This National Palliative Care Week (11 – 17 May), we asked a simple yet powerful question, “What’s your plan?”

We witnessed community events buzzing with conversations, buildings lit up in orange and white, and sector discussions opening space for learning and connection.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who brought this National Palliative Care Week’s message to life - in your neighbourhoods, through your digital networks, workplaces, and local spaces.

A vibrant campaign formed the foundation for raising awareness and prompting those important conversations.

“This year’s campaign has connected with millions of Australians in their everyday lives, encouraging them and their loved ones to talk about what matters most at the end of life and to discuss plans that empower and respect their choices during the last years, months, and days of life,” said Camilla Rowland, CEO, Palliative Care Australia (PCA).

PCA hosted three major national events as part of this year’s campaign:

• The National Palliative Care Week Lecture was a powerful event – from deeply personal stories to eye-opening reflections, our speakers reminded us why palliative care matters - and what happens when it’s missing. The lecture was viewed by over a thousand people. It is now available to watch on-demand.
• The PCA Connect Webinar (in collaboration with Advance Care Planning Australia), featured a practical and open conversation. We explored advance care planning, not just the paperwork, but the deeper, more meaningful conversations about what matters most for people at the end of life. Watch on-demand here.
• The Story Exchange (in collaboration with The Palliative Story Exchange, USA) was an intimate and moving gathering where four storytellers shared lived experiences of palliative care, offering moments of reflection, shared understanding, and deep connection.

This year’s campaign also resonated beyond the palliative care sector, with several national peak bodies — including Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), Parkinson’s Australia, Cancer Council, Carers Australia, COTA Australia, Dementia Australia, and so many others - helping to amplify the message across their own communities.

The message continues to ripple into this week – National Volunteer Week - with Volunteering Australia’s Chair, Micheal Drew, recognising the vital contribution of palliative care volunteers during his national address at the launch of the Week at Government House. It is a powerful reminder that the values at the heart of palliative care resonate far and wide.

Across the country, our members also marked National Palliative Care Week with a range of powerful initiatives.

Landmarks were lit up in orange and white to symbolise support for palliative care, including the Story Bridge and King George Square in Queensland, Port Lincoln Silos and Adelaide Convention Centre in South Australia, Council House in Western Australia, and iconic sites across Tasmania and the ACT.

In addition to these visual displays, members led a variety of meaningful activities - from the launch of the Tasmanian Palliative Care Community Charter and professional education events in New South Wales, to wide-reaching community engagement across Victoria and beyond.

These initiatives created space for conversations and learning across the sector and community - raising awareness and strengthening palliative care across Australia.

The impact of National Palliative Care Week doesn’t end here. “What’s your plan?” is a question for every day, and every week of the year.

National Palliative Care Week is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and is the nation’s largest annual initiative of its kind.