Enjoying life, learning to dance and emigrating amongst Northern Ireland’s top lifetime ambitions in @MarieCurieUK poll

<br /Celebrities and the public reveal the top things they would like to do before they die… Enjoying life, learning to dance and emigrating amongst Northern Ireland’s top lifetime ambitions in Marie Curie poll

Pamela Ballantine, Pete Snodden, Michael Smiley, Ricky Tomlinson and Jason Isaacs reveal what they want to do before they die for Dying Matters Awareness Week

Travelling more, having children, and living abroad have been voted as the top things people in Northern Ireland would like to do before they die, in a new survey carried out by Marie Curie Cancer Care to mark the end of Dying Matters Awareness Week (18 May).

“Travel more” was the most common response given in the survey of Northern Ireland adults, with Canada, Australia, and New Zealand cited as the most desirable destinations, along with a round the world trip. “Having children” and “living abroad” were the next most common things people said they would like to do before they die. In comparison to other parts of the UK, Northern Irish respondents were more likely to want to “emigrate”, “learn to dance”, “pay off my debts” and “enjoy life”. (See table of most common responses below)

“Winning the lottery” was one of the most frequently cited aspirations for people in their lifetimes, followed by “own or start a business.” “Do a skydive or parachute jump”, and “see the Northern Lights” also featured amongst the most common responses.

Dying Matters Awareness Week (12-18 May 2014) aims to encourage people to talk more openly about death, dying and bereavement and to take small actions to be ready for the end of life, such as writing a will, making funeral wishes known and letting those close to them know how they would want to be cared for.

To mark the week, Marie Curie also asked local celebrity supporters to name the top things they would like to before they die:

Pete Snodden – “Top of my bucket list would be to watch Liverpool win the premier league (that would be superb). I would also love to travel to Brazil and visit the statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro. If I bumped into the legend Larry King or my footballing hero Steven Gerrard along the way it won’t be too bad either – I’m not asking for much!”

Pamela Ballantine – “There are so many things I would like to do before I kick the bucket but top of the list would be to be part of the VIP Grid Walk at the Monaco Grand Prix. I would also love to own a top class racehorse and lead it in after it wins a big race at Cheltenham or Aintree – I can only dream.”

Michael Smiley – “I would like to achieve a level of serenity that the idea of death no longer holds any fear and every minute on the planet is pure joy.”

Ricky Tomlinson – “That is an easy one. The most challenging thing on my bucket list is to finish building a fish pond in the garden that I started 10 years ago!”

Jason Isaacs – “Since winning the FA Cup for Liverpool, winning Wimbledon or knocking out Floyd Mayweather are looking slightly less likely with every passing day, and since I’ve already jumped out of a plane without a parachute (the hairy guy clipped to my back had one, naturally), my greatest hope is that, before I go, just once, I can make a would-be joke in public and see my daughters look at me with anything other than total contempt, pity and horror”

Interestingly, some respondents revealed that they had not considered their own death or that they were reluctant, or even superstitious, about thinking about the subject. Responses included, “I’ve not thought about death”; “I’m 74. I don’t intent to die till I’m 95, so I haven’t thought about it” and “I don’t have a bucket list, as if I did tick everything off, would I sit back and wait to die?”

Joan McEwan, Head of Policy and Public Affairs for Marie Curie in Northern Ireland, said: “People in Northern Ireland have a very clear idea of the things they would like to achieve while they are alive. However, we know from previous local research that people in NI are less likely than anywhere else in the UK to feel comfortable talking about death and dying, and are reluctant to make plans for the end of their lives. Without having these crucial conversations with friends and family – such as where people would like to spend their final days – it’s likely that people’s end of life wishes will not be met and they won’t know what care is available to them. It’s an avoidable barrier in an already complex situation and we only die once, so we need to get it right!”

Most common survey responses: