The Death Café is a gathering of people in an informal and relaxed atmosphere, talking about experiences, fears, and thoughts about the inevitable. The objective is to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their (finite) lives. There is no standard or official format, but generally, a Death Café event lasts between 90-120 minutes, is free to the public, and provides coffee + tea, soft drinks, and light snacks for participants.

Death Café is a frank, unscripted, non-directed discussion about the subject of dying and death conducted at a safe location, such as a community center, church, coffee shop, or yes, even a fire hall. A Death Café event typically starts with a facilitator welcoming attendees, explaining how the meeting will progress, and then offering an initial “icebreaker” for participants to discuss. Next, the conversation is turned over to the participants, which is when things become truly interesting. The conversation at this point usually follows a free-form, self-directed arrangement. There is no attempt to direct the discussion toward a particular outcome during a death cafe. Moreover, while the participants come from all walks of life, those attending the event usually understand that a Death Café is a place where participants can express personal opinions about dying and death freely, confidentially, and without fear of ridicule or recrimination.

While tears are absolutely welcome, and Kleenex is provided, Death Cafe conversations are typically driven by curiosity and wonder rather than an opportunity to relive personal experiences. People often come to explore ideas, ask questions, and share thoughts in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. It’s a space where you can express your feelings if they arise, but it’s not about revisiting past trauma.

Our Death Café is free and open to anyone, to speak freely and without judgment. We encourage folks from all walks of life. Due to limited capacity RSVP via the website is required and you will be sent a confirmation by email. Please note that a Death Café is not a bereavement support or grief counseling setting. The Death Café does not work for people who, for whatever reason, aren’t able to discuss death comfortably and openly. If you are seeking bereavement support or grief counseling, I encourage you to call the BC Bereavement Helpline. The service is free, confidential, and anonymous. They will help you find the most appropriate support for your specific type of loss. The BC Helpline is available Monday to Friday 9 AM - 5 PM PST and can be reached at 1 877 779 2223 contact@bcbh.ca

Megan and Chris live in Black Creek with their two dogs and one cat. Together, they proudly co-own a marine repair shop in Campbell River. Outside of work, Chris is deeply committed to his role with the Oyster River Fire Department, while Megan is a lifelong learner with an insatiable curiosity. Her passion for education led her to take an End of Life Doula course through Douglas College, where she first learned about Death Cafés. Inspired by the concept, Megan half-jokingly suggested to Chris that they host a Death Café together. To her surprise, he immediately said yes. Now, Megan and Chris are hosting their fourth Death Café, continuing their mission to create a welcoming space for open conversations about death and dying.

Dying is something we will universally experience, something that unites us all. People naturally want to talk about death and dying. However, our culture has made it taboo to openly discuss end-of-life. It’s often very private conversations that are only with doctors, lawyers, and funeral directors. As mentioned above, Megan recently took an End of Life Doula course and she hasn’t stopped talking about death since. Together with her husband Chris, they have had some fantastic conversations with friends and family about death and dying. These conversations have left them feeling more connected to their family and friends as well as more grateful for their finite lives. We want to encourage open, honest, and healthy dialogue surrounding death and dying. We want to bring the conversations back into the community, ultimately creating a more Death Positive culture.

People who are Death Positive believe that it is not morbid or taboo to speak openly about death. Engaging with our inevitable death is not unhealthy, but rather displays a natural curiosity about the human condition. They see honest conversations about death and dying as the cornerstone of a healthy society.

The idea originates with the Swiss sociologist and anthropologist Dr. Bernard Crettaz, who organized the first café mortel in 2004. Jon Underwood, a UK web developer was inspired by Crettaz's work and developed the Death Café model in 2011. As he saw it, western society has long outsourced discussions about death to doctors, priests and funeral directors. The result, says Underwood, is that we have lost control of one of the most significant events we ever have to face. He created the Death Café a scheduled non-profit get-together for the purpose of talking about death over food and drink, usually tea and cake. As of today, there have been 13,956 Death Cafés held in over 81 countries (since 2011).