Paul Quinn, one of the dedicated volunteers at Calvary Health Care Kogarah, was named Southern Sydney NSW Senior Volunteer of the Year, recognising six years of compassionate service supporting palliative care patients and their families. Congratulations, Paul!

There was more wonderful news on ceremony day to come with the Calvary Kogarah Biography Team named Southern Sydney NSW Volunteer Team of the Year. Through their remarkable work, the team helps capture and preserve people’s life stories, creating something meaningful for patients and families to treasure.

Our congratulations goes out to Paul and the entire the Calvary Kogarah Biography Team for their contribution to palliative care volunteering. As regional winners, Paul and the Biography Service team will now go on to represent Southern Sydney at the NSW Volunteer of the Year State Awards in Sydney this December. We will all be cheering for you!

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The 2027 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize, presented by Palliative Care Australia and Arcare Family Foundation, invites artists of all ages and backgrounds to share their creative vision on the theme, ‘Conversations about end of life’.

This year’s Art Prize features an expanded $30,000 prize pool, with more opportunities to recognise and reward outstanding artists across a range of categories.

Your entry, whether reflective or bold, should reflect the power of storytelling through visual art, move people to see the beauty in life and tenderness in loss.

Key dates

Entries open: Thursday 27 August 2026

Entries close: Monday 11 January 2027

Finalists notified: February/March 2027

Winners announced: The APHC27OPCC Conference, 21-23 April 2027, Adelaide Convention Centre, Australia

Explore categories and prizes

The 2027 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize features an expanded $30,000 prize pool, with more opportunities to recognise and reward artists across a range of categories.

• Overall winner — $10,000
• Highly commended — $5,000
• First Nations artist — $5,000
• Emerging artist — $3,000
• Artist living with a disability — $3,000
• People’s Choice — $3,000
• Primary school student — $500
• Secondary school student — $500
• Support for finalists up to $300 + GST 

How your artwork will be assessed

Entries to the 2027 Live Well, Die Well Art Prize will be assessed against four key criteria.

1. Interpretation of the theme
2. Originality
3. Artistic merit
4. Emotional impact

Before entering, explore details on the categories and prizes, find out more on how your artwork will be assessed, and review the Terms and Conditions.

Questions?

Contact Palliative Care Australia at events@palliativecare.org.au

To apply click here: Enter now.

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When most people think about pain, they picture physical symptoms such as aching muscles, headaches or discomfort caused by illness. However, palliative care professionals have long understood the concept of “total pain”, where emotional distress, anxiety, loneliness, grief, loss of independence, financial concerns and questions about meaning or purpose can intensify a person’s experience of physical pain.

Four important truths about pain

There are several key principles that guide pain management in palliative care:

• Everyone’s experience of pain is different.
• Pain is common in people living with a terminal illness, but not all patients will experience pain.
• Pain is subjective. Pain is what the patient says it is.
• Physical pain can be made worse by psychological worries and distress.

These principles remind us that effective pain management begins with listening to the individual and understanding their unique experience.

Pain that cannot always be seen

For someone living with a life-limiting illness, pain may stem from much more than physical symptoms.

Psychological pain may include fear of the future, anxiety about treatment, depression, uncertainty, or concern about loved ones.

Social pain can arise from isolation, loss of social roles, financial pressures, relationship difficulties, or reduced ability to participate in activities that once brought joy.

Spiritual pain may involve questions about meaning, identity, hope, faith, forgiveness, or what lies ahead.

These forms of distress are deeply interconnected. A person who feels lonely, frightened or overwhelmed may experience their physical symptoms more intensely. Likewise, addressing emotional and social concerns can sometimes help reduce a person’s overall suffering.

Where volunteers make a difference

While clinical teams play a critical role in managing physical symptoms, volunteers are uniquely positioned to help ease many of the non-physical aspects of pain.

A volunteer may not administer medication, but they can provide something equally valuable: human connection.

Through regular visits, active listening and companionship, volunteers help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. A friendly conversation, shared cup of tea, walk in the garden or simply sitting quietly with someone can provide comfort during a difficult time.

Volunteers also help people feel seen and heard. When a person has the opportunity to share their fears, memories, hopes or concerns without judgement, it can ease emotional distress and create a greater sense of peace.

The value of volunteer support in palliative care is increasingly recognised in the research literature, with studies highlighting its positive impact on quality of life, social connection and emotional wellbeing. This evidence reminds us that alongside clinical care, human connection is a powerful tool in easing the experience of total pain.

