In between milking cows and calving South Taranaki dairy farmer Belinda Price puts on another hat and helps people as they face death.

She is a death doula, who helps people navigate the end of their lives.

And she is is working on a podcast series called Dying to Know, which covers death and dying, that will be be up on her website www.leavinglegacies.co.nz in a few weeks.

It covers subjects most people avoid, and Price in her role as a death doula, is trying to make it easier for people to have these discussion with their families.

A doula is technically a woman who serves, Price, a South Taranaki dairy farmer, said.

Price says living funerals are becoming increasingly common.
VANESSA LAURIE / TARANAKI DAILY NEWS

And typically they are either birthing doulas who help at the beginning of life, or death doulas who help at the end of life.

Everyone is different and everyone has different fears and wishes at end of their life, she said.

It’s helping them process things, and organise, as well as making sure they have support and care around them.

“I think it’s a very special place to be. And I feel very privileged and honoured to be invited into that space, because it is so emotional and vulnerable for people to open up and share.”

And she helps people answer questions such as: Is your will up to date? Do you have an advanced care plan? And, rather than a funeral, why not have a celebration of life party?

They’ve become more popular now, Price said.

“A living funeral. You’re still alive when you have it. All your loved ones are here celebrating your life with you and then you have a very quiet funeral for your loved ones to process that grief.”

Price won Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year in 2021 and was given a $20,000 scholarship to study or undertake professional development.
VANESSA LAURIE / TARANAKI DAILY NEWS

In some ways being a death doula – also called an end of life doula or dying companion – seems an unusual choice of work for a dairy farmer. But it was farming that got her into it.

Price won Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year in 2021 and was given a $20,000 scholarship to study or undertake professional development.

“So, I studied for the Diploma in Positive Psychology. I wanted to help people. I was already in the mental health space and Rural Support Trust space and doing that kind of thing, but I wanted to help people in a more positive way.”

And it was while she was studying that she first heard the term death doula.

“So, I wrote it down in my book and it played on my mind for quite a long time and I thought, yep. I was looking for my next thing to do, my purpose or my calling.

“I was fascinated by it and thought I had all the skills sets to do that so I went to do some study with Peaceful Presence online.”

Working with people who are dying means there is a sad side to her job, she said.

“I do get sad, but I think everyone is going to pass away and everyone is on their own journey. I’m just helping people at a very significant time of their life to make sure they are at peace as much as possible and have a dignified passing.”

Price has developed cards for people to use to start difficult conversations around death and dying
VANESSA LAURIE / TARANAKI DAILY NEWS

But she has a monthly zoom meeting with other death doulas, so she has the opportunity to talk about things if she needs to, and she accepts there will be tough times and tough subjects.

“I can come home and process and I have the right network around me.”

She is part of a group of New Zealand death doulas who are involved in setting up an alliance, where doulas will be able to apply for professional membership after they have completed courses, had a police check and met certain criteria, she said.

Even though most people have never heard of them, there’s probably a death doula in each region, she said.