May 22 - 28, 2019
Bringing death to centre stage
◆ EMOTIONAL JOURNEY: Mt Beauty woman Rose Sexton stars in The Last Waltz, which examines end of life decisions and palliative care. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
By KYLIE WILSON
SPARKING conversations about the end of life is a labour of love for Mt Beauty woman Rose Sexton. Appearing this week in a one woman play about palliative care and death, The Last Waltz, Rose also works as an “end of life doula” and together with fellow doula Nicole Stephens, formed End Stage Productions earlier this year. “When it comes to talking about death, the western world is crying out for reconnection and empowerment, and to bring the curtain back up on an area of our lives that has too long been pushed to the back of the stage,” Rose, who is also an associate nurse unit manager at Alpine Health, said. “I have a passion for promoting conversations and reflection on the reality of life, which is that death is the inevitable end. “We have made such advances in medicine and technology that death has been pushed way into the background. “Now we see any death as a failure, as something that wasn’t meant to happen, a tragedy. “We’ve almost taken on the idea that we will live forever, so we happily charge ahead, not giving a moment’s thought to our end; how that might like and how we can prepare.”
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GARDEN HINTS
PET CARE
WINE TALK
YOUR HEALTH
TECH & SCIENCE
with HELEN
with JANE
with ANITA
with SOPHIE & BELINDA
with CHRIS
06D07810-V149/2119