Determination, Love and Dementia

Name: Determination, Love and Dementia
Start: 2025-10-25T05:30:00+11:00
End: 2025-10-25T06:30:00+11:00
Location: National Portrait Gallery

Schedule

Sat Oct 25 2025 at 05:30 am to 06:30 am

UTC+11:00

Location

National Portrait Gallery | Canberra, CT

A letter of love and a dedication to the memory of her mother Chrisoula, Spiri Tsintziras' Twelve Golden Gifts illuminates a path for those caring for a loved-one with dementia. Chrisoula's generosity, wit and delicious cooking was ever-present in her children's lives. And that generosity carried through her diagnosis and progression, handing Spiri and Dennis twelve golden gifts to support them in their care and grief. Now Spiri shares her mother's gifts with us. Join her for this must-attend session for anyone who is living with dementia, caring for others, or has lost someone. There will be tears, solace and an opening of the heart, to celebrate the lives of our loved ones. Moderated by local writer and poet Lucy Alexander (Equations of Breath).
Spiri Tsintziras has been writing about food, family and connection for over 30 years. Her mother has inspired many stories, most recently on SBS online. Spiri is the author of the memoirs My Ikaria: How the People From a Small Mediterranean Island Inspired Me to Live a Happier, Healthier and Longer Life and Afternoons in Ithaka. She co-authored, with Myfanwy Jones, the award-winning and internationally acclaimed Parlour Games for Modern Families. Her stories and articles have been published in anthologies, newspapers, and online. Spiri trained as a social worker and freelance journalist. She has worked in publications and communications roles in public health for over twenty years while running her own communications business. For nearly a decade, she has taught professional writing at Swinburne University. She lives with her family in Melbourne. Her latest work is Twelve Golden Gifts.
General admission tickets: $28
Concession tickets: $25