About
Molly Carlile AM – is the Deathtalker®.
Molly has been a passionate advocate for dying and grieving people and for building compassionate communities for the bulk of her eclectic career. She is a sought after speaker because she talks about death in plain English, without all the medical jargon, with the aim of returning ownership and control to ordinary people.
“We are happy to talk about who we hooked up with on the weekend and our credit card debt on our mobile phones so that everyone within twenty metres can hear and yet we are paralysed when it comes to having meaningful conversations with the people we love about the one thing that will eventually impact us all… death” she says.
As Ambassador for “Dying to Know Day”, a national day of action (launched in 2013 by the Groundswell Project) Molly tours the country on August 8th each year supporting local events that encourage communities to “have the conversation” in ways that are locally relevant.
Download Molly’s Bio and watch her in action in the Dying to Know Day launch video.
Dying to Know Day 2013
Awards and Honors
2014 Member of the Order of Australia (General Division). Citation reads “ for significant service to community health through seminal contributions to organisations providing palliative care and to the performing arts”.
2012 Minister’s Award for Outstanding Achievement by an individual or team in healthcare. Victorian Public Healthcare Awards
2012 Deakin University and HealthSuper National Nursing and Midwifery Leadership Award (for Outstanding Leadership and Commitment to the Profession)
2012 International Journal of Palliative Nursing, Educator of the Year Award
2009 Arts and Health Australia Award for Health Promotion
2008 Churchill Fellowship
Plays
Four Funerals in One Day
By Alan Hopgood AM and Molly Carlile AM.
Karen is a community nurse caring for her first dying patient. Clarrie has had enough of being a burden on his family and wants to die now. Vi is tired and bad tempered and wondering why she stays working in palliative care, particularly as she has her own problems at home. Sue is walking the fine line of acting as a mentor for junior staff and supporting a colleague who isn’t coping. Designed to facilitate community conversations about death, grief and living, Four Funerals in One Day is based on real people’s stories and is an entertaining and inspiring performance piece.
The Empty Chair
by Alan Hopgood AM and Molly Carlile AM.
A family gathering to celebrate the first Christmas without their mother finds they have to face the onset of dementia in their father. “The Empty Chair” is in the vein of “Mother and Son”, dealing with an otherwise sad and perhaps confronting subject with disarming humour. Those who wish to see a play about dementia will not be disappointed. Those who want an entertaining night in theatre will also not be disappointed.
Books
Molly Carlile AM is the author of the following books.
The Death Talker
The Death Talker is in all good bookstores (and available online) NOW. Full of info, stories and common sense tips on everything to do with mortality including:
• having conversations with your kids;
• managing your digital legacy;
• how to be informed and take back control of your life;
• choices about funerals; and
• questions to ask your doctor.
This book is a must read for everyone about the one thing we will all experience in our lives and yet we often put off thinking about… death.”
“This book is the culmination of over twenty-five years working with real people, answering questions and listening to their stories as they face their mortality. I hope everyone who reads it will come away informed and empowered to make choices based on the ‘stuff that matters’ to them and the people they love.” Molly
Sometimes Life Sucks
Teenagers experience loss in all kinds of ways. Whether it’s the death of a grandparent, pet or school friend, a teen fatality, a peer with a terminal illness, living without a mum or a dad, or the death of a celebrity, like everyone else teenagers also struggle to come to terms with their shock and grief.
Full of great tips, stories and gentle advice, Sometimes Life Sucks helps teens to navigate their personal experience of grief.
As of this week you’ll be able to purchase your very own copy of my new book, “Sometimes Life Sucks”. Published by Allen and Unwin.
You can purchase it also online from Allen and Unwin, Booktopia or a number of other online bookstores, or visit your local bookstore and ask them for a copy. If they don’t have one, get them to order it in!
Jelly Bean’s Secret
This is the story of nine-year-old Abby and her very special Grandma ‘Jelly Bean’. It is a story of the things they like to do together, especially finding treasures on the beach for their secret project.
One day Jelly Bean is rushed to hospital. We follow Abby and her family as they experience the roller coaster of emotions associated with a sudden serious illness, until finally, each member of the family says good bye -in their own unique way- and Jelly Bean dies.
This honest yet sensitive book will help young readers to learn about death and dying, and the rituals and feelings that accompany these inevitable times. Abby learns that her memories are precious and that Jelly Bean is always with her. Even though Abby’s brother Zac grieves in a very different way, together Abby and Zac carry on Jelly Bean’s tradition and the secret project is revealed.