Death & Diversity Exhibition – May Events & Talks at Museum of City & Sea

With speakers from the; Palliative Care Council, Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital, Wellington Regional Hospital’s Paediatric Ward, CCDHB, Mary Potter Hospice, Te Omanga Hospice and Skylight –  it was a stark reminder that we have a relatively small population with services geographically weighted, limited financial resources and a disproportional reliance on a small number of very dedicated experts.

Representatives from the symposium are approaching government to provide a Compassionate Care Allowance for parents leaving employment to provide full-time care for their terminally ill children who may not be eligible for any other benefits or financial assistance.

An informative and well organised event with positive networking potential for specialist health care professionals and providers.

Mary Potter Hospice have organised a series of Work Shops throughout the year for Health Professionals covering; Pain and Symptom Management, Palliative Care and Loss and Grief.

Mary Potter Hospice Work Shops for 2012

Different cultures including Hindu, Jewish, Mexican, Chinese, Colombian, Muslim and Assyrian, relate their death rituals and how these have been affected or adapted by living in New Zealand.

While there are many cross culture similarities – there are some fundamental differences to approach and beliefs.

Central to the exhibit is an opportunity for visitors to write a message to or about someone who has died. What was striking was the number of messages and how many sentiments were expressed in a variety of languages. Interesting that visitors to New Zealand, not lust locals, have the desire to participate and articulate their loss.

Visitors are also invited to display (on temporary loan) a poignant object, with an explanation for its choice.

There are photographic exhibitions of scenes from the New Zealand funeral industry, including  mortuary images and a Wellington cemetery photographic project.

A comprehensive programme of events is planned with talks and presentations from various representatives associated with death; casket manufacturers, Births, Deaths and Marriages, funeral directors, Karori and Makara cemeteries and crematorium.

For updates visit the Museum of City & Sea website – Death & Diversity.

This exhibition provides opportunities to ask questions about a subject we prefer to ignore.

Having graduated from Leyden University, Holland then worked both in Holland and the USA, she arrived in New Zealand in 1971 and practiced as a General Practitioner until 1998.

During that time she developed an interest in grief counselling, the effects of trauma on psychological, physical and spiritual health and “working” with terminally ill patients. Over the years she has given numerous presentations and group-interactive teaching in New Zealand and overseas on these topics.

She worked and trained with Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and facilitated Kubler-Ross’s workshops in New Zealand and overseas until 2001.

Now in private practice she is involved with grief counselling, professional supervision, and the emotional and spiritual care of people diagnosed with life threatening illness.

She can be contacted at hetty.rodenburg@xtra.co.nz

For me, ‘At Circle’s End’, a project by the Voice Arts Trust, was a powerful 40 minute piece at the Museum of Wellington City & Sea. Ten performers from diverse cultures articulating their reactions to death, grief, rituals & customs. It was a reminder that Wellington is home to many ethnicities & that we cope and react to death & loss within our societies in different ways.

The Death & Diversity exhibition opens on the 5th December 2011 until 26th June 2012.  Death & Diversity Exhibition