National Palliative Care Week

Join us in celebrating National Palliative Care Week 19th May – 25th May 2024.

During this week PCNSW will be showing support for the incredible work of palliative care nurses, doctors, allied health workers, carers and volunteers across NSW.

These compassionate professionals dedicate themselves to providing comfort, relief, and support to patients and their families during some of life’s most challenging moments. They are the people at the heart of palliative care. Here are some ways you can join us in taking action to make a difference during this week:

Professional Education Day

Date, venue and presenters have been announced for our Professional Education Day as part of National Palliative Care Week! Click here to know more. Click here to download the program.

  • Date: Friday 24th May 2024
  • Time: 9:30am-3:30pm. Lunch and afternoon tea included
  • Venue: Norths (12 Abbott Street, ​Cammeray NSW 2062)
  • FREE for PCNSW members or $75 (+ GST + Booking fees) for Non PCNSW members
Register here

Not a PCNSW member yet? Become a member by clicking here and attend the event for free, plus your membership will be valid until 30th June 2025.

Please note: Once you have join us as a PCNSW member you will need to come back to this page to register for the event for free.

National Palliative Care Week Events:

Wauchope Palliative Care Unit is holding a community information conversation in conjunction with Hastings Home Hospice, outside IGA Sovereign Hills, Port Macquarie. Topics and resources will be covered by social workers, a pastoral care service and Palliative Care Unit nursing staff. Resources will also be provided by Palliative Care NSW. 

Date: Friday 17 May, 2024

Time: 9:30 – 11:30am

Location: Outside IGA Sovereign Hills, Port Macquarie

Through forums such as Death Cafes people have an opportunity to explore their thoughts and feelings about death, dying and end-of-life in a non-judgmental and compassionate environment. Death Cafes aim to promote meaningful conversations and reflections on death as a natural part of life, with the hope of increasing awareness and acceptance of death in society.

Death Cafes are free of charge, open to the public, and facilitated to provide everyone an opportunity to share or listen.

Please note, this is not a grief counselling group.

Light refreshments will be provided. Street parking is available.

More dates coming up in June and July.

Date: Saturday 18 May, 2024

Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

Location: Randwick Sustainability Hub, 27 Munda Street Randwick, NSW 2031

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/death-cafe-tickets-876307668827?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Download flyer here

Community Conversations is for ALL members of the community, who are interested in learning more about community supports and services available in relation to ageing, loss, dying and grief.

Topics covered include:

    • navigating end-of-life matters
    • dying as being a normal part of life
    • myth busting palliative care
    • advance care planning

Date: Monday 20 May, 2024

Time: 9:00 – 11:00am

Location: South Tweed Sports Club, 4 Minjungbal Dr, Tweed Heads South

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/healthy-north-coast-community-conversation-events

Download flyer here

Community Conversations is for ALL members of the community, who are interested in learning more about community supports and services available in relation to ageing, loss, dying and grief.

Topics covered include:

    • navigating end-of-life matters
    • dying as being a normal part of life
    • myth busting palliative care
    • advance care planning

Date: Monday 20 May, 2024

Time: 2:00 – 4:00pm

Location: Yamba Bowling Club, 44 Wooli Street, Yamba

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/healthy-north-coast-community-conversation-events

Download flyer here

Community Conversations is for ALL members of the community, who are interested in learning more about community supports and services available in relation to ageing, loss, dying and grief.

Topics covered include:

    • navigating end-of-life matters
    • dying as being a normal part of life
    • myth busting palliative care
    • advance care planning

Date: Tuesday 21 May, 2024

Time: 9:00 – 11:00am

Location: Cedar Bar, 8 Church Street, Bellingen

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/healthy-north-coast-community-conversation-events

Download flyer here

Community Conversations is for ALL members of the community, who are interested in learning more about community supports and services available in relation to ageing, loss, dying and grief.

Topics covered include:

    • navigating end-of-life matters
    • dying as being a normal part of life
    • myth busting palliative care
    • advance care planning

Date: Tuesday 21 May, 2024

Time: 2:00 – 4:00pm

Location: Port Macquarie CWA Rooms, Quay North Building 11 Horton St, Port Macquarie

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/healthy-north-coast-community-conversation-events

Download flyer here

For nearly 25 years the ATSA Independent Living Expo has been Australia’s foremost exhibition for assistive technology, rehabilitation and aged care equipment as exhibitors display products and services in mobility solutions, pressure care, employment support, accessible recreation, holiday ideas, modified motor vehicles and more.

Palliative Care NSW CEO Kirsty Blades will be presenting a seminar on Myth Busting Palliative Care at 10:15am on Thursday 23 May, in Room 1. 

Everyone who attends the session will receive a printed copy of our Palliative Caring booklet and our National Palliative Care Week orange heart pin that symbolises care and support, and living your life as well as you can to the very end.

Dr Peta McVey, our Palliative Care Guidance Manager will also be on hand to answer questions. Peta is a registered nurse with extensive palliative care expertise having worked as a senior clinician in specialist palliative care services for 18 years.

FREE TO ATTEND for all visitors!

Dates and Times:
Wednesday 22 May, 2024 (8:30am – 4:30pm)
Thursday 23 May, 2024 (8:30am – 3:00pm)

Location: Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, Halls 5 & 6

Register here: https://expo.atsa.org.au/sydney-expo/

This National Palliative Care Week, the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network are proud to host a FREE community awareness and education event.

