We are three sisters from Perth who have lived through profound loss and the impact of grief. Our journey began with the unexpected passing of our beloved brother in 2009. While our parents remained by his side in ICU, we were faced with the heartbreaking task of packing up his personal belongings and emptying his apartment, knowing that he wouldn’t be returning.

Grief visited us again in 2019 when our mum was diagnosed with young-onset dementia at just age 59. As our parents were separated, we quickly became Mum’s primary carers, assuming responsibility for her life affairs and household. This meant becoming her power of attorney and guardian and taking on new responsibilities - decisions that required strength, love, and unwavering commitment.

Before Mum's diagnosis, she had been Power of Attorney for her sister, our Aunty Shirley, who also had dementia, and so this role became ours as well. Still in our thirties, we never imagined that we would be packing up three households - one in the wake of death and two to dementia and transitioning into care.

These experiences shaped our perspective on life and death. We've come to believe that planning for the end of life should be a normal and accepted part of the human experience. We are strong, independent women who live by our values, passions, and preferences - so why should the way we say goodbye be any different?

Sadly, our brother never had the opportunity to express his wishes for his final moments, leaving us to make the best choices we could. But with our Mum and Aunty, we embraced moments to have meaningful conversations about their wishes, values, and feelings towards the end of life.

Though Mum can no longer verbalise her desires, we are grateful for the conversations we had before her voice was taken. Now, when we play What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, we know it was her choice - a reflection of her spirit and the beauty she found in life.