Further reading: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13102129/

Learn more about World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2026: https://thewhpca.org/world-hospice-and-palliative-care-day/

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This year’s selected works were curated by Kylie Mirmohamadi and Jodi Vial, with Katarina Lindstrom as Associate Curator.

Hunter Writers’ Centre proudly acknowledges the support of their partners, the National Association of Loss and Grief (NSW) and Pettigrew Family Funerals, their sponsors, and In-Memoriam Donors whose generosity makes the Grieve Project possible. Palliative Care NSW was proud to contribute to this important initiative through sponsorship of the Curator’s Award ($400), awarded to Joanna Woutersz for her work, The Circle is Complete.

On the Grieve project, Trudy Hanson, CEO of NALAG (NSW) says:

The National Association of Loss and Grief (NSW) is the proud foundation partner of The Grieve Project. Each year, we are stunned by quality of expression submitted. We wish we could give everyone all who enters this project something for their courage and generosity in sharing their work. I encourage people to look through the online gallery and the Grieve anthology where you will find a profound expression of the fundamental qualities of being human. Nothing can move us quite so deeply as music, story and art.

This year, with the generous support of Pettigrew Family Funerals, the Grieve anthology opens with a commissioned piece by a First Nations author, Julie Janson, a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal nation, NSW. The story is based on her Indigenous family history of children given up to the Benevolent Society in the 1860s.

Amy-Lea Pettigrew, whose sponsorship enabled the commission, says:

Pettigrew Family Funerals is honoured to support the Grieve anthology’s first commissioned work by a First Nations author. First Nations people are this country’s first storytellers, and it feels right that the anthology begins with their voice. Julie Janson’s story carries a history that deserves to be heard.

Grieve Volume 13 is due for release on Tuesday 29 September, and can be preordered here: https://hunterwriterscentre.org/bookshop/

The full list of 2026 award winners is available at https://hunterwriterscentre.org/grieve-2026/

The online gallery is now open to view the selected multi-media works, with the Grieve anthology soon to be released. Available at https://hunterwriterscentre.org/grieve-2026-online-gallery/

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The Federal Government has backed the launch of a new Centre of Excellence in Sydney aimed at addressing critical gaps in Alzheimer’s research across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Speaking on ABC Sydney Drive, Health, Disability and Ageing Minister Mark Butler described the emerging blood test as a potentially significant step forward in improving early detection and diagnosis.

The proposed test works by identifying biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease, including the APOE4 gene and specific proteins such as tau. What sets the technology apart is its potential to identify risk years, or even decades, before any symptoms become apparent. Researchers believe this could give individuals valuable time to make lifestyle changes and seek medical advice earlier than is currently possible.

While the Minister stressed that the test is not a definitive predictor of Alzheimer’s and should not be viewed as a “silver bullet,” it could significantly improve Australia’s ability to diagnose and monitor the disease.

The prospect of learning about a heightened Alzheimer’s risk decades in advance raises important questions for many Australians. Some may wonder whether knowing early would be beneficial given that there is currently no cure for the disease. However, health experts increasingly point to a range of modifiable risk factors linked to dementia, including smoking, poor diet, lack of physical activity and other lifestyle factors. Would early awareness encourage people to adopt healthier habits that may reduce their overall risk and improve long-term brain health?

Pathway to Medicare funding still ahead

Although the blood test is generating excitement, Australians should not expect immediate Medicare coverage.

Before the test can be covered by Medicare, researchers at the University of New South Wales, working in partnership with Roche Diagnostics, must first demonstrate its effectiveness through Australian clinical data. If the evidence confirms the test can accurately identify people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, it will be submitted to the independent experts who assess new services for inclusion on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Should the test receive approval, eligible patients would be able to access it with Medicare support, helping make the potentially groundbreaking screening tool more widely available

Until then, some forms of testing may be available privately, particularly for people with family histories or other risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Australians interested in accessing the test before any Medicare decision is made are encouraged to contact NeuRA, the neuroscience research institute based at the University of New South Wales’ Randwick campus, which is involved in the project.

New Treatments Offer Hope

The push for earlier diagnosis comes as new Alzheimer’s treatments begin emerging internationally. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies continue investing heavily in the search for more effective therapies. Yet experts acknowledge that major challenges remain, including improving diagnosis, expanding support services and ultimately finding treatments that can substantially alter the course of the disease.

The development of a reliable Alzheimer’s blood test represents one of the most promising advances in dementia care in recent years. While further clinical validation and regulatory assessment are required before widespread adoption, the technology could eventually transform how Australia identifies and manages one of its most challenging health conditions.

