This year’s theme, The Culture of Dying Matters, saw hundreds of powerful conversations take place at Sue Ryder’s information point at St John’s Centre, Leeds on Wednesday 7 May and at the Dying Matters Festival hosted at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) on Thursday 8 May.
“Dying Matters Week has been a really humbling experience,” said Hannah Mcgougan, Community Engagement Coordinator at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice. “Around half of those we met had open conversations with us. Others were more reserved but even taking a leaflet or sharing a few words is a valuable first step in normalising these vital discussions. For many, acknowledging death at all can be a powerful moment.”
“We know talking about death isn’t easy,” Hannah acknowledged. “But we’ve found that a warm welcome and listening ear helps people feel safe enough to open up. We aim to create a space where people lead the conversation at their own pace.”
One touching moment came from a young woman, who visited the Sue Ryder stand at Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust and returned later sharing a poem she had written for the charity. “It was incredibly moving,” said Hannah. “It was a privilege to hear what Sue Ryder meant to her, and I have shared her words this with our hard care teams at the hospice who were touched to hear about the impact their support has.”
Other themes which came up frequently during conversation were around fear, stigma, and uncertainty around when and how to seek palliative care or bereavement support.
“Many people worry it’s ‘too soon’ to reach out,” said Hannah. “But our advice is always: if you're thinking about support, it's the right time. Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice offers a number of services which can help, including our Living Well services, inpatient care, community care and Grief Kind Spaces alongside a whole range of free bereavement support and services online.”
“Many people we spoke to knew of Sue Ryder charity shops, but were surprised at the breadth and accessibility of the services Sue Ryder offers, particularly our online bereavement counselling, which is available at no cost thanks to public donations and the incredible work of Sue Ryder’s retail teams," added Hannah.
“I would like to share thank you to the people their honesty and openness in speaking to us last week,” ended Hannah. “These conversations are vital to help break down so many barriers to openly talking about death, dying and grief and Sue Ryder is proud to be part of this change.”
For more information on Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, visit www.sueryder.org/wheatfields.