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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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It was during his initial palliative care volunteer training that Ray first heard about wind phones. It was in the section covering grief and bereavement and something about the idea really struck a chord with him.

A wind phone is a disconnected, non-working telephone set up in a quiet space where people can have one-way conversations with deceased loved ones. Itaru Sasaki created the very first wind phone, or Kaze no Denwa, in his own private garden in Ōtsuchi, Japan in 2010 to help him cope with losing his cousin to cancer.

A year later, after the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Sasaki opened the booth to the public to help grieving community members. Since then, more than 30 000 people have visited there, and a global wind phone movement grew.

Inspired by the idea, Ray got to work building his very own wind phone from scratch. With a background in sheet metal work and other types of construction he had the skills to get it done in only a couple of months. The result? A beautiful full size phone booth style wind phone nestled under the shade of a frangipani tree in his backyard. August 5 marks it’s 3-year anniversary.

Like Sasaki’s original, this wind phone is not open to the public. It is however available to his fellow volunteers. Ray knows that many volunteers are drawn to palliative care because they have their own experiences of grief and the nature of the role may leave some looking for an outlet to vent their feelings. A wind phone is the perfect place to do so.

Not wanting to stop at only one, Ray has another two wind phones in the works. One will be stationed outside Mt Druitt Palliative Care Unit near the fishpond and barbeque area. Once installed it will be a great resource for patients, families, carers, volunteers, and staff. He has already started pulling materials together for the third which will be in the iconic bright red British telephone box style.

Under construction – Ray’s wind phone destined for the Mt Druitt Palliative Care Unit

Thanks Ray, you’re a legend.

You can read more about wind phones in our recent news posts here and here or read The Phone Box at the Edge of the World book written by Laura Imai Messina. If movies are more your speed you might like to watch Voices in the Wind (2020) which features the original wind phone. This Japanese film is available to watch in full for free on YouTube here. Don’t forget to turn on captions to get the subtitles in English and have a box of tissues nearby.

Main photo: Ray Baldacchino next to his backyard wind phone.

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Facing a terminal diagnosis changes the way people think about time. Priorities shift. Small moments become precious. Experiences that once seemed ordinary can take on profound meaning.

For Matthew Cumming, who was diagnosed with stage-four prostate cancer in 2020, that shift led him to reconnect with what mattered most. He returned to sailing, travelled with loved ones, and embraced opportunities that had long been postponed. But one of the most meaningful experiences came not from a destination or adventure, but from something surprisingly simple: telling his life story.

The Power of Looking Back

Many people assume they haven’t done anything extraordinary enough to warrant a biography. Matthew initially felt the same way, questioning what he could possibly have to offer. Yet through a biography program at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, he spent time reflecting on his experiences, achievements, relationships, and lessons learned.

What emerged was not just a record of events. It was recognition.

The process helped him see his life from a different perspective. The conversations provided purpose, connection, and an opportunity to appreciate the impact he had made on others.

It’s a reminder that most lives are far richer than we give ourselves credit for.

Cumming’s biographer Tilgals, who retired from a career in media last year, says volunteering has had an enormous impact on her life.

The hospital, whose program has been running for 12 years, has just partnered with the University of Notre Dame on a study hoping to back up the anecdotal benefits staff, patients, families and volunteers have experienced. It’s slated for publication later this year.

Davinia Seah, head of palliative medicine at St Vincent’s, hopes the findings from the Notre Dame study will help bolster credibility and secure greater funding for the service.

“It’s the human aspects of people’s stories that come out, bringing back connection, making one human, not just a patient,” she says.

Professor Megan Best, a research associate at Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and Society, is leading the study. We’re delighted that Professor Best will be presenting her findings on her Storytelling at End of Life: Evaluating the Establishment of Volunteer-Led Biography Programs in Palliative Care research at this year’s Volunteer Managers Conference. {add link “Volunteer Managers Conference’ to volconf program page https://pcnswconference.org.au/volunteer-managers/

Why Stories Matter at the End of Life

Palliative care is often associated with managing physical symptoms and improving comfort. Increasingly, however, healthcare providers are recognising the importance of emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Biography programs allow patients to reflect on their lives, preserve memories, and create a lasting legacy for families. These conversations can help people find meaning, reinforce their identity, and feel seen as more than a diagnosis.

