumbik Shire’s Ageing Well Team and the Banksia Palliative Care Team for the National Dying to Know Day forum speaking with over 200 community members.

Northern Health was represented by Ella Critchley from Advance Care Planning, Dr David Crosbie and Bridget Walters from the Northern Health Donation Specialist Team.

Reflecting on discussions throughout the evening Ella said, “One message came through clearly: the most valuable thing we can do is create space for people to reflect on and talk with loved ones about what matters most to them.”

By encouraging open dialogue, Northern Health is helping ensure that, when the time comes, families and clinicians are guided by the preferences, values and instructions of the people we care for.

Featured image shows the Palliative Care team at the event.