For more detailed information, including discussion of Medicare eligibility, treatment developments and NDIS-related issues, the full interview transcript with Minister Mark Butler on ABC Sydney Drive is available by clicking on the following link: Radio interview with Minister Butler, ABC Sydney Drive – 30 July 2026 or listen to the interview by clicking here (min 1:03:50)

Other Links and Resources:

Neura News Article 

Dementia Australia

Dementia support Australia (DSA)

DSA Resources.

DSA Support for Health Care Professionals

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Palliative care volunteers can incorporate this concept into their daily practice through several concrete actions.

• Practise active, silent listening. Focus entirely on the patient without planning your next response. Allow for long pauses and silence, giving the patient the time they need to process and express their thoughts without feeling rushed.
• Release the urge to fix. Accept that you cannot cure the patient’s illness or take away their grief. When a patient expresses fear, anger, or sadness, resist the temptation to offer platitudes like “everything happens for a reason.” Instead, acknowledge their feelings directly by saying something simple, such as, “I can hear how difficult this is for you.”
• Follow the patient’s lead. Let the patient set the agenda for your visit. If they want to talk about their impending death, listen without changing the subject. If they prefer to speak about mundane things, watch television, or sit in complete silence, adapt to their preferences.
• Manage your own discomfort. Being a witness to decline and suffering can be emotionally challenging. Notice your own internal reactions, but keep your focus anchored on the patient’s needs during the visit.

These strategies can also be employed when helping people grappling with anticipatory grief. Anticipatory grief occurs when patients and their families mourn losses before they actually happen, such as the loss of health, independence, or planned futures.

The Importance of Debriefing

Holding space for someone at the end of life is deeply meaningful, but it also carries an emotional weight. Effective debriefing is essential to prevent burnout and ensure you can continue your volunteering safely.

• Utilise formal supervision. Schedule a catch-up with your volunteer coordinator. Use this time to discuss difficult visits and process the feelings that arose.
• Engage in peer support. Share your experiences with fellow volunteers. Speaking with peers who understand the unique nature of palliative care can significantly reduce feelings of isolation.
• Develop a personal decompression ritual. Create a clear boundary between your volunteering hours and your personal life. This might involve a quiet walk home, listening to a specific piece of music, or writing in a private journal immediately after a shift.

Protecting your own emotional health allows you to remain a steady, compassionate anchor for those navigating the painful landscapes of illness, expected loss, and bereavement.

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More than just a songwriting contest, this initiative aims to raise awareness of palliative care to new audiences. The winning song will debut at the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Conference (APHC27OPCC) in Adelaide and is intended to become an enduring anthem for future APHC conferences.

One of the key messages behind the competition is that palliative care is not simply about end-of-life support. APHN highlights that palliative care is fundamentally about reducing preventable suffering, addressing physical, emotional, and social challenges with compassion and care.

The competition encourages participants to explore questions such as:

• What does hope sound like?
• How can music express compassion?
• What happens when suffering is met with understanding and support?

Rather than focusing on loss, entrants are invited to create songs that celebrate resilience, connection, hope, and humanity.

The competition is open to songwriters, musicians, and storytellers who want to use their creativity to make a difference. Participants must submit an original, fully produced song featuring both original lyrics and music. Instrumental-only or lyrics-only submissions are not eligible.

Submissions are open from 10 August to 31 December 2026, giving artists ample time to develop a meaningful and impactful piece of work.

Entrants are also invited to share a personal reflection about their connection to palliative care. Whether they are healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, family members, or advocates, APHN wants to understand the inspiration behind each submission. Entries that demonstrate a genuine connection to the field will receive additional consideration during judging.

Exciting Prizes on Offer

The competition offers substantial recognition and rewards for outstanding entries:

• Champion: USD $2,000 plus travel support to attend APHC27OPCC
• 1st Runner-Up: USD $1,000
• 2nd Runner-Up: USD $500

Participants are also encouraged, though not required, to perform their song for a palliative care audience and submit a recording. These performance recordings may strengthen an entry by demonstrating how the song resonates with listeners.

Entries will be assessed across three areas:

1. Vocal melody crafting and musicality (30%)
2. English lyrics crafting (30%)
3. Alignment with APHN’s mission of reducing preventable suffering through hope and compassion (40%)

A distinguished judging panel includes award-winning Singaporean producer and songwriter Dr Ken Chong and acclaimed Australian artist and educator Corinne Starr, both recognised for their contributions to music and community engagement.

To participate and find out more information please click on the following link: APHC27OPCC Songwriting Competition

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More than half of Australians aged over 45 who have experienced sexual violence have never told another person what happened to them. Some carry that secret for 40, 50 or even 60 years. For a small but significant number, it is only after being diagnosed with a life-limiting illness that they finally find the courage to speak.

