Come to the Death Café! – “talking about death won’t kill you”

Sarnia’s first Death Café invites the community to share honest, respectful conversations about dying — not in grief, but in curiosity and acceptance.

Let me be very clear, there are no dead people at a Death Café!  Instead, at a Death Café, you will find everyone very much alive and willing to talk about what can be a difficult topic.  Some people choose to live in denial that they or their loved ones will die. Others are burdened by fear around the very thought of death which detracts from their ability to enjoy a happy life. The way to conquer concerns around death and dying is to begin by talking about it because talking about death won’t kill you.

Sarnia’s first Death Café will take place on Sunday May 25^th from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. It will be hosted at BackHome Coffee, 112 Christina St. S, across from the Post Office, in downtown Sarnia. There is no cost and there will be coffee, tea and good things to eat available for purchase. 

The event is sponsored by the Unitarian Fellowship of Sarnia and Port Huron as a public service.  There will be no discussion of religion and nothing will be promoted or advertised. There will just be friendly and curious people enjoying each other’s company over a cup of coffee or tea while respectfully sharing thoughts and feelings around death and dying. 

It should be noted that a Death Café is not a bereavement support or grief counselling opportunity nor is it a place for those who are unwilling to talk about death openly. The discussion will be moderated by a facilitator. The goal is to have everyone who attends leaving with a greater understanding and acceptance of death while feeling satisfied that they made the time to attend.

So will you join me at the Death Café on May 25^th?  The event is free but it would be helpful to confirm your willingness to attend by sending a confirmation email to [email protected]

I’ll look forward to seeing you for a meaningful time together!

Allan McKeown has helped many families honour the lives of their loved ones with meaningful and personalized ceremonies, first as a Unitarian lay-chaplain and then as an independent celebrant.  He is now retired.