Tonight a friend and co-worker of mine just found out she has advanced stage cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is supposedly one of the most treatable cancers if found early. Recently, I’ve come across too many people who let their fear of death hold them back from addressing health concerns. This is a reminder of how …
Death can be very cruel. A beautiful little boy from Te Anau, New Zealand, recently passed away from cancer. I donated and helped raise funds for him/his family when his story was first shared. As a parent, I’ve empathised with what his parents must be going through. I followed all the updates about Luka and …
Grief I recently went back to my home country for my dear Grandmother’s funeral. In my culture, the family of the deceased usually walks behind the coffin until the burial site, and that’s what we did. I thought I had processed most of my grief. But, when I was standing with my sons behind my …
A Time of Reflection When I was younger, I heard one of my teachers say, “Death comes when you least expect it.” Being so afraid of death as a child, I obsessed about death, almost hoping that by thinking of it and expecting it, it wouldn’t come just yet. Death is a funny thing. I’ve …
Overcoming everyday challenges Facing grief or death can help make everyday challenges seem a bit more bearable. It’s not the easiest thing but it helps put things into perspective. For example, with Christmas and the end of the year just around the corner, lots of people will be feeling the heaviness of the year just …
A Sudden Death Yesterday, what seemed to be an ordinary morning was shook with the news that a dear aunt had suddenly passed. We had just seen her a week or so before. My maternal grandmother also left so suddenly, as did a very dear aunt/mother to me. A shock for everyone, and a reminder …
Reality Check We’re all dying. That can be unsettling, yet it’s an undeniable truth that we all share. Recently, a dear friend of mine found out she has terminal stage 4 cancer. A lot of people are shocked when they hear such a diagnosis. Faced with such a diagnosis, many grapple with denial or anger, …
We’re all Dying! “Oh no! Your Uncle/Auntie/Cousin/Sibling has just gotten diagnosed with cancer.” News we never want to hear. Hearing someone we know or love is dying soon, or has died often throws us off our axis for a few hours or days. We get shocked or shook when someone in our town or suddenly …
A different kind of freedom Facing death brings a different type of freedom. It’s not the type of freedom that makes you do crazy things. It’s a much deeper, more meaningful type of freedom. One that helps you let go of grudges that have weighed you down. This freedom allows you to love and care …
Talking about death is one of the first steps to facing death. Speaking to loved ones about love and death can be especially hard or touchy for most people. Here are some tips on how to start conversations about death. Plan ahead As with any important conversation, it can be really helpful to plan ahead. …