I’m currently training to become a death doula, supporting people and their families through the end-of-life process with care, presence, and dignity.

Alongside this, I have worked full-time for the past 11 years as a homeless outreach worker in Camden, supporting some of the most vulnerable and overlooked people in society. Through this work, I regularly see how important compassion, dignity, and support are, especially during the most difficult moments in life.

After the passing of my father, I was encouraged by my clinical supervisor, Brian, who is also a death doula and has known me for the past 11 years, to enrol on the course. He felt that the role would be a natural fit for my personality, particularly my very un-English openness around death and my willingness to talk about it—alongside my recent experiences supporting my father at the end of his life, and the nature of my work supporting people whose life expectancy is often significantly reduced.

With this encouragement, I began my training and have since completed the foundation course in death doula training, which deepened my understanding and confirmed that this is the path I feel truly called to follow.

For anyone who would like to learn more about the training I am undertaking, you can visit: https://lwdwtraining.uk

My employer had initially agreed to fund the course, but unfortunately, after I completed the foundation stage, they were no longer able to continue funding the diploma due to changes within the service.

I now need to complete the final stage of my death doula diploma, but I am currently unable to enrol due to the course fees of £3,000. Completing this final stage will allow me to fully qualify and begin offering this support to those who need it most.

This path is deeply personal to me. In December 2023, my father passed away at home, surrounded by his family, just as he wished and just as he should have. Being there with him at the end of his life was one of the most difficult experiences I have ever faced, but also one of the greatest honours of my life. Supporting him in those final moments reinforced how important presence, love, and dignity are at the end of life.

That experience has changed me forever

Since then, I have been present for my aunt at the end of her life, where I was able to offer comfort simply by being there, holding her hand and sitting with her as she transitioned. I have also supported a neighbour during her end-of-life journey. These experiences have deeply shaped me and strengthened my desire to support others through this part of life.

Alongside this, my work as a homeless outreach worker has deepened my compassion and resilience, and I have seen first-hand how important it is that everyone; no matter their circumstances, has dignity, care, and support at the end of life.

Becoming a death doula feels like a natural extension of both my personal experiences and my professional work. I want to help create more compassionate, supported, and human experiences around death for individuals and for their families. I am especially passionate about making this kind of support accessible to people who are often overlooked or underserved, and to be able to give back by supporting those who may otherwise have no one with them at the end of their lives.

Through both my work and personal experiences, I’ve come to see how many people face the end of their lives without the support they truly need.

In the UK, more and more people are reaching older age, often without close family around them. Many say they would prefer to die at home, in a familiar and peaceful environment, yet this isn’t always possible.

Our healthcare system is under increasing pressure, and while the care provided is vital, there often isn’t the time or space for the deeper emotional and human support that people need at the end of life.

This is where death doulas can make a real difference, offering presence, compassion, and dignity, ensuring that no one has to feel alone during one of the most important moments of their life.

I’m reaching out for support to help me complete this final step. Any contribution, no matter the size, will bring me closer to finishing my training.

If you’re not able to donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

Thank you for any amount of support that you might be able to give. This is a humble request, and it is not easy for me to do.

I’m not someone who usually asks for help, but if asking means I can continue following this calling and support others through some of the most important moments of their lives, then it feels worth doing. With your support, I hope to help as many people as I am called to. I may not know exactly where this path will lead, but I do know that I am meant to take this step, and to ask for help in doing so. It’s time for me to reach out.

Death doesn’t have to be something we fear or push away - it can be something we meet with presence, care, and even a sense of peace. And families don’t have to navigate it alone; they can be supported together, with a knowledgeable guide......a death doula.

I will be here, for you, for your loved ones, and for this community.

Because I believe this with my whole heart:

We shouldn’t withdraw care at the end of life, we should deepen it.

Thank you for your support, your trust, and for being part of this journey.

With love and gratitude,

Abigail