Death Cafe profile for Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons
Location: United Kingdom
About Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons:
My name is Nicola. I'm a 35 year old mum living with my son and fiance in Bishop's Stortford.
I work at a local funeral directors, DC Poulton's, who are kindly supporting this Death Cafe.
Both myself and my colleagues at DC Poulton are passionate about funeral directors being an integral part of the community and we hope that we can provide support, understanding and marvellous discussions.
What brings you to Death Cafe?
Talking about death is important to me. When I was 12 I lost my father to suicide and the inability to talk about it still haunts me now.
When I was 20 I started working as a healthcare assistant. I was astounded at the inconsistency around death and dying, from staff, families and patients. At that point I decided I'd dedicate my career to helping create positive experiences around death.
From qualifying as a nurse at 23 to fairly recently I worked in care of the dying. Working in hospices, hospitals, patients homes. I provided practical and emotional support to patients and their families. Working as a Macmillan nurse opens you to the best and worst experiences, you learn how to discuss dying frankly but tactfully and these are skills I cherish.
Now, at 35, I work for DC Poulton's Funeral Directors in Bishop's Stortford. I see funeral care as an extension of the work I've done previously. I'm able to bring the understanding I have of death and dying and use it to support the bereaved. It is still my focus to create positive experiences around death and that is what brings me to host this Death Cafe.
What would you like your legacy to be?
To have helped.
Thoughts for sharing:
Death. Rainer Maria Rilke.
Before us great Death stands
Our fate held close within his quiet hands.
When with proud joy we lift Life’s red wine
To drink deep of the mystic shining cup
And ecstasy through all our being leaps—
Death bows his head and weeps.
Contact Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons
Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons's posts on the Death Cafe website
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Bishop's Stortford
Posted by Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons on June 26, 2015, 5:45 a.m.
"I'm not sure about the name"
"I don't like the skull on the teacup"
"But I'm not bereaved..."
I'll admit it, I was nervous.
In all honesty I had had many positive comments as I tried to spread the word about Death Cafe Bishop's Stortford but it is human (well it is certainly Nicola) to focus on the negative and expect a disaster.
'Plan for the worst, hope for the best' is something of a motto for me and in this instance my hope was well founded.
12 of us gathered in the lovely garden room of Great Hadham Golf Club, the evening ...
Death Cafe: Death Cafe Bishop's Stortford
Posted by Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons on April 28, 2015, 5:58 a.m.
With Nicola Sheehan, DC Poulton & Sons
June 25, 2015, 7.30 p.m. - 9.30 p.m. (GMT)
Free. Donations towards tea & coffee welcome.
Talking about death is important.
I could leave it at that. Death is the last real taboo in society and yet is something that will impact on us all both ...