Speakers and stall holders will include palliative care professionals from a number of organisations including, Palliative Care NSW Deputy CEO Megan Asbury.

Date: Thursday 23 May, 2024

Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm

Location: Kahibah Sports Club,63 Kenibea Ave, Kahibah NSW 2290, Australia

Register here: https://thephn.com.au/submitted-events/palliative-care-community-awareness-event

Join us at the Ritz Cinema Randwick for a free screening of ‘Live the Life You Please’, a powerful film about embracing life fully until the end and challenging how you think about death, dying and palliative care.

Following the screening there will be a Q&A with South-Eastern Sydney Local Health District Palliative Care staff and community members.

For all enquiries contact Rebecca on 9304 8668 or email r.limbach@cesphn.com.au or Frida on 9093 6972 or email frida.kitas@randwick.com.au

Date: Thursday 23 May, 2024

Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm

Location: The Ritz Cinema, 45 St Pauls St, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/live-the-life-you-please-film-screening

Download flyer here

PCNSW is holding the Annual Professional Education Day on Friday 24th May.

Book your ticket NOW as numbers are limited.

Presentations on the day will include:

    • Brendan Myhill: Trauma Informed Care, Advance Care Planning and grief – integrating approaches to enhance care
    • Nadim Assaf: The Role of Community Pharmacists in the Palliative Care Team
    • Jillian Kidd and Allison Cummins: Leading the way to excellence in Palliative Dementia Care: The NSW Nightingale Program

Date: Friday 24 May, 2024

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

Location: Norths Cammeray, 12 Abbott St, Cammeray NSW 2062, Australia

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/pcnsw-professional-education-day

Learn about the local services which will help you to live well and prepare to die. The day will be set up where the community can go from station to station gathering important information and hopefully learning something new about what a big help we can all be.

Guest speakers:

    • Dr Louis Christie, Specialist palliative care doctor, Western NSW LHD
    • Bernadette Orange, Transitional Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
    • Kate Bowman, Palliative Care NSW Volunteer Support Services Programme Manager
    • Tony Fisher, Volunteer Coordinator, Parkes Neighbourhood & Community Information Centre Palliative Care Volunteers

And more..

CanAssist will be providing a BBQ and a coffee cart to keep the community’s tummy’s full.

Date: Friday 24 May, 2024

Time: 10:00am – 1:00pm

Location: Cooke Park, Short St, Parkes NSW 2870

Download flyer here

In recognition of National Palliative Care Week, the SWSLHD Palliative Care Service will be hosting a special online program designed to explore cultural sensitivity in palliative care and end-of-life care. Mark your calendars and tune in with your favourite tea/coffee for this session!
 
This session will highlight current palliative care health promoting initiatives for CALD communities and features two guest speakers with expertise in supporting Pacific Islander and Cambodian communities across SWSLHD. Our guests will be speaking on: 
    • the importance of cultural sensitivity in palliative care
    • unique beliefs and practices surrounding death and dying within these cultural groups and
    • strategies for healthcare professionals to provide culturally appropriate care. 
  •  

Date: Tuesday 28 May, 2024

Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Location: Teams link

Please note that this event is only available for staff members. Please register by contacting the SWSLHD Palliative Care Health Promotion Officer at maxine.zhong@health.nsw.gov.au 

Download flyer here

Orange heart pins

The orange heart pin is the key symbol for National Palliative Care Week and moving forward we hope to see this as a nationally recognised symbol for palliative care year round.

The pins have a retail value of $5 per pin, which is an agreed value across all palliative care peak bodies who have the rights to sell these pins.  A % of this is retained by the palliative care peak bodies to assist fund ongoing advocacy, promotion and awareness of palliative care.  You could also choose to sell these pins to recover your costs, but they must be sold at the agreed $5 per pin price point.  Your support through these pins is greatly appreciated.

A minimum quantity of 10 ($50) is required for an order to be placed.  There is no maximum order.  An invoice will then be generated and your order will be dispatched. 

Buy Orange Heart pins

You can buy the pins in packs of 3 or 5 by clicking HERE

Spread awareness

Share information, photos and events about National Palliative Care Week on your social media platforms, within your community, or at your workplace. Use the hashtag #mattersoflifeanddeath to raise awareness and encourage others to join the cause.

Please donate

Make a donation to Palliative Care New South Wales by clicking below.

We are deeply grateful for your generous gift.

Donate here

Volunteer
your time

Reach out to local palliative care volunteering services and enquire about volunteer opportunities. Whether it’s providing companionship to patients and their families, assisting with administrative tasks, or organising fundraising events, your involvement can make a significant impact.

Find out more on our Volunteer Hub

Advocate for
policy changes

Get involved in advocacy efforts to improve access to palliative care services in your region. Write letters or contact your local representatives, urging them to support policies that ensure equitable access to palliative care for everyone in NSW.

Click HERE to find out your local Member of Parliament.

Have a conversation about what matters

Take the initiative to talk about what’s important for you at end of life. Learn more about what palliative care can do for you and your loved ones.
Share your knowledge with friends, family, and colleagues to dispel misconceptions and promote understanding.
By educating others, you can help create a more supportive and informed community.

During National Palliative Care Week, let’s come together and show our unwavering support for palliative care nurses, doctors, allied health workers, carers and volunteers.

Consider Palliative Care as a career path. We talk to nurses from all over NSW in this short video to find out what a career in Palliative Care looks like.