A special live streamed event
Oliver Christen
A conscious end to a life well lived
Join best-selling author Oliver Christen and Australian end of life doula and educator Helen Callanan from Preparing the Way for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about choice, agency, preparation and family support at end of life.
Oliver is the author of the #1 Amazon Best Seller As She Chose, a memoir about accompanying his mother as she made a conscious choice about the end of her life through voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED). Her experience opens a wider conversation about what it means to feel complete with living, how we communicate our wishes, and how families can support someone whose choices may challenge their own assumptions or fears.
Together, Oliver and Helen will explore VSED through the lens of one family’s lived experience, alongside questions of dignity, autonomy, letting go, spirituality and the importance of approaching difficult end of life conversations with curiosity and openness.
The event includes a paperback copy of As She Chose, access to an extended recorded conversation between Oliver and Helen, the live online event and access to the recording afterwards. Participants will also be invited to submit questions for Oliver, with a selection explored during the live conversation.
Event details
A live, online conversation
Join Oliver Christen and Helen Callanan as they explore choice, agency, preparation and family support at end of life, including Oliver’s experience accompanying his mother through voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED).
Curated Q&A
Oliver Christen will respond to pre-submitted questions curated and presented by Helen Callanan.
Details
Tuesday, 20 October
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm AEDT
Online via Zoom
General admission $90
Concession $75
A recording will be available to all registrants.
About the presenters
Oliver Christen
Oliver Christen is a Swiss/Australian best-selling author, entrepreneur and lifelong explorer. After two decades travelling, building businesses across four continents and immersing himself in meditative practice, he returned to Switzerland to be closer to his parents. His experience accompanying his mother through her intentional end of life inspired his first book, As She Chose, a deeply personal memoir exploring agency, presence, relationships and the spiritual dimensions of life’s final chapter.
Helen Callanan
Helen Callanan is the founder, co-owner, and lead educator of Preparing the Way, which has trained over 2,600 end of life doulas across Australia and New Zealand. With more than 35 years of experience as a doula and over 40 years supporting people who are healing, living with a diagnosis, advancing in age, dying and grieving, Helen brings deep personal and professional insight to her work. She provides training and consultation to government bodies, NGOs, universities, and healthcare organisations. Her passion is education that empowers choice, compassion, and transformation.
Who this is for
This event is for anyone interested in exploring choice, agency and conscious intention at end of life, including:
Anyone curious about end of life choice
Carers, family and community members
Health and palliative care professionals
Aged care workers
Spiritual care and grief practitioners
End of life doulas
Learn more about Oliver Christen
