Suzanne O'Brien

I cannot live my life to the extent of fullness until I make friends with death.

So may I wave my wand and go into a perfect scenario?

The perfect scenario would be bringing back the awareness that end of life is a natural part of life's journey.

And a hundred years ago, this skill of caring for somebody at the end of life was handed down from a grandmother to a grandchild.

It was a communal event.

We knew how to do it.

So if we can bring that skill back now, we can have the opportunity to have that end of life go as well as possible.

I am the founder of Doula Givers Institute, and I'm also the author of The Good Death, a guide supporting your loved one through the end of life.

So doula givers is the unique name to my education and my institute, but it really is about a death doula, which again, you had said about a birthing doula, very similar in the experience.

And I know they're very different as well, but bringing somebody into this world holistically, think about the preparation we put into that.

And then we don't do anything right now towards the end of life.

I don't think anyone when they're younger says, I'm going to grow up and be a death doula.

I just don't think that's one of the options.

At least it's not right now.

I did grow up in a medical family.

My father was a doctor, a surgeon.

There was a day where I said, you know what?

I think I'm going to become a nurse.

And this is the reason why.

I feel that becoming a nurse could have purpose on a daily basis.