The origin of Wind Phones trace back to Itaru Sasaki in Japan, who created the first design while grieving his cousin who died of cancer. He purchased an old-fashioned phone booth and set it up in his garden. He installed an obsolete rotary phone that was not connected to wires or any "earthly system." Here, Itaru felt a continued connection to his cousin and found comfort and healing amid his grief.
A Wind Phone is not connected to any phone line, but it provides a space for people to express their thoughts and feelings to their deceased loved ones, believing their words will be carried on the wind. The wind phone serves as a place for remembrance, healing, and processing grief.
This year as part of Dying to Know Day, the Grampians and Barwon South Western Region Palliative Care Consortiums supported two local communities in Hamilton and Colac to build their own community Wind Phones. Each demonstrating a wonderful example of community spirit and acknowledgment of the presence of grief in our communities.
In a comment shared with PCV: “We are so proud of both of the community groups who made this happen and would be happy for other community groups in the Western regions of Victoria to get involved”. The Consortia teams acknowledge the invaluable support they received for this project from the Western Victorian Primary Health Network, the Wicking Trust, Regional Arts Victoria, Barwon South Western Regional Integrated Cancer Service and the Grampians Regional Integrated Cancer Service.
For those interested in being a part of this project, or to learn more about the development of the western region Wind Phones, please email belinda.birchall@barwonhealth.org.au.
Community members involved in establishing the Wind Phone near Hamilton