Latest Death Cafe News
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe in Norwich, VT
Posted by eolmidwife on March 3, 2015, 10:05 a.m.
I have been wanting to host one of these since I heard about them! It was fun and enlightening. We held it in the library community room. My daughter made a coffee cake. I also served coffee, tea, grapes and cookies. Seven people attended and we had a lively conversation.
I wish I had spent more time planning and publicizing the event. At least 10 people said they wish they could have joined us but had other commitments. I am already working on setting up other Cafes in different venues in the community!
Link: Oliver Sacks on Learning He Has Terminal Cancer
Posted by Death Café A Coruña on March 2, 2015, 4:55 p.m.
Oliver Sacks, a professor of neurology at the New York University School of Medicine, is the author of many books, including “Awakenings” and “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/opinion/oliver-sacks-on-learning-he-has-terminal-cancer.html?_r=1
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Red Bluff
Posted by ovaccenter on March 1, 2015, 8:18 p.m. 1 comment
I have been attending meetings at the Death Cafe here in Red Bluff for several months now. When I first heard about the idea of a group of people getting together to talk about death, I must confess, I was not sure anyone would be interested. I could not imagine more than one meeting, but we are still going strong after several months. Most of the original group is still attending and our hostess provides leadership and every month she surprises us with the most wonderfully delicious dessert. Our discussions range from what kind of burial we might want or do we want to be cremated, to the ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Louisville
Posted by Justin Magnuson on March 1, 2015, 4:31 p.m.
This was the first cafe of the year, each cafe I learn a little more about being a host for Death Cafe Louisville. This cafe was the first one not promoted by Rainbow Blossom, the location we are currently using, so this is a piece of the puzzle that provided a little challenge.
We had four participants plus two hosts, which provided plenty of opportunity for participation. We discussed many aspects of death, but the main threads revolved around "knowing" when to transition from curative treatment to palliative care and creating community to care for each other as we age.
Another memorable part of the conversation was being ...
Death Cafe write up: Invito a partecipare al Death Cafe, conversazione aperta sulla morte e sul morire
Posted by Elisabetta Lucchi on Feb. 27, 2015, 2:55 p.m.
The seventeenth Death Cafe, which was held in Verona on the 26th January, was a “mini” event with two participants. In any case, the conversation was, as always, very lively and stimulating!
What comes to mind when we hear the word “death”?
“I think about how I’m here now and afterwards I won’t be here anymore”;
“I question myself about the meaning of life;”
“I realize that I don’t spend enough time on the things that are meaningful for me”;
“the skull and crossbones comes to mind as it’s a symbol of death and danger (and pirates!)”;
“I think about funerals and how people ...
New Blog post: Death Cafe appears on Radio Canada
Posted by Kit Racette on Feb. 25, 2015, 8:01 p.m.
In November we were honoured to have a film team join us in a Death Cafe evening to film the discussions. The programme "Second Regard" is well known and admired for producing excellent reports and they certainly lived up to their reputation.
The film is in French but I think even if you do not understand the words you will appreciate the quality of the piece.
New Blog post: Death Cafe - Food for Thought
Posted by St Joseph's Hospice on Feb. 25, 2015, 4:13 a.m.
‘Food for thought’, ‘Enlightening’, ‘Great to be part of the discussion’ were just some of the comments from over 50 people who attended a recent Death Café at St Joseph’s Hospice, on Thursday 5th February 2015.
Nurses, artists, writers, psychotherapists and funeral directors as well as hospice patients and staff were amongst the crowd who attended the event, held as part of a day dedicated to encouraging openness and dialogue about death and dying ...
New Blog post: Phenonmenal Perspective
Posted by veragibson on Feb. 23, 2015, 6:02 p.m.
Out in nature, there exist numerous opportunities for gaining wisdom. One particularly memorable experience occurred a month after my mother died. Strolling alongside a stream, I invited her to please continue sending me signs. A few steps later, looking across the forest, I focused on the most distant point and heard, "Just because you cannot see it, does not mean it does not exist." A phrase filled with double negatives, the message, however, was crystal ...
Death Cafe write up: Windy City Death Cafe
Posted by Kathy Miller, LCPC on Feb. 23, 2015, 8:13 a.m.
Two former and one new guests braved the elements to create a cozy and intimate Windy City Death Cafe on Friday, 2/20. Our former guests, a funeral director/officiant and a hospital chaplain, had, fittingly, officiated at a funeral and attended a wake earlier in the day. Topics of conversation included the experience of witnessing death in a professional capacity while managing the attendant emotions, Atul Gawande's book Being Mortal, the medicalization of death (and birth, as discussed by our new guest), home vs hospital deaths, cultural practices around birth and death, and Edna St Vincent Millay's poem Dirge Without Music. A lovely, warm evening ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Ciudad de México
Posted by Luisa Ruiz on Feb. 22, 2015, 4:51 p.m.
Last Wednesday it was the first Death Cafe in Mexico City. We were 9 in total: 3 men and 6 women. We started it at 7:30 p.m. and finished at 9:30 p.m.
We gathered in one group and talked about how cultures celebrate death, some movies related to the topic. But most of it, personal experiences like diseases, relatives who have died, etc.
I really enjoyed it and I´m looking forward to the next one in March.
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Carson City
Posted by Paula Schneider on Feb. 22, 2015, 10:16 a.m.
Eighteen participants gathered together to discuss end-of-life issues. Many questions surfaced about how to get "the conversations" started with reluctant family members, so we began our time together by talking about the importance of everyone creating an advance directive and how to use this as an opportunity to open dialogue with family. Our time together was fruitful and beautiful, as our view of the Sierras was prominent from our courtyard setting.
Death Cafe write up: Tuonen Tupa Death Cafe
Posted by kmarttinen on Feb. 21, 2015, 10:47 a.m.
Every time we meet, the comments are about this being the best meeting ever. Wonder how long this lasts? We discussed in small groups first about what we expected of Death Cafe and what we have gotten from it. Then in general discussion we talked about how serious illness or death in family makes friends disappear, they even change to the other side of the street to avoid meeting... probably because they don't know what to say.
Our Death Cafe has many "regulars" but also new people every time. With this group we decided that we will walk head on towards a person who has had a ...
Practitioners question: Filming at Death Cafes
Posted by Jon Underwood on Feb. 19, 2015, 11:03 p.m. 4 comments
Hi,
I've been asked a lot lately about whether it is ok to film or interview people at a Death Cafes. Our guide is not very clear about this so I wanted to say a bit more.
In the right conditions it is possible to:
- Film or audio record ...
Death Cafe write up: Providence Death Cafe
Posted by Cassandra Tribe on Feb. 19, 2015, 9:38 p.m.
A cozy gathering this cafe turned out to be, with bitter cold keeping away all but the hardiest of souls. Two newcomers joined us, one in person and one via arrangements from death row. A candle was produced to transform the cake into a birthday celebration, and a gift of almonds was enjoyed by all. Conversations ranged from the measure of heroics – and the impact such acts have on a body that may regret being saved, to the curious distinction of mobility being a deciding factor for many in quality of life. From death row an inmate shared how although they talk about death all the time, there ...