Sanctuary NZ End of Life Doula

08/12/2025

"Care for dying - we knew, we forgot, we’re back-New Zealand’s palliative care system is finally showing signs of renewal, with hospice leaders pushing for lasting change"

Here’s hoping this momentum continues and that Palliative Care services increasingly partner with, and make referrals to patients who would benefit from End of Life Doula support!

I know and see daily that strengthening this continuum of care makes a genuine difference for whānau who need more time, support, and continuity alongside clinical teams.

'After a decade of palliative care neglect in which New Zealand slumped by world standards, there is new hope the terminally ill may soon be suffering less', writes Kevin Norquay in Wellington's daily, The Post.

20/11/2025

⭐ End-of-Life Doulas in Palliative Care ⭐

Across Aotearoa, Doulas are supporting individuals and whānau through some of the most challenging moments of serious illness, dying, and bereavement. As the demand on clinical services grows, we can offer compassionate, practical, and relational care that complements the expertise of palliative teams.

🌿 When would Doulas improve the journey for your patients?

* When patients and their whānau are struggling, not yet eligible for hospice care, or needing additional non-clinical support.
* When discharging patients with non-complex needs or limited family capacity.
* During last days of life, vigil periods, at the time of death, and afterwards, especially when no plans have been made.
* When a person wishes to die at home but their care circle are uncertain or not confident to manage that.
* When a person doesn’t have family support and needs help to navigate the journey.

🌿 What actions strengthen collaboration?

* Encourage patients to visit ELDAA, and make an informed choice about whether they want to engage a Doula. It costs nothing to make a phone call or have a first visit to determine whether a doula is the right fit. And where there is financial hardship, families and doulas can discuss how to tailor support to the person’s needs and budget.
* Appoint a hospice contact or “Doula Liaison” to help connect patients and families with local doulas and build relationships for ongoing collaboration.

EOLDs bring a growing and skilled workforce, training, and a commitment to compassionate care. What we need now is continued open conversation, recognition, and clearer integration pathways that acknowledge Doulas as part of the wider palliative care solution.

We encourage palliative and health care teams meet with the Doulas in your area, learn about the work we do, and explore how we can support your patients, your teams, and our communities.

🌿 Reach out:
sarah@sanctuarynz.co.nz
www.sanctuarynz.co.nz
www.eldaa.org.nz

Send a message to learn more

19/11/2025

Shannon from Your Path Guide Pty Ltd has started a beautiful series of videos on End of Life Doula care and support . Here is the first one ♥️

09/11/2025

A gem from the fantastic conversation between dear friend and incredible colleague Treza Swansong : End-of-Life Doula Services and Petra Sunday Sanctuary last week🌿💛🌟.

On why having tender conversations can be so vitally important:
"Giving people the chance to really explore what life is about, what they think happens when they die, what death looks like usually and exploring these existential and spiritual dimensions which become hugely important for people at end of life"

06/11/2025

Chair of ELDAA, Treza Gallogly, joined Petra Bagust on the most recent episode (Community and Death) of Sunday Sanctuary 💛.

It’s an inspiring, authentic and insightful discussion, touching upon life, death, hope, and many things in between. It also explains beautifully the role of an End of Life Doula for those who are curious about the different aspects of Doula support and services.

Listen to the episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1fE28ogeiqibtYbGohSpcL

Thanks to Treza Swansong : End-of-Life Doula Services and Petra for the humanity and aroha you bring🌿

22/10/2025

🌿 Closing the care gap in end-of-life support in Aotearoa🌿

I’m really happy to share this recent ehospicearticle,
“ELDAA: New Zealand’s professional End of Life Doula body responds to care gap,” co-written by Treza SSwansong : End-of-Life Doula Servicesand myself on behalf of End of Life Doulas Aotearoa (ELDAA).

In it, we speak about the growing need for compassionate, person-centred end-of-life care in Aotearoa, and how doulas are helping to bridge the gaps within our overstretched palliative care systems.

It’s means a lot to me to be part of this growing movement, helping to build awareness, professional recognition, and community understanding of doula care in Aotearoa and most importantly to have the privilege of supporting the amazing individuals and whānau I get the honour of meeting.

Thank you to my beautiful rahiri who gave me her permission to use her experience and images to help others... we miss you and we honour your wisdom and grace always🌿

https://ehospice.com/asia-pacific-posts/eldaa-new-zealands-professional-end-of-life-doula-body-responds-to-care-gap/

As the country's global palliative care ranking plummets, a new professional movement has emerged to fill critical gaps in end of life support. Margaret'

30/09/2025

“After working this toolkit all my life, and staying on the road all these long years, and getting up after all the falls, and pushing through pain, and stress and suffering, and all the triumphs, and all the disasters, and all the joys, and all the sorrows, and raising a family, and all that brings with it, and finding love, and most of all having now lived through months and months of staring down the clucking face of death itself, I finally arrived at the last enduring truth,” Latta wrote.

“I learned what I always knew but never truly understood. There is only one metric that really matters when we measure ourselves against the way we’ve chosen to live our lives: In the end ... there is only love❤️

Honouring you today Nigel Latta. Moi mai Ra 🌿

The clinical psychologist was diagnosed with "incurable" gastric cancer diagnosis in 2024.

18/09/2025

My gratitude to this amazing colleague and friend Belinda Leaving Legacies NZ for this wonderful podcast. Incredible, inspirational, and a true gift to anyone listening. Thank you also for this courageous, tender, raw and beautiful sharing Katy Go With Grace. Amazing wahine shining light on navigating the hardest of times and how to show up for people when they need you most.
🌿

Listen here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0la54h8th2FtisgJ2nhoFh?si=enZaknKxQ1yyo0_NrMIZew

Guess what time it is........ time for series two of DYING TO KNOW podcast.
I'm super excited to share with you the newly released episode one where I sit down with Katy Mandeno founder of Go with Grace.
Go With Grace is a platform built from the hardest kind of knowing. After losing her daughter, her father, and then her partner Chris to su***de, Katy didn’t try to fix her grief. She chose to hold it, and then she chose to help others do the same.

This conversation moves through the raw terrain of grief, su***de loss, end-of-life planning, and what it means to live in a world that rarely prepares us for any of it. Katy shares what it was like to be in shock and still have to make decisions. She talks about what helped, what didn’t, and how we can better show up for people when everything falls apart.

You’ll also hear about Dying Matters Week, compassionate communities, and why your village matters more than ever.

This episode is full of emotional clarity, practical insight, and the quiet reminder that showing up, even with soup or silence, matters more than we think.
You can find the episode here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0la54h8th2FtisgJ2nhoFh
Go With Grace

18/09/2025

So wonderful to meet Bec Birds of a Feather End of Life Doula yesterday✨.
She’s doing incredible mahi on the beautiful West Coast — her care, passion, and drive to support people and community is inspiring.
It’s such a buzz to walk alongside other End of Life Doulas who are creating change and supporting people with such knowledge, experience, and grace. 🌿

If you’re a West Coaster needing end-of-life support, reach out to Bec… you’ll be in the very best hands.

birdsofafeatherdoula@gmail.com💚
https://www.eldaa.org.nz/team/rebecca-gaskell💚

I was in Christchurch today and had a very special Korero with Sarah Campbell-Simpson from Sanctuary NZ End of Life Doula 🫶
My cup was very full after our loooooooong coffee.☕️☕️☕️
Such a beautiful kind soul doing amazing mahi in Canterbury.
My first time having a actual face to face and a hug from another Doula. 🥰

Give Sarah's page a follow and share her word amoungst your loved ones. 🥰

Blessed to be supported by such like minded loving humans. 😇