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Hi, I’m Helen

Death and dying have a been part of my life for a long time. I’m comfortable with discussions about and the realities of being present for all in the process of dying.

As someone who cares deeply, but is outside of your family circle, I bring a stable, grounded and compassionate presence to the confusion you may be feeling at this time.

Dying can be a time of healing and love, as well as one of emotional, spiritual and physical pain. In our modern world, physical pain can usually be relieved. Emotional and spiritual pain is not often recognised or spoken of. One of the greatest analgesics for emotional pain is the simple act of genuine listening.

Our culture has developed a fear of dying and death for many reasons. These include our attachment to youth and our denial of ageing. The advances and changes in health care have pushed death mostly into the sterile rooms of hospitals and funeral homes. We deny death as a normal part of life as it 

I believe we need to bring death back into our lives and accept death as a normal human experience as it would have been for our ancestors, not a medical event.

I have 30 years of nursing experience and most of those years spent in Paediatric Intensive Care. I have borne witness to the dying process many times and gently encouraged families to care for their children after death. It has always been a privilege to serve these families during this time.

I am a volunteer with Palliative Care in the community.

I have been a member of Heartfelt for 12 years. Heartfelt is a group of professional photographers who give their time to provide photographic memories for families who suffer stillborn, extremely premature and terminally or critically ill children.

It is my wish for us all to embrace and accept our own deaths and in doing so, live more meaning lives.