Hi everyone, a little bit about myself. I live in beautiful Peachland and am so happy to call this place my home. I moved here from Edmonton in 2001, I cannot imagine ever leaving now. I run an Airbnb in my house and enjoy sharing this community with guests. I love being outdoors, working in my garden, going to yoga classes and spending time with family and friends. I have recently started volunteering at the Kelowna General Hospital, Smith Creek Village retirement centre, and for Dying with Dignity. I have been with Emergency support services after the horrible fires of 2023 and I want to give back to this community that has given me so much over the years. I have a lot of spare time now and I want to make it count.

Becoming a death doula was a calling for me, the work of a doula is something that is in your heart and once you are called to do it your life changes for the better. In 2020 I had a major life change when my marriage of 36 years ended and I found myself alone and very much lost, I was just treading water trying to keep my head above water and grieving for the future I thought I had. I tried to find myself or find happiness travelling but that did not work. Each time I came back home there was an emptiness that I felt deep down inside. I have no children and although I have a wonderful family and many close friends but it still wasn’t enough to fill that void.

I first heard about Death Doula’s a few years ago on the radio and then read about it in a book and the seed was planted. It sat in the back of my mind and kept slowly sprouting over the years. I would tell people that I was thinking of becoming a death doula and they would ask me what it was. I had to honestly tell them that I was not exactly sure but that I thought it was something that I wanted to do and was going to find out.

When the time was right I started my training. I trained with Doulagivers International and took the Certified End of Life Doula, Care consultant, and Elder care courses. I am continually learning everyday through online webinars with Dying with Dignity, Bridge C-14 and many podcasts.

Since completing the courses I have been researching and making many connections with the different resources such as funeral homes, nursing homes, lawyers, Doula associations and learning as much as I can to become better trained to helping clients and their families. I cannot imagine doing anything else now, the joy that it brings to me knowing that I will be helping create a calm space for individuals and their families at the end of life is why I believe I am here. The scope of this practice in this field is so far reaching and being able to help prior to end of life with advance care planning and elder care can make such a difference to those facing end of life and that it my passion now.

Being a doula is just an extension of how I have been all my life, I have always tried to help out family and friends during illness’s where I could. I don’t fear death, death is a natural part of life, it is a sacred part of life that people have grown to fear. Hundreds of years ago it was a ritual, people used to die at home and have home wakes and funerals, the elders passed down traditions from generation to generation, and now people cannot even discuss it. Death has become such a taboo subject and it causes people to not be able to communicate when it is so important to. I want to demystify death and help people to become comfortable talking about it and help people prepare for it. You only have one opportunity to have a good death and I want to see that everyone has that chance.