Plenna is an association based and registered in Geneva, under Articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code, in November 2023. It is non-profit, non-political and secular.
Plenna exists because the taboo of death and dying creates unnecessary suffering.
The organization seeks to inform and help equip individuals to accept, consider and proactively plan for dying and death, whether for themselves or their loved ones and whatever their situation or age.
While extensive information and services for end-of-life planning exist, there are many gaps, and reasons that people do not access these and use them effectively. Although there are some outstanding death education initiatives, these are, overall, relatively undeveloped, unstructured and in isolation.
See Plenna’s activity and financial report for 2023-2024.
Through frank but sensitive communication, including humour, Plenna aims to amplify and build upon existing good practice, open spaces for bold discussions about decision-making in death and dying and how to live with the end in mind, and encourage coalition building.
The name Plenna is closely linked to the Latin plena which means ‘full’ and ‘satisfied’ but also suggests ‘plenary’ and ‘having full power’, as well as association with ‘planning’ and ‘plain’
Plenna welcomes any donations, including of time: volunteer native speakers to review text (in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish – and particularly Arabic and German).
Team
David Sunderland
Chair
David has over 25 years of experience coordinating strategy, policy, planning and performance, and administration, in various paid and voluntary capacities, including for six United Nations organizations and various civil society organizations.
He has been a Quaker for a similar period, strongly inspired by the testimonies of equality, integrity and simplicity, and is a member of Geneva Quaker Meeting. He has had broad international and cross-cultural experience, and is British and (since 2019) French.
Elina Viitaniemi
Vice-Chair
Elina is the Director of Cancer Support Switzerland, an association providing counselling and various support services to individuals and families affected by cancer. She also worked for 13 years on global health in the UN system, including on partnerships, country support and connecting innovative health technologies to country needs.
As a volunteer at La Maison de Tara in Geneva, Elina has been trained to accompany people at the end of life. She believes in the importance of an open and inclusive approach to discussing and dealing with end of life and is happy to pursue this work further with Plenna.
Roz Coleman
Secretary
Roz is a UK/French medical doctor, with a Masters degree in public health. She worked as a clinician in South Africa and Gambia. and was also at UNAIDS for eight years in prevention, data management and policy. She is now in a team researching the use of cannabis to improve quality of life for people with dementia.
As part of a professional realignment, Roz now volunteers with an organization supporting people affected by a cancer diagnosis as well as accompanying people at the end of life. She is excited to bring her insights and experience to help in shaping Plenna.
Jane Royston
Committee Member
Jane is a high-tech entrepreneur and retired professor of entrepreneurship and innovation. She currently serves on the Swiss Science Council and the board of directors of an IT company, as well as the boards of a number of charities.
Her actions and strong sense of social justice are influenced by her Quaker values. She is Swiss and French and spends her time between the Swiss Alps and the Greek seas.
Mary Ungoed-Thomas
Editor/Writer
Mary trained as a book editor at ‘Which?’ and was editing and project managing there for eight years. For Together mental health charity she has been both Publishing Manager and a volunteer peer supporter.
She has worked for charitable organizations including Synergy Dance Outreach, Change Grow Live (supporting clients with drug and alcohol addictions), the UK Council on Deafness and Macmillan Cancer Support. She was a freelance web writer for Search Sciences LLP, and has given her time to a couple of UK helplines.
We would like to thank:
In 2024:
- Beatriz Campomanes (‘Different cultures’ snapshot)
- Christophe Lanuit (strategic IT advice)
- Natacha Madaulé (Switzerland end-of-life country signpost)
- Sarah Najjar (‘Art and death’ snapshot)
- Kelly Newcomb (advice on digital marketing)
- Emma Pearson (workshop facilitation in April 2024, ‘Grief’ and ‘Suriving suicide’ snapshots)Plenna seeks to inform and help equip individuals to accept, consider and proactively plan for dying and death, whether for themselves or their loved ones and whatever their situation or age
In 2025:
- Evelin Albert (Portuguese translation review)
- Sylvie Bercot (French translation review)
- Daniel De Castro (communications advice)
- Agustín de la Herrán Gascón and Pablo Rodrígue Herrero (work on death education including the first International Congress on the Pedagogy of Death and Educational Development held in Madrid, 1-4 April)
- Erika Iacona (Italian translation review)
- Gaku Ichikawa, Nozomi Ichikawa, Chisato Masuda, Rina Ono and Mio Urade (Japanese translation review)
- Alexei Lakhov (Russian translation review)
- Yong Feng Liu and Ruitian Xu (Chinese translation review)
- Carolina Álvarez Rodríguez (Spanish translation review)
- Jaime Saborio (oversight for web and database development)
- Andy Seale (‘HIV and death’ snapshot)
- Hirobumi Takenouchi (Japan country signposts)
- Estúdio Teca (contracted for web and database design)
- Swiss Yearly Meeting (Quakers) (for start-up funding)