Jackie Wagner is sitting in her Vanderhoof home office. Her 200 pound mastiff sits in the background, quietly waiting to be acknowledged. Jackie is holding a large duffle bag which she calls her "Mary Poppins bag", referring to the assortment of items she keeps with her at all times. "Sometimes I'll enter a room and people haven't left the bedside for days. They haven't showered, they're exhausted, and so I have little soaps and diffusers that I bring for that."

Jackie is a death doula. She defines her job as "a concierge to the dying".

As a job, being a death doula (or end-of life doula, dying guide, soul midwife) means responding to the call of the dying or their loved ones. She can get a call or text at any time of day or night, and responds very quickly to get to the aid of the person nearing end of life.

Originally from Alberta, Jackie, her husband, and her son moved to Vanderhoof for her husband's job. She quickly connected with the local hospice and became a trusted and welcome addition to the people who work at the Vanderhoof Hospice Society. Jackie makes it clear that her job is "not to be part of the medical team", but rather as a helping hand as nurses and doctors are already so busy.

She hopes to continue to work closely with the hospice society in Vanderhoof.

Listen to the full interview with Jackie Wagner below.