Death Literacy and the Death Cafe: Calm, Compassionate Reframe of Death and Dying

In 1978, Marilyn began her training to become a Registered Nurse. Her first job was working as a nurse's aide in Yorkton and her first RN position was at the old Saskatoon City Hospital, where, at the wise age of 21 years, was regularly in charge of an acute care med/surg unit holidays, weekends and nights. She moved to Edmonton to earn her degree in nursing and worked cardiology at the U of A Hospital, eventually moving to Calgary in 1987 and securing a position in CCU at the Foothills Hospital. Clinical practice expanded to include neurology, Health Link and palliative home care. She even did a stint as a nurse on the Stampede Grounds! Through virtually all of Marilyn's 48 years of work in direct patient care, the reality of death was a frequent undercurrent and her heart broke to see people so painfully unprepared to deal with it. Once she was no longer an employee, "Death Maven" was born.

After retiring from bedside nursing in April 2024, Marilyn decided to provide “death literacy” education and advocate for a safe space where no question is off the table. People often yearn for a different type of conversation but don't know how to begin. Marilyn's company “Death Maven”, takes the holistic approach and normalizes the death conversation. She has spoken at nursing conferences and created online webinars. Occasional public speaking has become a regularly scheduled “Death Café”, showcasing Canadian films and documentaries with content guided by Canadian nurses. Following the films, questions and discussions are guided by a seasoned palliative care nurse. This work is necessary because death hasn't changed, but the way we navigate it has.