These are moments that matter. Love. Joy. Trust. Home. Family. Freedom. Purpose.

These are also values that guide us as human beings.

They unite us and give meaning to our lives.

Around 160,000 Australians die each year and 120,000 need palliative care. Most of us at some stage in our lives will be affected by this statistic. Yet many of us do not understand what palliative care is.
Across cultures, gender, spirituality and wherever we live we share values that make us human. Love. Joy. Family. Freedom. Trust. Home. The Moments That Matter campaign shares personal experiences of palliative care.

These are powerful stories about moments of joy and freedom that make life beautiful. We see love strengthened when time is limited. Family and loved ones give us purpose.

The person in each story shares what matters most to them. Each person’s experience is different. What they reveal is the opportunity to show and experience love. To be with family. To live with purpose. They provide a deeper understanding of what palliative care is. Giving people the support to live, die and grieve well.

Around 160,000 Australians die each year and 120,000 need palliative care. Most of us at some stage in our lives will be affected by this statistic. Yet many of us do not understand what palliative care is.

Accepting our mortality helps us to put life into perspective, to live each moment, each day as best as we can. To live life in a way that is true to your values, true to what really matters to you.

Palliative care is not only about dying and death. It’s about improving quality of life. It’s embracing what matters most to people with a life limiting illness and their families.

An incurable illness that shortens life has a huge impact. It is natural to feel fear, anxiety, anger and loss. Care of the whole person and their loved ones helps. This includes their physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing.

Watch these moving videos of people who have experienced palliative care.
Visit momentsthatmatter.org.au

Freedom

Mari-Alexia is an Australian-Greek woman in her early fifties. She has an incurable condition contributing to lung and heart disease. Palliative care has changed her life and her understanding of what it means. It has had a big impact on her mental health – helping to address her fears, to feel more
in control of her life and to focus on living. She describes palliative care as giving her freedom.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/freedom

Purpose

Renai is an Aboriginal woman in her late 40s who has advanced cancer (multiple-myeloma). Her passion and sense of purpose are her family and education. Initially reluctant to accept palliative care, she says it is having a very positive impact on her life and by supporting her family.She is keen to ensure that Aboriginal people know that palliative care is very helpful and respectful.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/purpose

Love

Christine and Matt are in their 60s and met each other nearly four years ago. Since then, both have been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Christine has advanced breast cancer and Matt has Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Palliative care provides nursing, social work and practical support. It has
helped with their anxiety and they know they can call on them for help at any time. They feel loved by the palliative care staff.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/love

Joy

Aidan is in his late 30s and the bereaved partner of his wife Toni, who died in her mid 30s after a seven year illness with incurable brain cancer. Palliative care played an important role in the last eight months of Toni’s life, providing emotional and spiritual care, music therapy, physiotherapy, equipment and bereavement support. Aidan says palliative care helped them to have those hard conversations, to leave nothing unsaid, have no regrets, and to enjoy life. Toni died at home and they jointly planned her funeral. Palliative care enabled Toni to experience joy through music and walking.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/joy

Family

Ameneh is a refugee in her early 30s and the bereaved mother of Anahita who died several years ago from a rare genetic condition. It was a traumatic time having no family or friends in Australia. Palliative care became their family, providing medical, counselling, practical and other support they needed. Ameneh says how important it was to feel accepted and loved during their daughter’s illness, when her husband also faced the death of his parents. The counselling helped them to resolve their initial sense of guilt about their daughter’s illness and death.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/family

Home

John is 80 years old and the recently bereaved partner of Margot, his wife of almost 60 years. Margot had renal failure and wanted to die at home.  Palliative care made it possible for John to care for Margot for eight months and to die at home. He valued their specialised skills and support, including
with his grief.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/home

Trust

Jock is in his mid 70s and has advanced prostate cancer and secondaries. He lives with his wife at home and palliative care provides support with his complex symptoms and spiritual care. Jock highlights the trust they have in the palliative care staff and value their empathy and support.

momentsthatmatter.org.au/stories/trust