SANTA BARBARA — The topic of death seems to be a cultural taboo in the United States and Hospice of Santa Barbara aims to change that.
“It does seem counterproductive for us to ignore when we consider that death is something that each of us will experience,” said David Selberg, CEO of Hospice of Santa Barbara. “Our denial, difficulty and fear around the conversation of death—what it means to us to age and eventually die, how best to prepare, what we want our family and friends to know about our final wishes—makes an already painful and challenging event that much harder.”
In light of this, Hospice of Santa Barbara is hosting an open dialogue every third Tuesday of the month called Death and Cupcakes. Attendees discuss death and celebrate life in a comfortable and welcoming setting, and yes, homemade cupcakes and coffee are provided for guests to enjoy.
In the spirit of Death Cafes and Death Over Dinner, this gathering is a group-directed discussion of end-of-life issues. This is not a support group or educational seminar. The aim is to talk openly about death, enhance life, and of course, eat cake.
The conversation is held on the third Tuesday of every month from 1-2 p.m. at Hospice of Santa Barbara, located at 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 100. The next discussion will take place on March 21. All community members are welcome to attend and are encouraged to bring their questions, curiosity, and tender hearts.
The objective is to raise awareness through open conversation about a topic that remains, for many, off limits.
“At Hospice, we think it’s our duty to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their lives,” said Selberg.
Hospice of Santa Barbara provides, at no cost, professional counseling and patient care services to people who are experiencing the impact of a serious illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on six local high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.