End of Life Doula
Elizebeth Kischook
Elizebeth is an End of Life Doula who supports and advocates for the person and family experiencing death and grief. Coming from an extensive background in the Canadian health care field, Elizebeth believes that each individual would benefit greatly from embracing the process of death and taking an active role in planning for those circumstances. Her path was always one of service and she started right out of high school as a Health Care Aide, which led to her graduating with honors from St. Boniface School for Practical Nurses in Winnipeg, Manitoba, It was early on in her career that she realized; whether in hospital, long term, or home care she was always drawn to the emotionally fulfilling work of serving the dying. Despite additional training in wound care, communication as well as serving on several committees and initiatives, with her professional designation working a dedicated position in Palliative care was not possible and after years of job dissatisfaction and moral injury, it was time to leave her stethoscope behind.
It was a post from the Ontario School of Universal Energy that drew Elizebeth to this work after seeing an add that was accepting applications for Death Doulas. The light went on in a way for Elizebeth as never before as she researched the revival of this occupation. Recognizing the limitations of end of life care in the health care system, she knew there was a need for this service in her community. It offered an opportunity to utilize the knowledge and achievements of her former career in health care while once again being able to answer the call to attend those in need of her in the way that meant the most - service to those experiencing death. After signing up for the program, she soon came across The End of Life Doula Association of Canada (EOLDAC) and became a supporting member, learning quickly that there are only two programs acknowledged by the EOLDAC. Elizebeth has completed the End of Life Doula program at Douglas College in February and a second six week Death Doula program and The Animal Companion End Of Life Doula through Ontario School of Universal Energy in April of 2021 and has recently become a member of the Death Doula Network of British Columbia. Continuing on in her death education, Elizebeth has recently become a member of the National Home Funeral Alliance in February of 2022 after listening to the moving and precious stories of home funerals on the podcast A Path Home with Sarah Crews
In June of 2021, Elizebeth stepped down from her position at the Bibliotheque Ste. Anne Library to focus on her board position as Co-Founder and Communications Director of Green Burial Manitoba.
She is happily married with a grown son, step-son and grandson. She is a proud co-owner of a Pomeranian and an American Cocker Spaniel as well as a Bearded Dragon. She enjoys a variety of hobbies and interests ranging from acrylic paint pours to writing and almost everything in between and can't wait to share them through the blog. She is also the owner of Elizebeth's Original Urban Homestead a Facebook page where Elizebeth shares her love of knit and crochet items, jewelry and gardening as well as cooking, baking, pies, jams and jellies. Her most treasured time is spent with her family and friends, especially when they are at the camper.
Green Burial Manitoba
The Green Burial Manitoba Facebook Page is an education and resource for green or natural burial in Manitoba.
According to Green Burial Society of Canada, there are five principals to green burial:
1. Human remains are prepared for green burial without embalming.
2. The un-embalmed remains are wrapped in a shroud, casket or other container made of natural, biodegradable fibers and then buried directly in the grave.
3. Sensitivity to and protection of the growing and eventually the established eco-system of the interment area is essential. For this reason the visitation of individual graves is discouraged and may eventually be prohibited. Visitation of the interment area is managed through the sensitive placement of walking paths and the occasional bench, optimally placed adjacent to the communal memorial for the site.
4. For green burial the use of individual memorials is discouraged. Instead communal memorialization, again using naturally sourced materials, is placed in the green burial cemetery (or cemetery section) and only simple, basic inscriptions are made.
5. A well planned green burial cemetery (or cemetery section) will optimize the land it occupies. Design elements will include minimal installation of infrastructure, temporary roads that can be removed and converted into interment lots, operationally pragmatic grave dimensions and section lot plans that maximize interment capacity are some of the considerations applied.
Logo credit: Richard Rosin
RESOURCES:
https://www.facebook.com/greenburialMB
https://www.richardrosin.ca/greenburials Richard Rosin, Funeral Director Ltd.
http://thevillagecasketmaker.com/ The Village Casketmaker
https://yoursinlifeanddeath.ca/ Elizebeth Kischook
http://www.greenburialcanada.ca/ Green Burial Society of Canada
EDUCATION
Elmwood High School - Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
- Graduated with high school diploma, honor roll practical academics June 1990.
