You only die once campaign

Palliative Care WA has launched You only die once, Australia’s first consumer awareness campaign on Advance Care Planning.

Advance Care Planning is the process of discussing and documenting future health care wishes, values and priorities. A good death gives people dignity, choice and support to address their physical, personal, social and spiritual needs. Advance Care Planning helps to make that possible.

Results from a WA survey undertaken as a part of our campaign planning earlier this year, indicated only 15 % of respondents had heard of Advance Care Planning. Across Australia more than 80% of people think it’s important to put our end-of-life care preferences into writing, but less than 5% of us have completed an advance care plan.

The You only die once campaign challenges people to see death as an important part of life and therefore worthy of consideration and planning.  It asks people to have early conversations with family, friends and carers around their preferences for their end of life care.

The campaign includes TV and radio advertising, online videos on Palliative Care WA’s YouTube channel and social media. A dedicated website www.youonlydieonce.com.au provides a guide to Advance Care Planning and a resources hub for people to utilise.

You only die once is supported by members of the CEO Roundtable on Palliative Care, Department of Health and Lotterywest.