Stories

Palliative Care Australia represents all those who work towards high quality palliative care for all Australians. Working closely with consumers, our Member Organisations and the palliative care workforce, we aim to improve access to, and promote the need for, palliative care.
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    A mother’s journey with a silver lining

    In this story, the grief of losing her daughter fuelled Suzanne Tunks’s desire to help other families in the toughest situations of their life.

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    Mum celebrates her son’s life while remembering his death

    In this inspiring story, 17-year-old Sam Hurst declined palliative chemotherapy to treat his bowel cancer, and instead made the most of his remaining months. In this story, Sam’s Lorna Hurst celebrates Sam’s short but vibrant life and shares the factors that contributed to him dying a good death.

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    Frangipani, flame tree, or lemon myrtle; what tree would you like to become?

    Before Dianne Rich’s son Ashley died, he made it clear he didn’t want to be buried. “I want to be free.” It wasn’t until she discovered the Living Legacy Forest, a beautiful parkland section of the cemetery that had a lake, shrubs and boulders, rather than gravestones, that she knew what to do with Ashley’s ashes.

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    Shannon’s early death inspires support for others without access to after-hours specialist palliative care

    After a long fight with leukaemia, 19-year-old Shannon’s only wish was to spend her last days at home in her own bed, in rural Victoria. In this story, Shannon’s father Jeremy shared how his initial fear in caring for – due to limited after-hour specialist palliative care support – was calmed after receiving extraordinary support from a doctor, in the form…

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    Of love and loss without palliative care

    In this story, Mary Brennan reflects on the death of her young son, Tom, who died of bone cancer in the early 1970s, when palliative care was unheard of. It was after Tom’s death that his brother Frank first considered studying medicine, and today works as a palliative care physician in Sydney.

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We recognise and acknowledge those who are working through Sorry Business, Sad News, grief and bereavement and offer our condolences and support.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this website may contain images, videos and voices of people who have passed on. Some of the content and topics covered might also cause distress. You are welcome here, and we want you to feel safe and take care.

If you find that you need support please reach out to 13YARN on 13 92 76, Grief Australia, Grief Line on 1300 845 745, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Palliative Care Australia is located in Canberra. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the surrounding land and waters, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri Peoples and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that same respect and acknowledge the continuing cultures and contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across Australia.

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