Interfaith forum about death and donation

A COMMUNITY forum this weekend will explore death, sanctity of the human body, and blood, organ, and tissue donation.

Presented by the Ballarat Interfaith Network, the forum is being run as part of DonateLife Week, and will aim to engage local people of all faiths to think about whether registering to become a blood, organ or tissue donor is right for them.

Australian Red Cross Life Blood’s Stephanie Reynolds and DonateLife nurse donation specialist Larna Woodyatt will present, as well as a panel of five faith representatives from the Muslim, Baha’i, Christian, Sikh, and Hindu communities of Ballarat.

“It’s an opportunity for people of different faiths to hear what speakers have to say from the point of view of their own faith, and then to share a dynamic discussion around a table about the pros and cons,” BIN chair Margaret Lenan Ellis said.

“Some people might not have a specific faith at all, but are interested in the organ donation side of things, but for others, it’s a chance to share views on the human body, death and dying.

“Most religions hold a very reverential view of the human body, some to the degree where it should not be tampered with at all… but some, not to point where you can’t remove organs because there’s a sense that that’s giving life beyond your own life.

“For many, the death of the body is not the death of you as a soul. This is much of the line that will be taken by panellist Dr Daniel Terry, who is a health educationalist at FedUni, and from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Ballarat Cemeteries’ CEO Annie De Jong is also keen to connect with different faiths to see if there are any specific burial requirements that the organisation could better cater to.

The Interfaith Forum will be held this Sunday, 31 July from 2pm to 4pm at St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall on Dawson Street.

Register for the forum via 0400 650 234.