St. Boniface School for Practical Nurses - Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
- Graduated 1996 with 3.9 GPA February 1996.
Academy of Learning - Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
- Computer and Application Specialist Clerk, January 2015.
ICS Home School of Independent Online Study
- Medical Administrative Assistant, March 2017.
Academy of Learning – Steinbach, Manitoba Canada
- Advanced Health Care Aide Certificate, February 2018.
Douglas College
- End of Life Doula February 2021.
Ontario School of Universal Energy
- • Kundalini Meditations February 2021.
-• Certified Death Doula March 2021.
- • Chakra Healing Course April 2021.
- •Animal Companion End of Life Doula May 2021.
- • Death Vigil Planning May 2021.
Palliative Manitoba
- Compassionate Care Program, April 2021.
CINDEA - By My Own Heart and Hand
- Home funeral instruction April 2021.
Southeastern Health – Santè Sud
- Nasopharyngeal swabbing instructional course, September 2021.
Conversational French
- University Of St. Boniface – Beginner 1 Completed
o Beginner 2 Pending April 2023.
Manitoba Association of Childbirth and Family Education.
- Completion of the birth doula program scheduled for May 6, 2023.
Committees served on:
· Nursing Recruitment and Retention Committee.
· Chart document revision/creation for Beausejour District Health Centre Committee.
· Wound Care Committee.
· End Of Life Doula Association of Canada – Special Interest Committee (current)
ADDITIONAL FACTS
· Creator of East Gate Lodge’s Ward Clerk Manual.
· Creator of the Family Caregiver Workshop for Academy of Learning, Steinbach Campus.
· Creator of The Last Cast Off, an online space to meet, explore death related topics and work on crafting projects.
· Secretary of MNU local 69 for a term of 1 year.
· Board member of the Ste. Anne Library November 2019 – June 2021.
· Board member, co-founder and Communications Director of Green Burial Manitoba.
· Supporter of The End of Life Doula Association of Canada.
o Selected by the Board of Directors for the Volunteer Advisory Committee responsible for Finance, Funding and Special Projects. Currently responsible for assisting with the co-writing of grievance/disciplinary/complaints procedures policy, bullying and harassment policy, media policy and researching self-revenue sources for the End of Life Doula Association of Canada
· Former member of the Death Doula Network of British Columbia (DDNBC).
· Member of the National Home Funeral Alliance.
· Member of Manitoba Association of Childbirth and Family Education.
· Anticipate completion of Birth & Bereavement Doula® from StillBirthday U by fall 2023.
· Write a monthly, death positive article for the In Seine Newsletter in Southeastern Manitoba and the Clipper in Beausejour, Manitoba.
· Working on an Advance Care Planning project to develop clear and effective indicators to the location and existence of Health Care Directives in case of serious motor vehicle accident.
Hobbies include:
- Co-owner of two dogs and a Bearded Dragon.
- Vegetable and flower gardening, keep a greenhouse and kitchen garden, composting; enjoy growing challenging houseplants.
- Self-led learning for mastery in European Portuguese to specialize in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology.
- Scrap booking, jewellery making, knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, crafting.
- Basic sewing.
- Pet and nature SLR photography with D-90 Nikon.
- Reading, writing, painting and drawing.
- Play flute, clarinet and saxophone; self taught guitar, hoping to learn ukulele.
- Walking/hiking, camping, foraging, kayaking, paddle boarding.
- Cooking, baking, canning, cheese making, preserving, drying.
· Skeet and target shooting – qualified by certification under the Canadian Firearms Act for Possession and Acquisition Firearms License.
· Avid participant of sport fishing and hunting in Southern/Northern Manitoba, knowledge of brain tanning; waiting to try same.
- Trying out new experiences that life has to offer.
Unless otherwise stated, all photography by Elizebeth Kischook.
Community