That little-known reality has prompted what is believed to be Australia’s first specialised training program designed to prepare palliative care workers for one of the most profound conversations they may ever have. Next month, Palliative Care ACT and the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre will begin training staff and volunteers across Canberra’s palliative care services, equipping them with the skills to respond safely and compassionately when patients disclose sexual violence during end-of-life care.

The initiative was born from a simple but confronting question: What happens when someone chooses the final chapter of their life to reveal its darkest one? Palliative Care ACT chief executive officer Paul Arztenhofer said receiving a terminal diagnosis often changed how people looked back on their lives.

“Life-limiting illness diagnosis or end-of-life care often prompts reflection, and many people naturally spend time looking back over their lives,” he said.

“For some, that can include conversations they have wanted to have for years, or experiences they have never previously felt able to share. It can become a time of truth-telling and addressing things that have remained unspoken.”

Serious illness can also bring buried trauma back to the surface. Personal care, medical examinations and physical touch may trigger memories of past abuse, while the trusting relationships built with palliative care workers often create the first space where someone finally feels safe enough to speak. Sometimes, that moment comes not in a hospital ward, but over a cup of coffee.

At Leo’s Place, Palliative Care ACT’s respite home, guests often spend time talking with staff in a setting deliberately designed to feel more like a home than a healthcare facility. Mr Arztenhofer recalls one woman whose story has stayed with him.

The 28-year-old, originally from Africa, had survived years of sexual violence in an arranged marriage before coming to Australia. She is now undergoing treatment for an aggressive cancer and has been told she will never be able to have children. It was only while spending time at Leo’s Place that she felt able to tell someone what had happened.

Being able to finally speak about the abuse, Mr Arztenhofer said, gave her a sense of peace after years of carrying the trauma alone.

“Going through a diagnosis that means your life is going to change makes people reflect on everything that’s happened to them,” he said, “For a lot of people, being able to share or release that trauma means they’re able to take their next steps feeling more comfortable and at peace. And sometimes, if the perpetrator was someone known to the family, simply being able to tell another person without judgment is a huge step.”

Quite often, he said, palliative care workers are the first people survivors choose to tell. The numbers suggest many Australians may be carrying that burden in silence. Nearly three in 10 Australians experienced child sexual abuse, while more than half of Australians aged over 45 who experienced sexual violence have never disclosed it to anyone. That means many people entering palliative care may be carrying experiences their partners, children and even closest friends know nothing about. Yet there has been very little Australian research into how often those disclosures occur during end-of-life care.

International evidence is increasingly showing that serious illness, particularly cancer treatment and palliative care, can reactivate memories of childhood sexual abuse and other trauma. The immediate response to Canberra’s new training also highlights the need, with 26 staff and volunteers already registered before the first session has even been delivered.

Mr Arztenhofer said the training was not about turning palliative care workers into counsellors. It was about making sure the first response to a disclosure did not cause further harm.

“The training is not about giving staff and volunteers a script,” he said, “It’s about helping them listen well, respond in a trauma-informed way, understand the boundaries of their role, and know what support pathways are available.”

He said the training also recognised that hearing such deeply personal stories could affect staff and volunteers themselves.

“We want to make sure the person disclosing feels heard and acknowledged and doesn’t experience additional trauma because of the conversation. But we also have a responsibility to make sure our staff and volunteers understand how to process what they’ve heard and know what supports are available for them as well.”

The partnership itself began with a conversation. The chief executives of Palliative Care ACT and the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre met at a community event and realised both organisations were supporting people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. What started as an informal discussion quickly became a plan to develop specialist training and stronger referral pathways for palliative care staff.

Canberra Rape Crisis Centre chief executive officer Tiffany Karlsson said disclosures of sexual violence could happen at any stage of life, including many decades after the abuse occurred.

“For victim-survivors, the response they receive in that moment can shape whether they feel believed, respected and safe or whether they feel silenced all over again.”

The organisations believe the program is the first Australian initiative developed specifically for palliative care settings, highlighting how little attention has been paid to an issue that sits at the intersection of trauma, ageing and end-of-life care.

This story written by Naziya Alvi Rahman was first published by the Region Canberra on 22 August 2026. It has been republished with permission. 

If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732.

The NSW Sexual Violence Helpline is available 24-hours on 1800 424 017. The Rainbow Sexual, Domestic, and Family Violence Helpline available 24-hours, free and confidential, can be reached on 1800 497 212.

For Lifeline call 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple zero.

If you have been affected by sexual violence, or someone you know has, you can report it to police. Read about the reporting options on the NSW Police Community Portal here.

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