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Dying to Know Day, observed every August 8, encourages vital conversations about death, dying, and grief. This day empowers individuals to plan for end-of-life care and wishes, ensuring dignity and peace. Engage in honest discussions, educate yourself on options, and share your preferences with loved ones.
Want to sponsor Dying to Know Day? Learn how
Expected Dying to Know Day Deals
Dying to Know Day focuses on awareness and education rather than commercial deals. Organizations like The Groundswell Project encourage individuals to engage in end-of-life planning. Look for free workshops, webinars, and downloadable guides from non-profits such as Hospice Foundation of America and National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Funeral homes and estate planning attorneys may offer discounted consultations or public information sessions. Hospitals and community centers often host events to demystify advance care directives. We will update this page with confirmed live resources as August 8 approaches, directing readers to official sites for support and planning tools.
Platform Guide for Dying to Know Day
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #DyingToKnowDay. Share personal stories or resources on end-of-life planning to foster community discussion.
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Mention @NatlToday and use #DyingToKnowDay. Share informative articles, statistics, or personal reflections to spark dialogue about death and dying.
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #DyingToKnowDay. Discuss the importance of advance care planning in the workplace or share professional insights.
Dying to Know Day Hero
Dr. Kerrie Noonan
History of Dying to Know Day
When Andrew Anastasios published his quirky self-help book about death and dying in 2010, he had no idea it would spark an entire movement, several organizations, and a widely recognized holiday. The Groundswell Project, which operates to this day in Marrickville, New South Wales, took Anastasios’s ideas about death awareness, normalization, and literacy and decided to make August 8 Dying to Know Day, named after his book.
The first D2KD, as it’s affectionately called by those in the death-education community, hosted only 23 events in the Sydney, Australia area in 2013. Now, there are over 300 gatherings, meetings, and events taking place on August 8 in celebration of this idea.
According to The Groundswell Project and the D2KD USA organization, the practical applications for destigmatizing the topic of death include writing one’s will and obituary, discussing end-of-life plans with loved ones in the case of severe illness, disease, or injury, and even making funeral arrangements. On D2KD, even the healthiest, youngest, and furthest from dying are invited to allow themselves to think about their inevitable end and determine how they’d like to be laid to rest.
Interestingly, Dying to Know Day is devoted equally to the living and the dead. We are not only encouraged to consider our own passing from life but also the already-completed passing of our friends and family members. In addition to end-of-life planning, D2KD is also about grief, bereavement, and coping with loss. 364 days out of each year are spent avoiding thoughts of death and dying and feeling unable to discuss such subject matter publicly but, on August 8, the taboo is suspended and people across the world are allowed to ask questions, have conversations, express feelings, and make plans.
Dying to Know Day timeline
World War II is the war responsible for the most deaths across the globe, reaching between 70–100 million lives lost.
Andrew Anastasios publishes his playful death-oriented book “Dying to Know: Bringing Death to Life.”
The Groundswell Project organizes and celebrates their first Dying to Know Day with events and gatherings in Australia
For the first time since its beginning, Dying to Know Day is held digitally so as to follow pandemic protocols.
Dying to Know Day FAQs
When is Dying to Know Day?
Dying to Know Day 2026 falls on Saturday, August 8. It’s a dedicated day to open up conversations about death, dying, and grief.
What is 'death literacy'?
Death literacy refers to the practical knowledge and skills that enable people to plan for end-of-life, support others who are dying, care for someone grieving, and navigate their own grief. It empowers individuals to make informed choices.
How many people have an advance care plan?
While exact numbers vary by region, studies in the U.S. suggest that only about one-third of adults have completed an advance care directive. Dying to Know Day aims to significantly increase this figure.
Who founded Dying to Know Day?
Dying to Know Day was initiated by The Groundswell Project, an Australian non-profit organization. Inspired by a book, they dedicated August 8 to destigmatizing conversations around death and dying.
How to Celebrate Dying to Know Day
Host a dinner party
One of the recommended celebratory initiatives touted by D2KD USA is the Death over Dinner program, which encourages participants to gather their loved ones in their homes for the express purpose of discussing each guest’s death wishes and priorities. Throw together some comfort food and bring a notepad to the dining table so that you can record every last word.
Read the book
If you’re interested in this holiday but aren’t quite ready to take radical action, simply purchasing or borrowing Anastasios’s book may be a great middle-ground. Between the two covers, you’ll find all the foundational arguments and information that have brought this day of remembrance into being.
Begin writing your will
Whether you’re a youngster in your first apartment or a grandparent in your last home, your last will and testament will be equally valuable to your family members. Why not sit down and begin writing out your wishes? You can always edit the document as circumstances shift and change.
5 Facts About Funerals That’ll Knock You Dead
Somber hues
The long-held tradition of wearing black to a funeral actually originated as far back as 300 A.D. when ancient Romans began dying their togas black before attending death ceremonies.
Aromatherapy
Before the Industrial Revolution, friends and family of the deceased kept flowers and candles in the room with the body to mask the unpleasant odor of decay.
Frozen in time
During the Victorian era in England, mourners used to stop their analog clocks at the exact time that they discovered their loved one had passed.
Take a bow
Before the 20th century, it was a cultural norm in Europe for families to hire mourners to wail and carry on at their loved one’s funeral — a large, weepy funeral symbolized high status and reputation.
Double-checking
The Irish tradition of playing loud music at a person’s wake was originally meant to ward off any evil spirits and soon shifted into a tactic for ensuring that the deceased was truly dead — if they weren’t, it was thought that the blasting tunes would awaken them.
Why we Love Dying to Know Day
Conversation makes death less scary
While it’s normal to fear death and even resist thinking or speaking about it, the mission of D2KD allows us all to press through that fear toward a deeper understanding of the topic at hand. After talking with others about the inevitability of death and how we’d personally like to die, we’re likely to feel much more at ease.
Planning ensures that we die happy
According to The Groundswell Project, 41% of people want to die in their own homes, but only 25% actually get to do so. Open communication about end-of-life desires allows more people to pass away in the exact way that they feel most comfortable.
Accepting death means enjoying life
After all the somber exchanges, will-writing, and research about death, we’ll be left with a new outlook on what’s left of our lives. By accepting our own mortality, we open up new doors of gratitude and joy for the moments we still have to live.
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