Sanctuary NZ End of Life Doula

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Sanctuary NZ End of Life Doula

Based in Ōtautahi, my aim is to provide care for people and their chosen whanau through compassionate, personalised and practical support 🌿

16/06/2026

I'm honoured to be part of this webinar and to represent ELDAA and the amazing End of Life Doulas supporting people and whānau across Aotearoa. If you're interested in this mahi and the future of palliative and end of life care in New Zealand, we'd love to have you join us.
Thursday 2 July
7.30am - 8.30am
Online via Zoom
Register here: https://mhgo.nz/HOSPICEDOULAS
Hospice NZ – Living Every Moment
End of Life Doula Alliance Aotearoa
Gaylene Delaney

A huge thank you to Hospice NZ – Living Every Moment for the opportunity for ELDAA to present this upcoming webinar, "Holding the Space Between: How End of Life Doulas Complement Palliative Care".

Sarah Campbell-Simpson Co-Chair of ELDAA and Sanctuary NZ End of Life Doula, and Gaylene Delaney, End of Life Doula and Registered Nurse, will be sharing more about the role of End of Life Doulas in Aotearoa, how Doulas work alongside palliative care services, and the opportunities for collaboration as palliative and end of life care continues to evolve in Aotearoa.

We'll also touch on ELDAA's work to support safe, ethical and professional practice🌿

We'd love to have you join us!

Thursday 2 July
7.30am - 8.30am
Online via Zoom

Register here: https://mhgo.nz/HOSPICEDOULAS

14/06/2026

In its simplest form, this is the role of an End of Life Doula.

What that looks like in practice can vary enormously. No two people, families, or situations are the same, so no two Doula / client relationships are the same either.

For some, it may be a couple of important conversations, some planning, and support to help make sense of what lies ahead. For others, it may mean walking alongside them and their whānau throughout the journey, including advocacy, vigiling, after-death care, and bereavement support.

For me, it has always been about meeting people where they are at and responding to what matters most to them. It is a privilege to do this work and to get to know the people and whānau I support along the way🌿.

What does an End of Life Doula do?

We provide emotional, practical, and holistic support for people and whānau navigating serious illness, dying, death, and grief.

Over the next few months, we'll be sharing more about the role of End of Life Doulas and how they support communities throughout Aotearoa.

You do not have to navigate this alone.

Learn more at ELDAA www.eldaa.org.nz💚

03/06/2026

Christchurch mother calls for bereavement leave to rise from three to 10 days

Sheena Hemens founded the Beyond Three Days campaign after her daughter died.

17/05/2026

For all the Cantabrians 💚. This is a really beautiful, warm, thoughtful and well thought out space that feels welcoming, peaceful and comforting, while also being functional and incredibly fit for purpose. Beautiful work Nurse Maudeand everyone involved in creating this very special place🌿

The new care facility comes as the Government announces a $15.5m investment in paediatric palliative care.

14/05/2026

Hugely positive news for our precious tamariki and their whānau. The announcement of increased funding and improved access to specialist paediatric palliative care is a deeply important step forward for families facing the unimaginable. Huge respect to all those who have tirelessly campaigned, advocated, and shared their stories to help make this happen. Every child and family deserves this compassionate, specialist support and this news is hugely heartening 💚

300 children die in New Zealand each year, and up to 3000 will require palliative care.

04/05/2026

A really lovely piece from the BBC on the growing awareness of End of Life Doulas and the role we play alongside people and whānau🌿

Death doulas or soul midwives have increased in popularity in recent years. What do they do?

30/04/2026

I deeply respect the generosity of James Valentine and his family in publicly sharing the story of his illness and death using VAD ( Assisted Dying in Aotearoa). His openness helps to creates an opportunity for us all to think about our end-of-life wishes and discuss them with our loved ones. This article is a beautiful tribute to how he lived and died.

“He kept saying, the one thing I want to do is really try to die well because it’s such an important thing. I don’t want to leave the kids thinking that I was bitter and angry and full of resentment ...

“He was very conscious that ‘I’m going to consider this very calmly and quietly and I’m going to discuss it with the children’. We had very beautiful, existential, spiritual, deep and meaningful conversations for the last six months.”

Corrigan, who said Valentine loved engaging in these conversations, believes it’s important to discuss looming death rather than, as so often happens out of discomfort or from not know what to say, avoiding the topic.

Thank you James and sending comfort and peace to your whānau🌿

The much-loved broadcaster’s wife, clinical psychologist Joanne Corrigan, talks movingly about his farewell to family.

05/04/2026

You do not have to carry this alone- How EOLD's can support caregivers

"If you are supporting someone with a life-limiting condition or at the end of life, it can be difficult to recognise the extent of what you are holding. You may be used to continuing, adjusting, finding a way through each day. You may not think of yourself as someone who needs support, or who is allowed to want it. Support is not a sign that something is lacking in you. It is a recognition that what you are doing is significant, demanding, and worthy of being shared.
End of life doulas are one part of a broader network of care. Our role is to accompany you, to offer steadiness, and to help carry what can feel like too much to hold on your own.
You deserve that too"

Another great blog from End of life Doulas - Preparing the Way🌿

Caregivers carry more than we see. Learn how end of life doulas can provide support, guidance, and breathing room during demanding times.

22/03/2026

⭐️KKevin Toolisand Lisa Hui⭐️
Mon, 23 Mar, 6pm - 7pm NZDT
Tautoru/TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1, Tūranga
Free Event!

After hearing Kevin Toolis and Lisa Tui at the ANZSPM conference this weekend, I can honestly say their work offers something deeply meaningful for anyone working in end of life care, or simply wanting to better understand how we live with, and alongside, death.

Highly recommend attending if you can!

A conversation on getting comfortable with death.

31/01/2026

So beautifully put Treza Swansong : End-of-Life Doula Services 💚. And thank you for shining a light on our mahi 1News🌿

An end-of-life doula is like a midwife at the other end of life, helping people and/or their families make the transition from life to death.

Address

Christchurch

Telephone

+64274450371

Website

http://www.sanctuarynz.co.nz/

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