Palliative Care Australia is delighted to announce award-winning ABC radio presenter and producer Di Darmody as the MC for the inaugural Oceanic Palliative Care Conference in Perth this September.

A very familiar voice to those in Western Australia – both in regional areas and Perth– Di brings a wealth of presenting and communications expertise to 19OPCC.

“My real passion is people and their stories,” said Di.  “I think everyone has something to tell us and a story we can learn from. In a conference environment, it is a privilege as MC to help draw those stories out and share with audience members who can really connect or benefit, either professionally or at a personal level.”

Having previously hosted events for Palliative Care WA, including most recently the inaugural WA Palliative Care Awards in May 2019, Di says she’s excited to have the opportunity to engage with the broader palliative care sector at 19OPCC

“I’m always thrilled to be involved in palliative care.

“I feel very blessed that I haven’t as yet had to have any direct personal experience with palliative care. But as someone who has had the opportunity to engage with the sector I do feel a sense of relief to know that these passionate palliative care practitioners are out there doing great work.

“It’s reassuring to know that people are being looked after when they need to be – at a time of their life when they are most vulnerable.”

“I’m looking forward to learning more about palliative care - both the challenges and opportunities - at the conference.”

After starting her career with the ABC as a producer in Newcastle NSW, Di moved to Western Australia to present the Drive program for the Midwest and Wheatbelt in Geraldton. Falling in love with WA, Di moved from the Midwest and worked on a variety of programs for 720 ABC Perth including State-wide Mornings, Drive, National Grandstand, ABC Rural and most recently presenting 720 Afternoons.

In recent years Di has balanced family life – including being mum to two very active young boys – with her media career and her family’s regional school bus business and is increasingly in demand for corporate MC and presenting work.

“I am starting to focus more and more on MC’ing and presenting roles, as professionally it’s something I really enjoy.”

“I feel privileged to represent an organisation – even if it’s just for a few hours or over days. Being able to use my professional experience to bring an event to life is very rewarding.”

“It’s not about me. I always feel that I’m a conduit between the information that people want to share and the audience. If you can help the presenters or panellists relay their experiences and key messages more effectively and guide the conversations, then I think you can really add value to the event.”

“I feel like I’m learning all the time and it always surprises me the things that I take away from conferences. 

"My natural curiosity as a journalist is definitely still there. But it’s nice to get the chance to explore content in a different, more in-depth way, compared to, say, a seven minute interview on the radio. Today’s news cycle can at times churn through people and stories so quickly, so it’s nice to be in a forum where you can delve a bit deeper and spend a little more time exploring issues and giving voice to different perspectives.”

Having been involved in many conferences across a broad range of subject areas, Di says going in with an open mind and the right attitude is the key to getting the most out of the experience.

“Sometimes you see people go into conferences with an attitude that ‘I’m stuck in a room for this many days’ and they are thinking about their emails piling up back at the office. But the more you can immerse yourself in the program, the more you’ll be able to take away. And you’ll be surprised at the things that will stand out and resonate with you – often it’s not what you expect. On paper a session might not seem to be as relevant for you, yet that will be the one that stands out on the day. The more engaged you can be at the event – whether as part of official networking activities or just having conversations - the more value you’ll get.”

Di says his also extends to getting out and experiencing the host city. “Perth is beautiful and stunning – I just love it! There’s so much to do and 19OPCC is being held in a fantastic, central location – so there’s lots of opportunities to explore the city and enjoy the overall conference experience.”

The 2019 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference runs from 10 – 13 September at the Perth Convention Centre. Explore the 19OPCC Conference Program and register to attend at oceanicpallcare.com.au

Full Registration and Individual day passes are available, with discounts for eligible students, volunteers and group bookings.