The Gift of Song in End of Life Care

The Whakaahuru Singers were formed in 2014 to sing at the bedside of people who are receiving palliative care or otherwise approaching the end of life. This may include those living in their own homes, hospice, hospital or residential care. The service will be delivered without charge to patients or their families.

In the United States over the past 15 years there has been a growing movement of specialist choirs who sing for palliative care. We would like to tap into the wisdom and experience of these groups by sending our representatives to a workshop presented by one of the most senior groups in this field - the Hallowell Singers. It will be invaluable to the development of our choir both musically and in the ways we support each other as we grow in this service. The workshop will be attended by singers and administrators of many such choirs in the Vermont region, and will be a chance for our representatives to meet with, network and learn from these established groups.

The two people we want to send to the workshop are our musical director Carol Shortis, and singer and committee member Bridgett Parkin. Carol has a passionate and longstanding commitment to community music and her focus will be on learning the repertoire, teaching and voice techniques of this highly respected group. In addition to getting involved with the musical side of things, Bridgett will be looking at the ways these mature groups support and nurture each other and interact with patients, their families and carers. The total cost of sending Carol and Bridgett to the workshop is approximately $6,000.

With your generous donation we will be able to gain new knowledge and insight into the practice of bedside singing. We will use this to join with other therapists and carers to enrich the end of life care available to people in Wellington and other parts of the country.

To be at the bedside at the end of life is an honour that gives a sense of the forces that bind us all. Our desire is to be there with a gift to ease the journey - please help us to achieve this.

Here are some samples of the songs we sing.

https://soundcloud.com/carol-shortis/vullah-vunnah-nah/s-0pJpY

https://soundcloud.com/carol-shortis/plovi-barka/s-p1IX9

https://soundcloud.com/carol-shortis/how-could-anyone-ever-tell-you/s-LIA6s