Community members, service providers, and carers came together for the Charters Towers Compassionate Communities Legacy Leaving event recently. 

The purpose of the event was to provide a safe and supportive space to talk about what matters most at the end of life and offer a practical workshop to record and preserve life experiences and memorabilia. 

Charters Towers Compassionate Communities Chair Barbara Dennis said people could feel more supported about death and dying if they had more conversations about it. 

“Lunch is always a good conduit to opening up about feelings, fears, and hopes,” Ms Dennis said.  

“Coming together to talk about death and dying puts death where it belongs … as part of life. By talking about death or dying, fear and uncertainties can be dispelled or diluted.  

“Talking within a group is a form of grief support, anticipatory or current, and knowing that other people have similar thoughts, doubts, or anxieties provides a level of reassurance. 

“They also pick up tips or information that provide practical options for dealing with the formalities of death.” 

Ms Dennis said the general feedback on the event was that it was fun, supportive, thought provoking, and “provided insight into what actions could support leaving their legacy”.  

The 28 attendees engaged in discussions about how they wanted to be remembered and learned about the creation of legacy letters and memory boxes, and the benefits of aromatherapy. 

“The aromatherapy activity was both fun and practical, and created a lot of conversation as people gathered around the table to choose the oil blends that best reflected their needs and mood,” Ms Dennis said.  

The event included a light lunch, and attendees also heard from guest speaker Councillor Julie Mathews. 

Held on International Dying to Know Day at the Charters Towers RSL, the event was a partnership between Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN), Charters Towers Compassionate Communities, and the Charters Towers Regional Council and reflected a shared commitment to having meaningful conversations and building connections at a critical time in life. 

Breathing life into death in Port Douglas 

Meanwhile, The Tin Shed - Douglas Community & Sports Club recently transformed into a Death Cafe for Dying to Know Day, with community members, service providers, and carers gathering to talk about death. 

More than 60 people attended the luncheon to hear presentations about advance care planning, wills and estate planning, the Compassionate Communities movement, and other available helpful resources. 

The Death Cafe, a partnership between NQPHN and the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre, gave attendees the opportunity to increase awareness about end of life and how to support others who are dying, caring for someone who is dying, or grieving the loss of a loved one. 

Event organisers said, “feedback about the event was wonderful”.