My Background

I was born on the Canadian prairies, number five of six children. My family was poor but we had many stores of wealth nonetheless: a love of music, examples of faithfulness, loyalty, humour and a perhaps unusual openness to new ideas. At least, I had a perhaps unusual openness to new ideas.

I moved away from home at the age of 17 to study theatre, with an aim to direct plays for children and to teach developmental drama. As it happens, I never did either professionally but when my studies took me to seminary the first time, I did direct an amateur touring theatre troupe for three years. In those same years, I began to write plays, some of which were published with a religious press.

With a husband, two children, an oddly patterned employment record and yet another seminary degree, I entered the ordained ministry for eight years. Here my skills as a communicator and my knowledge of people and their needs developed further. It was in this context that I first discovered that I had a capacity to help both people preparing for death and those who had been bereaved, a process I have frequently described as "learning to live with feeling inadequate"! In this context, too, I began a continuing process of journaling, often using poetic forms.

Immediately after leaving congregational ministry, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, an experience -- through diagnosis, surgery, treatment and recovery -- that taught me something of what it means to confront a life-threatening illness. After completing another Masters degree, I started a new life on my own working in a breast cancer resource centre. Once again, I was priviledged to walk a road with people who had terminal illness. They taught me a great deal.

The publication of Facing Death: A Companion in Words and Images is a culmination of much life experience and reflection. It is yet to be seen what this book will accomplish in the world but I am excited at the possibilities it represents to contribute to the lives of others. MY wish for all those who are facing death, their own or that of someone they love, is this:

May you find comfort and inspiration;
may you find the support you need;
may you move towards acceptance;
and may you find the kind of peace that heals.