DYING to Know Day has been a national annual campaign that has helped Australians live, grieve, and die better with the aim of fostering deep and meaningful conversations about death - a universal human experience.

This year, the Western District Health Service (WDHS) Palliative Care Team will be hosting a special Dying to Know Day afternoon tea at Groke Cafe on Tuesday at 2pm.

The event will feature a panel of guest speakers, including end-of-life doula and funeral celebrant, Fiona Scholz; mortician, Elektra Scholz and estate planning lawyer, Kari Scott.

These experts will share valuable insights on wills, final arrangements, and personalising end-of-life plans.

The theme for this year’s event, ‘Personalising Your Final Arrangements and Building Community,’ aims to shift the narrative around death and dying.

The focus will be on empowering individuals to create end-of-life plans that truly reflect their unique identities and stories.

Research has shown that while nine in 10 Australians believe it is important to do some end-of-life planning, only one in three have actually acted.

Many individuals still face barriers to acting as the topic is often associated with stigma, and people aren’t able to access the right tools and resources.

By encouraging communities to become equipped with the knowledge and resources they need to facilitate supportive conversations on end-of-life care and planning, the Dying to Know Day campaign is breaking down the stigma that is associated with death, dying and grief.

The campaign is also aiming to encourage individualism for people thinking and deciding about their own end of life wishes.

WDHS Palliative Care clinical nurse consultant and team leader, Erika Fisher, emphasised the importance of personalised end-of-life planning.

“We are all unique individuals with our own stories to tell,” she said.

“We want to empower each and every one of you to embrace your own identity and create an end-of-life plan that truly reflects who you are.”

WDHS Supportive Care Team counsellor, Donna Gunn, highlighted the value of open discussions about death.

“Talking about death is part of life, and this is an opportunity for people to gather, have a cuppa, and talk about death,” she said.

“We will discuss opportunities to personalise final arrangements, new ideas for funerals, and planning ahead.”

This is a free event and community members are invited to come along for a cuppa and afternoon tea.

It promises to be an enlightening and supportive environment for all who attend.

For further information or to book a spot, please contact the WDHS Palliative Care Team.