News

Death on the Fringe

This year, Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief will be getting involved in the Edinburgh Fringe with a new project – Death on the Fringe.

Death on the Fringe is a series of shows that look at death and dying from different perspectives – some serious, some comical – but all contributing to the debate on death and end of life matters.

Performers include comic Robyn Perkins, who recounts the lighter aspects of the death of her partner in Over It. Three housemates figure out how to cope with the death of the fourth in the drama Chris Is Dead. Nathan Cassidy ponders what to do if you know your Date Of Death. Meanwhile, the 80 year old Lynn Ruth Miller (as seen on Britain's Got Talent) brings us a stand-up routine to show she's Not Dead Yet!

The Edinburgh Fringe is the world's largest arts festival with attendances of over 2 million. It has a history of showing cutting edge and thought provoking arts events, making it the ideal place to encourage more public openness and debate about death, dying and bereavement.

Death on the Fringe takes place between 1 and 25 August, with a special launch event on 1 August. Find out more at the Death on the Fringe website.

You can keep up to date by following @DeathOnFringe on twitter.

The Hidden Worlds of Caring and Serious Illness

Three new short films entitled “At Home with Illness” have been launched to mark Carers Week 2014. The gritty films take an unflinching look at what happens when serious illness arrives in a family.

Although this situation affects thousands in Scotland the lives of people who are seriously ill are largely hidden, and so too are the sometimes harsh realities of those who care for them. 1 in 8 of the Scottish population are involved in providing care and support to a family member. Around 40, 000 people each year in Scotland will die after a period of protracted illness.

Filmed intimately at home, three very different families tell their own powerful and individual stories of love, loss, crisis, tears, hope and laughter. One of the 3 films, “The Long Goodbye” has already become a word-of-mouth success on YouTube. All three films have been commissioned by a consortium of national charities, led by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC).

Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive of SPPC, said:

“We wanted to lift the lid on a hidden world – the world of families living with serious illness. This is a world in which thousands of Scottish families exist, yet their experiences are seldom seen or heard. This leaves society ill-equipped to support others and ill-prepared should the same situation affect us. The films allow the families to tell it how it is, and there are lessons for everyone in the stories they tell.”

Organisations involved in the commissioning of the films include: Marie Curie Cancer Care, MND Scotland, MS Society Scotland, MSA Trust, Parkinson’s UK and PSP Association.

The films can be viewed here: At home with illness

Before I Die: Illustrated

What do you want to do before you die? This amazing piece of artwork may have the answer.

Painted by Laura McCartney, currently studying illustration at Duncan of Jordanstone, the picture was inspired by the before I die aspirations of the people of Dundee.

Last summer, NHS Tayside staff took before I die walls to a number of community engagement events across the region. The walls captured people's imaginations, and were soon filled with inspirational, moving and humorous ideas...

Following the success of these events, Elaine Colville, Macmillan Practice Educator got in touch with staff at Duncan of Jordanstone to see if a student would be interested in creating a piece of art to visually represent the BiD walls. Elaine said:

"I just love it and think it is a great way to capture and keep the thoughts and wishes of the people of Dundee."

This beautiful piece of artwork is now a permanent feature in the Palliative Care Education Unit at the Victoria Hospital in Dundee.

Dundee Students reflect on mortality

Lynn Griffin, Lecturer at Dundee University writes about work to support nursing students to sensitively approach the subject of death and dying with patients and families...

We know that many health care professionals find it difficult to talk about death and dying and experience anxiety when trying to approach the subject with patients and their families. Inappropriate euphemisms and misleading language are often used, which is a reflection of society in general. Within the University of Dundee, we are keen to support nursing students to develop knowledge and skills which will enable them to approach the topic of death and dying with patients and their families, with sensitivity and confidence.

During April and May 2014, the School of Nursing and Midwifery’s third year nursing students have been undertaking their final theoretical modules prior to registering as graduate nurses in the autumn. The modules they are undertaking include Managing Complex Care in the Community and Skills and Practice. Both modules include an in-depth focus on palliative and end of life care, loss, grief and bereavement. The students also take part in a clinical simulation exercise which involves students developing their communication skills, with simulated patients, focusing on conversations about death and dying.

Whilst we were aware that the Awareness Week is planned for 12-18th May, we really wanted to ‘spread the word’ and, therefore, took the opportunity to run a small event, alongside the students’ theoretical block, a little earlier than the national dates. We arranged ‘pop up’ “Before I Die Walls…” located in our University campuses and a link to a virtual wall for 4 days, coinciding with the week that palliative and end of life care was the main focus of the students’ taught sessions. Our aim was to encourage the students, in a positive way, to explore what was important to them and become more open to discussions around death and dying. We asked the students to reflect on how this may impact on their role as nurses and, by reflecting on the diversity of the students aspirations, explored issues of individuality and opportunities to enhance patients’ and family members’ experiences.

The “Before I die…” walls created a real ‘buzz’ around the University campus. Our tweets on Twitter were discussed, favoured and retweeted, there was media interest from local Radio (Radio Tay) and even an appearance on Scottish Television News for one of our students who was interviewed against the backdrop of our ‘walls.’ Interest spread as far afield as the Times Newspaper in London! As our photographs of the event testify, the students really engaged with the project and added many interesting aspirations to the walls.

We often use the materials and resources available from the Good Life, Good Death, and Good Grief and Dying Matters websites to supplement and support learning and teaching around death, dying and bereavement. We are already considering what other events we can hold to enhance the students’ learning experiences and raise awareness… perhaps a Death Café will be next?!

Lynn Griffin, Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Dundee