Death Education - Bonita Ralph

15/08/2026

THANKS 🙏 to everyone who came along to the Death Cafe today. August is always a bumper month celebrating Dying to Know

I rarely remember to take a photo but today I did and people were kind to say yes.

Each death cafe is unique and I am always inspired by peoples generosity, insight and kindness. We ALL have a death story of some kind and to share this in community is a privilege.

14/08/2026

I respect the work of Kerrie Noonan so much… 💙🙏

Bookings are now open for "Death Literacy as Community Practice"​

What if caring for people at the end of life was understood not only as a health service responsibility, but as a shared community practice?
In this thought-provoking presentation, Dr Kerrie Noonan explores the concept of death literacy—the skills, knowledge, confidence and social networks that help people navigate dying, death, grief and caregiving.
Drawing on more than three decades of research, innovation and community development, Dr Noonan will examine how death literacy is built through everyday relationships, lived experience and collective action. Positioned in a public health framework, she will share insights from the development of the Death Literacy Index and the growing international Death Literacy movement, exploring how communities can become active partners in supporting people through end-of-life experiences.
This session invites audiences to reimagine death literacy not simply as individual knowledge, but as a community resource that strengthens social connection, reduces fear and isolation, and enhances our collective capacity to care, grieve and support one another through life’s most challenging transitions.

Dr Kerrie Noonan is Adjunct Associate Professor/Senior Research Fellow at the Public Health Palliative Care Unit, La Trobe University and Director of the Death Literacy Institute. Her research spans public health approaches to palliative care and bereavement, death literacy, compassionate communities and the development of the death literacy index. Kerrie is Vice President of AHFA and Public Health Palliative Care International.

​This information session planned take place on Tuesday 15-September 2026 from 7pm to 8.30pm AEST

Book now to reserve your spot at this online information session.
https://shorturl.at/mxAza

06/08/2026

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST IN WORKSHOP MENTEE

We are seeking a heartfelt mentee to support our paper cloth workshop, facilitated by Bonita Ralph and anzaraclarkartist

This is a unique opportunity for someone working in, studying, or training in palliative care, aged care, nursing, allied health, occupational therapy, social work, pastoral or spiritual care or funeral care, who is interested in deepening their understanding of death literacy, after-death care, and creative approaches to end-of-life care.

As a mentee, you’ll work alongside the facilitators throughout the day, assisting with set-up, participant support and pack-down, while observing the workshop process and learning about the role of creativity, ritual and community in caring for the dead.
There will be opportunities to ask questions, reflect on the experience, and gain practical insights into facilitating conversations about death and after-death care.
We are looking for someone who is:

Passionate about compassionate end-of-life and after-death care.
Curious, open to learning, and interested in death literacy.
Warm, reliable and confident supporting participants in a group setting.

Available for the full day, including set-up and pack-down.

This mentoring opportunity is ideal for someone wanting to expand their knowledge and confidence in community death care while learning alongside experienced facilitators. Whether you’re looking to integrate these ideas into your professional practice or are exploring this field more deeply, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note, you will NOT have the opportunity to create your own cloth and if you book a ticket to the workshop and are selected as a mentee, your fee will be refunded.

THANK YOU for your interest and support!

EOI will close August 20th at 5pm.

Link to the EOI form is in the workshop information on website - https://www.deatheducation.com.au/events/create-your-own-paper-sacred-cloth (in bio)

30/07/2026

Just picked up my delivery of the Memory Lane Life Stories Discovery Cards game. 🙌

Lovely cards resting in a timber box. They feel like a family keepsake for multiple generations. 🤗

I like bringing resources like this to my Death Cafe’s, workshops and 1:1 or family support.

Thanks Nina 🙏

*this is not a sponsored post, just supporting local small business

29/07/2026

Sharing Willow’s story about tissue donations for Donate Life week.

This is the beautiful Willow, who very kindly donated cornea, skin, bone, tendons and heart valves to The Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria following her death in 2021.

Willow had dreams of being a forensic nurse. She was a talented artist, musician and had a passion for unusual animals.

Tara is Willow’s mum and has kindly agreed to share Willow’s story in the hope that it will help others in considering becoming a tissue donor.

“Willow had started to donate blood as soon as she turned 18. I grew up believing organs and tissue should be donated after death – if we don’t need them anymore then someone else should have them. We discussed what she wanted after death a number of times, so when I was asked about donation, it was easy to say yes,” Tara recalls.

“Whilst I’m so glad that so many people’s lives were improved by what Willow donated, my heart still hurts that my beautiful Willow is no longer with us. Thank you so much for listening to our story.”

Willow's tissue donations have helped a vast amount of people and tomorrow we will share just how many people were given another chance at life thanks to Willow and Tara’s generosity.

We hope that Willow’s story has brought Tara and her family some comfort, knowing that we are all very proud of and grateful to Willow.

This , please take a moment to register as an organ and tissue donor, and start the conversation with your loved ones. Your decision today could one day help save or transform someone's life, just as Willow's generous gift has done.

Join the register today: https://www.donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today

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Please remember, help is available.

If you or anyone you know needs support for mental health : Lifeline provides 24-hour crisis counselling, support groups and su***de prevention services. Call 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or to chat online.

If you or anyone you know needs support with depression or anxiety: Beyond Blue is available on 1300 22 4636, 24 hours/7 days a week or to chat online.

23/07/2026

A podcast interview with Catherine Ashton for her Critical Info platform.

Thanks for the opportunity to reflect on my work and some of the things I’ve learned along the way… 🙏

Podcast Episode · Don't Be Caught Dead: Death Literacy, End of Life Planning, Wills, Grief and Advance Care Directives · 22 July · 1hr 9min

17/07/2026

*NEW BLOG POST*

Some places don’t ask you to look away. In this post, I share my musings on a visit to the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily — home to thousands of preserved bodies, centuries of history, and a “sleeping beauty” who has fascinated visitors for over a hundred years. I took my two eldest teens down into the cool, quiet corridors, and came away with more questions than answers, especially about the children’s section. If you’re curious about death care history and “deathie” travel, read on.

*There are images of deceased bodies in this post

Some places don't ask you to look away. In this post, I share my musings on a visit to the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily — home to thousands of preserved bodies, centuries of history, and a "sleeping beauty" who has fascinated visitors for over a hundred years. I took my two eldest