Having a passion is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? That tingly feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when somebody asks you a question on the subject you know so much about. Something you could ramble on about for hours on end, the flicker in your eye as you’re flooded with a million wonderful thoughts..
My name is Liv, I am 18 years old and I feel strongly that nobody should die on their own. I believe that everyone should be able to have the most comfortable and peaceful death possible, that people should have the knowledge and support to have the end of life they desire.
I was very young when I realised what I was passionate about. I was always looking out for others and making sure everybody around me felt protected and loved. It was ‘my thing’. As I grew up, the idea that not everybody had a person they could turn to in a time of need left a pit at the bottom of my stomach and a lump in my throat. I was always surrounded by a loving family and charismatic friends and I couldn’t imagine a situation without them.
I’m now at an age where I’m constantly asked what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, for a while I really didn’t know. I bounced from an Accountant, Lawyer, Aeronautical engineer, Therapist and many more, but none of them seemed to fit. None of them gave me comfort, satisfaction, happiness or excitement. That was until I learned about the role of an End of Life Doula. Suddenly something clicked. It all fell into place and a weight lifted off of my chest.
The subject of death has never frightened me, I find it a shame that it’s a conversation most people tend to steer away from to avoid perturbation. I do understand it can be worrying and very traumatic, but I wish it were talked about more and therefore could become a more palatable topic. I believe if people were educated about death, it wouldn’t be as daunting. The end of a person’s life can be a very worrying time and people should be able to feel empowered when it comes to their own death. I think it is fundamental that a person dies around people they trust and feel secure with – for end of life care to be most viable, it should come primarily from a person’s community, where most of their trust will be. These beliefs and values are at the very heart of the End of Life Doula role – I believe this is what I’m supposed to do, for the long run.
To this end, I recently contacted End of Life Doula UK, with the hope of getting involved and in due course, starting my training to become an End of Life Doula. The idea that I can support, cushion and comfort people through the final stages of their life and make things easier for them and their loved ones, brings me copious amounts peace and happiness. In the last few weeks that I have been in contact with EoLDUK, they have done nothing but reassure me and made any worries I have disappear. I leave our zoom calls beaming with joy and always excited to learn more.
When I was first in contact, I was recommended to read the book ‘With the End in Mind’ by Kathryn Mannix (Patron of EoLDUK). I read the book and I can whole-heartedly say that it has made me feel so much more confident that any concerns I had are very normal. The book is marvellous and very raw, I too recommend it.
From reading this blog, you can see that I am an ardent supporter of End of Life Doulas. I hope that you have learned more about an End of Life Doula and their role.
I would like you, as the reader to think about your own passion. Why are you passionate about it? What makes you love it?
If you have any personal questions for myself, you can contact me directly through the EoLDUK Instagram which I am guest hosting for the next few months – I am more than happy to answer any queries anybody may have to the best of my abilities.
