What drew me to becoming an end of life doula was the death of my father in June 2020. At 90 years of age and in poor health for the last 10 years of his life, his death had been expected, but I was still determined that he should have a beautiful experience at home with his family. As we gathered around him, it came to me that this type of experience was not as common as it should be, and I wanted to be part of making that happen.

Being raised in New Zealand with Maori heritage, my relationship with death at home began at a very young age, and I was taught how to honour the dignity and memory of those we love, with a depth of engagement across all generations that enabled us all to grieve both individually and together. With this background, being engaged with creating a special environment for our loved ones as their earthly journey comes to an end comes very naturally, and I feel very honoured to be able to help families to provide the love and support they need to create an experience they want for those they love.