from the chairperson’s desk
Of all the beacons in life’s journey, death is the supreme certainty.
Far from casting a shadow over our lives, the inevitability of our death should be a liberating compass, reminding us of the control we have over our lives. It should guide our perspective on how we live, gently reminding us of life’s privileges and enjoyments, and our responsibilities.
Death – that unavoidable destination – is always preceded by dying. For some, dying is a process, protracted or short; for others, dying is an event, sudden and unexpected. We do not know what it will be. Click here to read the full article…
the Exit interview
Dignity Matters poses some questions to:
Nik Rabinowitz, South Africa's much-loved stand-up comedian, actor, author, TV presenter, and podcast host, known and admired for his multilingual comedy and social commentary.
THE EXIT INTERVIEW with Nik Rabinowitz
If calories and indigestion were no object, what culinary indulgence would be your last?
The last thing you taste before meeting your maker should be something that makes you question if meeting your maker is really necessary, which is why I’d kick off with a 5g magic mushroom starter, followed by six hours of dimensional time travel, then an oyster or twelve, one crayfish tail, my mother’s guinea fowl casserole, and a slice of Lucie Rie’s chocolate tort. That’s the circle of life right there – you start by seeing God and finish by tasting heaven.
Ideally, how would you like to go?
EXPERT input
Palliative care - an extension of medical care: myths and facts
By Tersia Burger – CEO of the APCC
The Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) is a national association for service providers that provide vital palliative care resources to both insured and uninsured South Africans, through self-funding activities and limited formal financial support.
The palliative care sector in South Africa started post a visit in 1979 from Dame Cicely Saunders, pioneer of the Hospice movement in the United Kingdom. HospiceWits was founded that year, followed by St Lukes Hospice in 1980, Highway Hospice and South Coast Hospice in 1982, Helderberg Hospice in 1986 and the formation of the Hospice Association of South Africa (HASA) in 1987.
On The Lighter Side
POPCORN TIME
REVIEW: MILLION DOLLAR BABY
Reviewed by: Dawid van der Merwe
Rating: ★★★★½
Million Dollar Baby: A Haunting Knockout That Speaks to the Heart of Dignity
[SPOILER ALERT - If you haven't watched the movie, this review contains major plot details.]
Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby is more than a sports drama. It is a soul-searing meditation on autonomy, love, and the ethics of dying. In the quiet ache beneath the film’s pugilistic grit lies a question that sits at the core of the DignitySA campaign: What does it mean to live and die, with dignity?
good reads
Review: “Me Before You”
by Jojo Moyes
Reviewed by: Dawid van der Merwe
Rating: ★★★★½
Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You is not just a love story, it’s a heart-wrenching exploration of autonomy, identity, and the unflinching right to choose one’s ending. Beneath its romantic framing lies a novel of deep ethical complexity. One that doesn’t flinch from the raw edges of what it means to live, and what it means to want to die with dignity.
South African Update
Stransham-Ford Legacy Continues
Ten years after the landmark Stransham-Ford case reignited the debate on assisted dying in SA, new legal efforts are gaining traction in 2025.
Global News Round-Up
Countries Where Assisted Dying is Legal:
Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg – Euthanasia is legal for adults and, in specific cases, minors.
Canada – MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) is accessible under strict criteria.
More articles from our website
You will enjoy this eclectic easy listening playlist as much as we do, courtesy of Douglas Werewolf
-aka Sean O'Connor, host of the excellent podcast-
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