WESTON, Vt. – Grief while facing loss can be paralyzing. Death denial in the United States is commonplace. Fear about dying in pain from a lingering illness, a lack of certainty about what happens to our physical presence, or how loved ones left behind will cope when we die makes it easier to simply avoid the conversation.
A presentation will occur on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 1-4 p.m., at the home of New Thought Vermont, 614 Main Street in Weston. Author Susan MacNeil will conduct a reading and book signing, and March will provide resources and insight into her work as a death doula. Coffee, tea and cake will be available. Adults 18 and older are welcome, RSVP is not required, and there is no charge to attend.
MacNeil, author of “18 Minutes: A Daughter’s Primer on Life & Death,” will share the experience of spending the last 18 minutes of her mother’s life while on a hospital phone that wasn’t amplified. Kasey March is an end-of-life doula, a trained International End of Life Doula (INELDA), who serves as a person to help guide and console a dying person, their family, and friends during transition toward death. The conversation will offer a chance to talk about preparing for a good death through the lens of their own unique experiences.