Few families ever ask each other what they would want at the end of life. A new survey found just 18% of people had asked a family member about their end of life wishes, only 35% had written a will and just 7% had set out how they would want to be cared for if unable to decide. For Dying Matters Awareness Week, we helped the Dying Matters Coalition get people talking openly about dying and taking practical steps such as writing a will, and put the coalition's chief executive on air across a radio day of interviews. The broadcast PR campaign secured 11 items of radio coverage reaching 3.1 million listeners, including Sky News Radio and BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey.
Dying Matters Coalition wanted to get people talking openly about dying and end of life care, and taking practical steps such as writing a will.
The angle
A new survey found just 18% of people had asked a family member about their end of life wishes and only 35% had written a will. Just 7% had set out how they would want to be cared for if unable to decide.
On air
The coalition's chief executive
The result
11 items of coverage reaching 3.1 million, including Sky News Radio, BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey.
More campaigns for Dying Matters Coalition
Dying Matters Coalition has come back to Relations Group for other broadcast PR campaigns:
Dying Matters Awareness Week is an annual UK week that encourages people to talk about dying, death and bereavement and to plan ahead. It grew out of the Dying Matters Coalition led by the National Council for Palliative Care, and it has been run by Hospice UK since the two charities merged in 2017. The 2026 week ran from 4 to 10 May. Stations plan their coverage of it in advance, which makes it a strong hook for a broadcast PR campaign.
Planning Dying Matters Awareness Week for 2027?
Dying Matters Awareness Week usually runs in early May; the 2027 dates have not yet been announced. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
