A group met this week for the first of four sessions, to talk about death and dying at Bistro 138 in Shelburne.
United Church minister, Joanne McFadden is hoping to get people to open up and engage in a comfortable conversation about death and dying.
“It started off because we really wanted to talk about the right-die-legislation which we’ll follow up with in the spring,” said McFadden.
“But how do you start there when people aren’t even comfortable talking about their own experiences with death or what they’d want for themselves? Or aren’t comfortable talking to family members or others. So that’s why we thought we’d initiate the conversation in the community.”
McFadden thinks this is a good place to start before launching straight into the right-to-die law.
“In some ways, I think that’s easier for people to talk about than, how do I talk to mum and dad about death. Do they want a funeral? Do they want to be cremated? What kind of ritual do they want?”
As a member of the clergy, McFadden said she deals with people in crisis all the time after someone has died, and often hears, “I wish I had, I regret, Why didn’t I?”
All questions relating to these initial conversations.
Sixteen people from the community came out to the first event on November 4th.
“In my opinion that’s a very well-attended event on this topic in the community.”
“We’re trying to open up conversations.”
The group will to meet again next Tuesday from 7-8:30 pm.
Phase two will get under way in late winter or early spring and will continue the conversation, this time delving into the contentious right-to-die legislation.
