Professor Samar Aoun AM is an internationally recognised leader in public health palliative care, bereavement support and compassionate communities. She is the Perron Institute Research Chair in Palliative Care at The University of Western Australia.

Her research shows that communities can be active partners in supporting people who are caring, dying or grieving. She developed public health models for bereavement support and led the translation of the Compassionate Communities Connectors Program, which has reduced hospital use and is being adopted nationally and internationally.

Professor Aoun has transformed support for people with motor neurone disease (MND) and their families, improving bereavement care, professional education and the communication of an MND diagnosis. Her work moves from evidence into policy, practice and community-led action.

Professor Aoun leads a multidisciplinary team while mentoring emerging researchers and building community capability in palliative and end-of-life care.

Professor Aoun co-founded and chaired the Southwest Compassionate Communities Network for seven years, leading it to international recognition in 2025. She established and chairs Compassionate Communities Australia, advancing death literacy, grief literacy and community-led support nationally. She has held senior leadership roles with MND Australia and the MND Association of Western Australia.

Her contributions have been recognised through the 2023 WA Australian of the Year, the 2024 MND Australia Lifetime Achievement Award, appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2025, and the 2026 Public Health Palliative Care International Research Impact Award.

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Compassionate Communities

Compassionate Connectors Program
Compassionate City Charter
Compassionate Workplaces 

Media

Cosmos – The number of people dying in the next 25 years is going to double, so who’s going to look after us?
Caresearch – Supporting People and Their Families
The Senior – MND UK study shows empathy needed when diagnosis is told
Bunbury Herald – City of Bunbury embraces Compassionate Communities Charter
South Western Times – Palliative care expert and 2023 WA Australian of the Year shares insights into death and dying
The Conversation – What actually is palliative care? And how is it different to end-of-life care?
Palliative Care Australia – Professor Samar Aoun: We need to build death literacy in order to create Compassionate Communities
Australian Ageing Agenda – Professor Aoun: Everyone dies, let’s talk about it

Interviews

GWN News – Bunbury Professor West Australian of the Year
ABC Australia – Improving palliative care education
SBS (Arabic) – Don’t Fear Talking About Death
Triple M – The Drive Home With Cliff – Everything Southwest
ABC – The Year That Made Me
ABC Regional Drive WA (Pilbara) – Dying to Know Day 2023
10 News – Dying to Know Day 2023
Podcast on the Wisdom of Women ( International Women’s Day) 
ABC Radio South West – Dominique Bayens
ABC Breakfast: January 18th, 2023
Forever now Podcast – #COMPassion Putting the passion back in Compassion: Community pull together to drive Palliative Care
6PR Radio: January 27th, 2025 – Professor Samar Aoun AM appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
SBS Arabic: January 24th, 2025 (Translation available in browser) – A Great Honour: Lebanese-Australian Professor Samar Aoun Honoured as Member of the Order of Australia

Recorded Presentations

Palliative Care Australia – Thursdays@3: Ep 2 “You only die once so make it a good one”
Town of Cambridge – Growing Compassion in Life and Death 
State Library of Western Australia – Matters of Life and Death
Les Turning ALS Foundation – Compassionate Communities for ALS MND Supporting those Caring, Dying and Grieving
Auspire Lunch with Leaders – You Only Die Once
Public Health Palliative Care (PHPCI) international Webinar
2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference  – What have been your key takeaways from 230PCC?
From Aspiration to Evidence to Practice – Professor Samar Aoun
Compassionate Communities Australia launch March 27, 2024
FightMND Scientific Seminar Series – July 2024
MND Family Carer Support Educational Program Video

 

