Consumer Health Resource| Palliative Care Victoria | Case Study

The client

Palliative Care Victoria is Victoria’s peak body for palliative care and end-of-life care. Established in 1981, the organisation works to improve access to quality palliative care through advocacy, education, collaboration and the development of trusted resources for healthcare professionals, people with life-limiting illness, their families and carers.

The challenge:

Palliative Care Victoria required a single, trusted publication to support people approaching end of life, their families and carers. Existing information was spread across numerous publications, developed over many years by different authors, resulting in inconsistent language, structure and accessibility.

The challenge was to create a comprehensive guide that combined clinical accuracy with compassionate, accessible communication.

Our approach:

Dr Leanne Downing led the strategic development of Living, Dying and Grieving Well, bringing together extensive stakeholder consultation, content strategy and publication development to create a trusted resource for people approaching end of life, their families and carers.

The project began by reviewing a large body of existing publications, identifying opportunities to consolidate overlapping information and establish a clear, consistent editorial approach. We then facilitated consultation with healthcare professionals, palliative care practitioners, people receiving palliative care and family members with lived experience, ensuring the publication reflected both clinical expertise and the realities of end-of-life care.

Drawing on these insights, we developed a new content structure, established a consistent editorial voice and translated complex clinical information into clear, compassionate language. Throughout the project, we worked closely with subject matter experts to maintain clinical accuracy while creating a publication that was accessible, engaging and easy to navigate.

The result was a flagship consumer guide that balanced evidence-based information with empathy, supporting people to make informed decisions during one of life’s most challenging experiences.

The outcome:

Living, Dying and Grieving Well became Palliative Care Victoria’s flagship consumer publication and remained the organisation’s primary end-of-life resource for more than a decade, supporting Victorians from 2012 to 2024.

Why it mattered

End-of-life care is one of the most sensitive and emotionally complex experiences people and families will ever navigate. During these moments, clear, compassionate and trustworthy communication can reduce uncertainty, support informed decision-making and help people feel seen, respected and understood.

By bringing together clinical expertise, lived experience and accessible communication, Living, Dying and Grieving Well became more than a publication; it became a trusted guide for thousands of Victorians navigating palliative care, grief and bereavement.

The project reflects Affect Media’s belief that communication is not simply about sharing information. It’s about helping people navigate life’s most important moments with clarity, dignity and care.