MEDIA CENTRE

Critical Info – Rebecca Lyons: Advocating for Home Funerals and Family-Centric Death Care

You’ve probably heard of the term ‘doula’ before, often used in the context of those who support birthing mothers. But do you understand the role of a death doula? In this recording, we demystify the often misunderstood role of an end of life doula, a role that Rebecca Lyons embodies with passion and dedication. Rebecca shares her personal journey that led her into the funeral industry and eventually to her current role as a doula and independent funeral director. Learn about the broad and diverse responsibilities of a doula, from practical logistics to the deeply emotional ‘heart work’.

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So much talking!

While I keep working on an actual blog, I thought I would share a few podcasts that have hit the socials recently. There is also a Podcast for SBS called Grave Matters which you can find here – https://www.sbs.com.au/audio/podcast-episode/dead-curious-how-can-we-do-death-and-dying-better/j6faym76f

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ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS

Alkaline Hydrolysis is a process of reduction of human tissue, whereby the elements of the body return to a liquid state and placed back into the water cycle. Alkaline hydrolysis is a process of chemical reduction whereby organic and protein-based materials are reduced to liquid. There are different ways of doing this, using both pressurised machines with high temperature, and unpressurised machines with a low (or atmospheric) temperature. There are two main companies providing this technology in the USA – Bio-Response and Resomation. This is a relatively new method of human body disposal, which is both a disruptive technology and a working technology.  This process is known by many names including flameless cremation, water cremation, Resomation, Aquamation and it is legal in more than 20 states of the

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Natural Burial, Your Final Earthly Gift

In 2023 the Geeveston Progress Association opened up this patch of land pictured here, to natural burial. A local community volunteer run cemetery, for the community, by the community. It is an exciting step for Tasmania, being the first space set aside in a cemetery for natural burial in the state. I have been looking at natural burial for a long time. In 2017 my family and I traveled to the UK and spent time visiting many natural burial grounds and meeting with cemetery managements and funeral directors. In 2019 I completed a Churchill Fellowship to continue looking at it, and I expanded the scope. It was 10 weeks, 6 countries, 21 flights, 4 train journeys, 47 interviews, 2 conference, 3 chauffeurs, 4 guided tours, 2 interpreters, scores

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Funeral Director: Why DIY Funerals Do Work

Funeral Director: Why DIY Funerals Do Work Funeral Director: Why DIY Funerals Do Work Good news! While we have spent the last hundred years outsourcing more and more of life, the DIY movement has been claiming it back, and those who want to avoid funeral costs are working out the many and varied benefits of this approach to death. In the last 120 years we have lost over 5000 years of knowledge about caring for our dead. Every one of you is capable of caring for your dead. It is legal, it is possible and it can fundamentally change what it means to grieve in this world. Facts –    * funeral directors are not always a legal requirement in every situation;    * there are many things

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Book launch at Fullers Bookshop

Coinciding with National Advanced Care Planning Week, Bec Lyons launches her book A Heartfelt Undertaking and chats with Joel Rheinberger, the host of Afternoons on ABC Radio Hobart.

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