Dying Matters Week 2024
New Zealand’s inaugural Dying Matters Week 2024 took place from Monday 5th to Sunday 11th August at local libraries around New Zealand. The programme included resources and information from local businesses,curated collections of books on grief and dying, and free workshops and presentations from experts in end-of-life and death-care.
The event brought together experts from across Aotearoa for presentations, workshops and talks to support people to start conversations about death and dying. There were over 40 in-person events and 4 online events across 7 regions; in Whangārei, Whangaparāoa, Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.
Dying Matters Week 2024 Programme
Book Displays
A curated collection of books for adults and children, about end-of-life, health journeys and grief.
Storytelling
Experiences with death and dying expressed through poems and stories shared from the local community.
Workshops
Workshops on Advanced Care Planning, Go With Grace End-of-Life Planning, memory box making, shrouding and aromatherapy in palliative care.
Local Resources
Death care resources from local businesses, community organisations, aged care organisations, wellness providers and palliative care providers.
Presentations
Free talks from experts on topics including: natural death care, what happens to the body near end-of-life, caring for carers, grief in the workplace, volunteering at Hospice, wills and end-of-life planning.
Departure Lounge
A comfy space inside the library to connect with others, start conversations, talk to a grief counsellor or explore resources such as conversation cards and My Legacy story sheets.
Death Cafe
Local Death Cafe groups met for cake, coffee and conversations about death.
Community
An invitation went out to the wider community to hold an open day, event or info evening of their own during Dying Matters Week.
Community of Experts
We were so fortunate in creating this first Dying Matters Week to have a community of experts across the country, passionate about promoting death literacy and supporting people to begin what, for many, can be very challenging conversations.
Huge thanks go to to the National Libraries Association for creating safe and supportive spaces for these crucial conversations and to New Zealand End of Life Doulas, Henderson Reeves Lawyers, Honohono Tātou Katoa and Hospices around New Zealand who helped to help bring this important new national event to life.
Attendee Feedback
“What an excellent week Dying Matters was. I so appreciated that we were in the library talking about death, dying, grief and loss. I love that all the library-goers who weren’t directly involved got to see the signs, and that ripples of conversation would have spread much further than those participating in the event. I really enjoyed the sessions I went to as a participant, and wish I could have gone to more. Thanks so much to the Go with Grace team for making it happen!” – Tanya Newman, North Haven Hospice
“So happy to know that my family and I can be among those not embalmed, but treasured at home until burial.”
“Brilliant, could have listened for a lot longer. Next year I’ll have to take days off as I would have loved to have been at all of the chats. THANK YOU FOR YOUR MAHI.”
“I feel reassured by hearing this information and more prepared to face my mothers and husbands approaching deaths”
“I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend this week. “Forewarned is forearmed”. Hopefully I won’t need help but at least I know”
“I feel comforted, knowing I can help my whanau and leave them in a better place than where I was when my parents died.”
“I love that you delve into “death admin” – lots of small but important issues that we have never thought of and a great “kick start” to getting my affairs into order. I also work for a charity with people with advanced cancer and this week has really filled my toolbox with resources to share with my members. ” – Sara Jensen, Sweet Louise
In the Media
Grownups Website
Northern Advocate
Manawatu Gazette
Public Trust
The Grief Centre
Hospice New Zealand
Honohono Tātou Katoa
Te Whatu Ora
Chamber of Commerce