For family members, the resulting stories become treasured records. Future generations gain insight into who their parents, grandparents, and loved ones truly were beyond the roles they played in everyday life.

This news story written by Sydney Morning Herald lifestyle writer Lauren Ironmonger, writes that Matthew’s experience highlights something universal: every person has a story worth telling. We often wait for a milestone, retirement, or crisis before reflecting on our lives. Yet taking time to record memories, share experiences, and express gratitude can be valuable at any stage of life.

In a world that often celebrates achievement, biography programs remind us of a deeper truth: every life contains meaning, and every story is worth remembering.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald article “After a terminal diagnosis, this simple act brought Matthew joy“

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Recent hospital experiences have highlighted the remarkable impact therapy dogs can have on patient wellbeing. At Austin Health, in Victoria, a therapy dog visit to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) helped create a moment of calm and comfort for a patient and family member during an incredibly challenging time. Staff reported seeing stress levels ease, smiles return, and meaningful connections form across patients, families, and healthcare teams.

Evidence continues to demonstrate the value of therapy dog programs in healthcare settings. Research has shown that interactions with therapy dogs can help reduce anxiety, stress, perceived pain and loneliness, while creating meaningful moments of comfort and connection for patients and families. Studies in intensive care units have found that therapy dog visits can provide immediate emotional benefits and help humanise what can otherwise be a highly clinical environment. (Sources: Therapy dogs help reduce pain and anxiety in intensive care, Canberra Hospital study finds and Therapy Dogs at the Bedside: A Scoping Review
of Pet Therapy in Adult Intensive Care Units

While therapy dogs often capture the spotlight, it is the dedicated volunteers behind these programs who make every visit possible. From training and assessment to ongoing support and coordination, volunteers contribute countless hours to ensuring therapy dog teams can safely and effectively support people in hospitals, aged care homes, schools, community services, and other settings.

Pet therapy programs demonstrate the unique value that volunteers bring to communities. As seen in healthcare settings, volunteers often provide something that complements professional care: companionship, reassurance, and human connection. Their contribution helps create positive experiences that can improve quality of life and support emotional wellbeing for those facing difficult circumstances.

This important role of volunteer-led pet therapy will be in focus at the Palliative Care Volunteer Managers Conference this October, where Nepean Therapy Dogs will be presenting on the impact of therapy dog programs and the volunteer teams who deliver them. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of animal-assisted support, the recruitment and management of therapy dog volunteers, and the growing recognition of pet therapy as a valuable complement to health and community services.

Read the inspiring story at Austin Health by clicking here: A paw-sitive first for ICU: Pet Therapy brings comfort to critically ill patients

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If you feel fine for weeks then completely fall apart, that’s not regression. That’s your prefrontal cortex finally lowering its defences once the immediate survival response is over.

If you can’t concentrate, remember words, or finish sentences while grieving, that’s not losing your mind. That’s cortisol and norepinephrine actively impairing hippocampal function — grief physically disrupts memory formation.

If your body aches, your chest feels tight, or you feel physically ill, that’s not psychosomatic. That’s your anterior cingulate cortex — the same region that processes physical pain — lighting up in response to loss.

If you feel angry instead of sad, that’s not the wrong reaction. That’s your nervous system choosing fight over freeze because your brain is desperately searching for something it can control.

If you keep reaching for your phone to tell them something before remembering, that’s not morbid. That’s a prediction circuit your brain built over years that hasn’t been updated yet. It takes time to rewrite.

If your sleep is completely destroyed even when you’re exhausted, that’s not insomnia. That’s your threat-detection system refusing to go offline because it’s still scanning for the person it lost.

If you feel relief after losing someone, even someone you loved deeply, that’s not a character flaw. That’s your nervous system exhaling after a prolonged period of anticipatory stress. Relief and love are not opposites.

If grief hits hardest at night, that’s not weakness. That’s your prefrontal cortex — your rational override — running out of fuel, leaving your limbic system unguarded and your loss unfiltered.

If you feel guilty for laughing, enjoying something, or having a good day, that’s not betrayal. That’s a nervous system that confused grief with loyalty. Healing was never the opposite of love.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Be kind to yourself. Give space. Allow time. Just breathe.

Story credit: Grief Care

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