Cleveland's First Death Cafe - Success!
*** Stop press - Cleveland Death Cafe is in the news ***
eFuneral hosted Cleveland’s first-ever death cafe …. and it was a huge success!
“If life is a school, loss is a major part of the curriculum.” - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
On Wednesday, April 10th at 7:00pm, 26 individuals from various backgrounds – ranging from those who work in hospice or healthcare to caregivers to those who have never been closely affected by a death - gathered and successfully paved the way for Clevelanders to tackle the difficult topic of death. Individuals of all ages – from those in their 20’s to those in their 70’s – and of all faiths joined us for coffee, cake, and conversation.
After our brief introductions, we broke up into four groups, which is where the real discussions took place. The participants were able to bring up whatever topic they chose, but we also had an agenda that included specific questions and quotes related to death that sparked curious and personal conversations. While many of the groups took on similar themes, such as thoughts and beliefs about the afterlife, bucket lists, and personal loss, each group had a very different experience based on the others involved in their discussion. At the end of the event, the participants came together to share the highlights of their group.
It was intriguing to hear each groups summary of their conversations. For instance, one group described theirs as curious, while another stated that their conversations were very practical, with tips on how to bring up advance planning with family members.
At the end, we asked each participant to fill out an evaluation and share three words to describe their experience of this death cafe – this is what people had to say:
Very good. Comfortable. Supportive. Informational. Stimulating. Time well-spent. Comforting. Inspiring. Fascinating. Very interesting. Intimate personal encounter. Wonderful. Beautiful. Fun. Casual. Helpful. Worthwhile. Healing. Joyous. Sharing. Unique. Foreign. Unusual. Enlightening. Sad. Genuine.
Overall, we’re thrilled that the collective response to Cleveland’s first death cafe was very positive. We’re planning our next death cafe for this summer, so stay tuned for details! If you have any questions about the death cafe, feel free to email Chelsea Gumucio, who led the event and discussion, at Chelsea @ eFuneral.com.
Cleveland's 2nd Death Cafe will take place on Wednesday June 19, 7-9pm @ Luna Bakery Cafe in Cleveland Heights.
I look forward to being there!
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