In his talk, Prof. Mark Taubert will outline hospital and hospice experiences with patients, significant others, researchers and fellow healthcare professionals who have delved into digital legacy planning. The taboo around death and dying is starting to crumble in some areas, more than others. People working in, or receiving palliative care, can influence and inform the sometimes fevered debate. Mark will outline narratives from wards and clinics, where people have asked him questions about what they should do with digital content when faced with the end of their lives or in bereavement. From patients who have created video content for their families to view on specific dates in the future, to the ‘problem’ of widowhood on Facebook. For the latter thematic, he was interviewed by CNN in 2022, a time when Meta was receiving a lot of complaints with regards to this issue and its stance on relationship status. Patient and family journeys have at times been very challenging and hard, but digital solutions have helped with legacy creation, learning and planning.

About Professor Mark Taubert

Mark is a palliative medicine hospital consultant and clinical director at Velindre University NHS Trust in Wales. His teaching/research activities at Cardiff University include advance care planning, acute palliative care, technology & new media and DNACPR decision making.

He is the founder of TalkCPR.com and has a national lead role to improve public understanding on topics relevant to care in the last years of life and at the extreme ends of medicine. He has delivered a Ted Talk on subtleties in language that are relevant to modern healthcare delivery, and writes for international news outlets like the Washington Post, where his article was an editorial top pick of the year.–

Using virtual calling during COVID-19 enabling patient “goodbyes”

A snipper of Mark speaking at the Digital Legacy Conference 2021 can be watched below

Latest news from the Digital Legacy Conference

• Digital Death Survey – Launches today
• Digital Legacy Conference 2024 – Full Agenda
• First wave of speaker announcements
• Digital Legacy Association appointed as an ‘Observer’ for the European Law Institute – Digital Assets Project
• Speaker & abstract announcement: Stephanie Owens

The Digital Legacy Conference will return as a face to face event this year and will be delivered during the 18th European Association of Palliative Care World Congress (EAPC2023).

Digital Legacy Conference 2023 (DLC2023) attendees will learn about emerging best practices in areas relating to digital assets planning and digital legacy safeguarding. The event will cater for 148 people and is free to attend for all EAPC badgeholders. 

The conference will take place on Saturday 17th June in the Van Cappellen Zaal room. Doors will open at 8:30am, the conference will start at 9am and conclude at 12pm.

Why this conference is important

Modern day, communication technologies are changing the world. The way in which we live, the ways in which we plan for death and remember our loved one’s is increasingly moving into the digital realm. Health, social care and palliative care professionals need to adapt practice, policies and procedures to better support society with this ever-increasingly important area.

What to expect

The Digital Legacy Conference examines society’s attitudes and behaviours in relation to technology, end of life planning, death and bereavement. The conference’s goal is to empower palliative and end of life professionals to better understand this emerging space and adapt ways of working to embrace it.

Who is the Digital Legacy Conference for?

The Digital Legacy Conference is for those involved in care planning, social care, healthcare, palliative, hospice and bereavement professionals. It is also relevant for policy makers, technologists and academics working within this sector.

Nilay Erdem, Facebook Stakeholder and Engagement (EMEA) speaking at the Digital Legacy Conference 2019, EAPC 2019 in Berlin, Germany.

Call for abstracts / speakers

The call for abstracts has now opened. You can submit an abstract for consideration by clicking here. The closing date for abstracts is the 20th April.

Invited speakers

The following invited speakers will be sharing insights and experiences at this year’s Digital Legacy Conference. 

• Dr Ros Taylor MBE (Medical Director at Michael Sobell Hospice)
• Amarachukwu Callistus Nwosu (Senior Clinical Lecturer in Palliative Care at Lancaster Medical School & Research Lead (Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool)  
• Sarah Stanley (Research nurse at Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool)
• Professor Mark Taubert (Clinical Director at Velindre University NHS Trust in Wales & Founder of TalkCPR)
• James Norris (Founder of the Digital Legacy Association & MyWishes)

Who organises the Digital Legacy Conference

• The Digital Legacy Conference is organised by The Digital Legacy Association. The Digital Legacy Association is a global organisation dedicated to raising standards and developing best practices in areas relating to digital assets planning and digital legacy safeguarding. Previous Digital Legacy Conferences have taken place at UCL Partners (London), Siena College (New York), EAPC (Berlin), St Joseph’s Hospice (London) and online from Michael Sobell Hospice (London) for EAPC in 2021. 
• This year’s Digital Legacy Conference is being delivered during the 18th European Association of Palliative Care World Congress. Under the theme “Equity and Diversity in Palliative Care”, EAPC2023 will draw attention to the utmost need and goal of creating equity of fair access, opportunity, and advancement in palliative care for all people in need of this care.

Volunteer

If you are able to volunteer your time in Rotterdam please do get in touch

Reserve a ticket

You can register for an EAPC ticket by clicking here

Location (details and map)

This year’s EAPC and Digital Legacy Conference will take place at De Doelen in Rotterdam. The Digital Legacy Conference will take place on Saturday 17th June in the Van Cappellen Zaal room. Doors will open at 8:30am, the conference will start at 9am and conclude at 12pm (Location details).

Photo of the Van Cappellen Zaal 

To learn more visit www.DigitalLegacyConference.com