1 December, 2025: Professor Samar Aoun receiving the life membership award from the MND Association in WA.
15 May, 2025: Professor Samar Aoun pictured with Excellency Governor Chris Dawson AC at the Investiture Ceremony at Government House.
15 May, 2025: Professor Samar Aoun pictured with her family at the Investiture Ceremony at Government House.
24 June, 2024: Professor Samar Aoun awarded MNDA lifetime achievement award. Pictured with Andrew Danson, President of MNDA at MND Australia's Global MND Day Celebration at Parliament House in Canberra.
24 June, 2024: Professor Samar Aoun with Senator the Hon Carol Brown and the Hon Alex Hawke MP at MND Australia's Global MND Day Celebration at Parliament House in Canberra.
24 June, 2024: Professor Samar Aoun with Nola Marino MP, member for Forrest WA at MND Australia's Global MND Day Celebration at Parliament House in Canberra.
May 27, 2024: Dr Sephen Ginsborg, Dr Jo Doran, Prof Samar Aoun, Gabriella Jerret, Liz Clarke, Harpreet Kalsi-Smith, Sandy Wilton, Steve Wilton at the Launch of Compassionate Communities Australia at Perth Government House.
May 27, 2024: Steve Arnott, Harpreet Kalsi-Smith, Rob McKenzie, Prof Samar Aoun, His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Mrs Darrilyn Dawson, Dr Jo Doran, Dr Stephen Ginsborg at the Launch of Compassionate Communities Australia at Perth Government House.
May 21, 2024: Professor Samar Aoun, Chair of CCAus and Dr Julian Abel, Director of Compassionate Communities UK spoke at the Palliative Care WA breakfast on how formal services can work with community to “Share the Care”.
May 21, 2024: Professor Samar Aoun (Chair, CCAus) with Michelle Elson (South West Compassionate Communities Network), Lenka Psar-McCabe (Palliative Care WA), Marian Tye, Paul Tye at the Palliative Care WA breakfast.
December 4, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & neurologist Dr Rob Edis who was awarded a life member of MNDAWA at the MNDAWA Awards night.
December 4, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Hannah Beazley MLA and Patron of the MND Association of WA at the MNDAWA Awards night.
December 1, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Professor Fiona Wood at the launch of the report on the Economic Impact of Health and Medical Research in WA.
November 15, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Shamara Williams, Manager of Volunteer South West at the 2023 Volunteering WA Conference.
November 15, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun presenting at the 2024 Volunteering WA Conference, Optus Stadium.
November 9, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun presenting at the Murdoch University Women in STEMM Research Symposium.
October 23, 2023: BreastScreen WA Pink Ribbon Breakfast.
October 23, 2023: Hon. Ayor Makur Chuot MLC, Scott Goder, Dannielle Orifici, Theresa Kwok, Auntie Dorothy Bagshaw & Professor Samar Aoun at BreastScreen WA Pink Ribbon Breakfast.
October 23, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun and Theresa Kwok, Senior WA Australian of the Year at BreastScreen WA Pink Ribbon Breakfast.
October 24, 2023: Samar Aoun at UWA Raising the Bar, Market Grounds.
October 24, 2023: Jane Cross, Jen Turner, Samar Aoun, Ann Convery & Tennille Kroemer at UWA Raising the Bar, Market Grounds.
October 17, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun and Theresa Kwok, Senior WA Australian of the Year at the Carers WA Breakfast.
September 15, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun presentation at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference Sydney.
September 15, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun presentation at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference Sydney.
September 13, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Professor Brendan Murphy at Oceanic Palliative Care Conference in Sydney.
September 13, 2023: Dr Elissa Campbell, Chair of Palliative Care WA & Professor Samar Aoun at Oceanic Palliative Care Conference in Sydney.
September 6, 2023: Mayor Emma Cole, Professor Samar Aoun and Susan Gontaszewski at Compassionate Communities presentation at City of Vincent.
September 2, 2023: Keynote Speaker at Zonta Conference.
August 8, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Teresa Plane (NSW Senior Australian of the Year) at Dying to Know Day (Sydney).
August 8, 2023: Dying to Know Day (Sydney).
August 8, 2023: Marika Kontellis CEO, COTA NSW, Professor Samar Aoun, Dr Stephen Ginsborg, Melanie Gould, Sydney North Health Network, Kaz Dawson CEO, CCNB at Dying to Know Day (Sydney).
August 4, 2023: Launch of Compassionate Bunbury Charter.
August 4, 2023: Launch of Compassionate Bunbury Charter.
July 29, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Rob McKenzie with their partners at MND Ball.
July 3rd, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Mellisa Teede (CEO SWDC) at Compassionate Workplaces Workshop.
June 22, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Ged Kearney (Assistant Minister for Health) and CEO of MNDA.
June 21, 2023: Parliamentary Friends of MND Canberra.
June 21, 2023: Senator Linda Reynolds, Professor Samar Aoun & Alex Hawke MP (Convenor and Chair of Friends of MND) at Parliamentary Friends of MND Canberra.
June 12, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Jaysen de San Miguel, Mayor of Bunbury at Compassionate Bunbury Charter.
May 26, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Nola Marino MP (Chair of Federal Parliamentary Friends of Palliative Care).
May 25, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun with the Perth Children's Hospital Palliative Care team.
May 24, 2023: UWA Rural Clinical School - Dr Andrew Kirk director of RCS, Professor Samar Aoun and Professor Brendan McQuillan, Dean of UWA Medical School.
May 24, 2023: Roselyn Scolaro, Professor Samar Aoun, Dr Fiona Findlay & Shamit Saggar at Matters of Life and Death event.
May 23, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Lebanese Ambassador Milad Raad in Canberra.
May 22, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Teresa Plane (NSW Senior Australian of the Year & palliative care nurse) at launch of palliative care week at Parliament House, Canberra.
May 17, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun at RTRFM radio interview.
May 9, 2023: Dr Rebekah Puls, Professor Daniel Fatovich, Professor Samar Aoun & Professor Ian Everall at Science on the Swan Conference.
May 2, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Town of Cambridge Deputy Mayor Kate Barlow at Growing Compassion in Life and Death event.
March 27, 2023: Compassionate Connectors training Bunbury.
March 22, 2023: Advance Care Planning Launch with Professor Aoun, Simon Millman MLA and Gabriella Jerrat WA Health.
March 21st, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & 2015 WA Australian of the Year, Lyn Beazley at the Launch of Parliamentary Friends of Medical Research.
March 21, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Libby Mettam MLA at the Launch of Parliamentary Friends of Medical Research.
March 13, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Professor Anthony Akari at MNDAWA fundraiser.
February 15, 2023: Patron of MNDAWA, Hannah Beazley MLA, Minister for Health Amber Jade Sanderson & Professor Samar Aoun at Launch of Parliamentary Friends of MND.
February 15, 2023: Launch of Parliamentary Friends of MND.
January 25, 2023: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, The Hon Dr Anne Aly MP & Professor Samar Aoun.
January 19, 2023: Professor Samar Aoun & Patrick Gorman MP at Government House.
Dec 14, 2022: Australian of the Year 2023 exhibition launch at the Canberra National Museum.
Dec 14, 2022: Australian of the Year 2023 exhibition launch at the Canberra National Museum.
Dec 14, 2022: Australian of the Year 2023 exhibition launch at the Canberra National Museum.