Death Café with Masha Rand

A Death Cafe is a group-directed discussion of death, where people can gather to eat, drink and discuss death.

Inspired by the work of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz, UK web developer Jon Underwood hosted his first Death Cafe in his house in London, England in 2011. He launched the Death Cafe website soon thereafter to help others do the same. It has since become a worldwide movement, with over 20 thousand events in 97 countries. The goal is to "increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives".

At the Death Cafe at Bird in Hand, we'll have no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session. Our only goal will be to make space for destigmatizing conversation about "the last taboo".

Death Cafes are always:

- Not for profit

- In a safe accessible, respectful and confidential space

- With no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action

- Alongside refreshing drinks and nourishing food!

Death Cafes are not:

-agenda driven

-grief or group counselling sessions

Masha Rand Rosenthal, MD is an emergency physician at Medstar Union Memorial Hospital, with additional specialization in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In addition to her work in the ER she has served as the director of the palliative care team at MUMH and subsequently was the Director of Palliative Emergency Care for Medstar Health building palliative care awareness and access in the ER.

She lives with her husband, 2 daughters, and 2 cats in Charles Village.