Kathryn Mannix, author of 'With the End in Mind' is a guest at tomorrow's Armchair Chat with our friends at Compassionate Community North Berwick.
Kathryn will talk about her book which tells the stories of how ordinary people live while they are dying. Kathryn said:
"It’s a complicated truth: we all fear dying, and we all fear it in different ways, according to our individual circumstances and life experiences.
"And yet… Dying is a bodily process. Just like pregnancy and birth, it has recognisable stages of progression. We can recognise the progress of life-limiting illness; we can predict, less reliably early on yet with increasing accuracy as death comes closer. It’s usually possible to gather the right people in time, and help them to prepare, because for most of us, dying affects not only the dying person but also their dear ones. Whether or not we are related to the people we hold most dear, dying is a ‘family affair.’
"But so often, dying people and their families remain unprepared because our fear about death has become a fear about even mentioning dying.
"My life in palliative care has shown me that the process of dying is made less frightening and more peaceful, the better prepared we are. Knowing what to expect, and knowing what our dear ones will see as we die, helps people to plan, to speak to each other openly and honestly, and to relax. It also helps people to enjoy each day as it arises, instead of fearing a sudden and unexpected onset of dying, because usually, death approaches us gradually."
The event will also feature live music from Ruth Stapleton, a singer and actress from County Durham who has been working with residents and staff in her local nursing home during the pandemic.
To attend this free event, Tues 25 May, 7pm to 8.30pm, first register by clicking on the Eventbrite link below and booking your place prior to 25th May.
