Reena Lazar, co-founder and CEO of Willow End-of-Life Education and Planning, sent a group email which I’ve summarized in this article. Earlier this week, I received an email from Reena Lazar, who had been reflecting on the recent deaths of two remarkable women: Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem. As Reena thought about the lives of these two very different women,…
A perspective from Suzanne B. O’Brien RN, Founder & CEO Doulagivers Institute For much of human history, death was understood as a natural part of life — something families and communities experienced together. People died at home, surrounded by loved ones, rituals, and care. But over the past century, death has increasingly moved into hospitals and institutions, becoming hidden, medicalized,…
This article was summarized from a video by Suzanne O’Brien, Founder of The International Doulagivers Institute, and guest Adam Daviau. From an early age, many men are taught how to be strong in ways that leave little room for tenderness. “Don’t cry.” “Keep it together.” “Handle it on your own.” These messages are often offered with care, yet over time…
The following was written by Quadra resident and death doula Joanna Lumley, who buried her father in June 2025. Daisies, foxgloves, and the bright yellow flowers of broom will forever remind me of my dad. They lined the roads, as I raced back and forth between my home and his, early this summer. He taught me the names of things….
How we think about death is not fixed—it’s shaped by the stories our culture tells us about what it means to live and what it means to end. The way a society understands death reveals much about what it values in life. In our modern Western world, death is often seen as a full stop, an end point, a curtain…
From an article by Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, SC, USA, citing Dr. Atul Gawande’s book, Being Mortal, summarized by Margaret Verschuur. Facing the end of life is never easy, but asking the right questions can bring clarity, comfort, and a sense of control during one of life’s most uncertain chapters. A growing movement in healthcare is shifting the focus…
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are vivid, often life-changing events reported by people who have come close to dying—whether through illness, accident, or trauma. These experiences often include perceptions beyond ordinary awareness: floating above the body, passing through a tunnel, encountering a bright light, or feeling a profound sense of peace. While no two accounts are exactly alike, researchers have found striking…
This article was written by Michael Lynch in honour of Robin Dempsey Lynch – October 5th 1941 to April 26th 2024. Nothing I can say or write will bring anything new to the billions of words written over the past many centuries about the evolution of life. This is the true story of a quiet, elegant, brave, compassionate, loving, beautiful,…
Following is the script from a School of Life YouTube video titled Reasons to Remember Death. The School of Life is a global organization helping people to lead more fulfilled lives through useful resources and tools. The fast-paced video is directed to those of us who are not actively dying. This is about death, our death, and how useful it…
Quadra island Way To Go works to integrate death as a natural part of community life by initiating conversations, providing education, and encouraging people to plan ahead on issues related to end-of-life, and empowering, guiding, and supporting the practice and process of caring for our own dead and dying, in community. Way To Go began on Quadra in 2017, inspired…