When I became a parent I knew that something was missing in my birth and journey into postpartum. I wasn’t okay, and I didn’t know why. When the fog began to lift I started to study the brain science around birth and how important social support is for perinatal mental and physical health. I learned what was missing in my birth and postpartum: a doula to support me, believe in me, and simply be there. I decided that the world needed more doulas, and that I would become one. I completed my doula certification in 2017 and was ready to change the birthing world for the better.

It didn’t take me long to realize that the doula profession is not very well-known, and it is often misunderstood. Often viewed as a luxury or only for “hippy” clients, the deep value of doula support for society as a whole is a new concept.

When I read about cultures and communities that honor the birthing person and treat postpartum as a sacred time for healing and bonding, I feel a deep yearning for every family to experience this kind of support. When I read about postpartum depression and anxiety, and families suffering from the immense pressure of childrearing without support, I am moved to do something to help, but I can’t do it alone.

When my father took his last breaths surrounded by family and friends, I noticed many of the same feelings that I experience at births. I felt awe, wonder, and profound love. It was a sacred moment. I also felt scared. I wondered if I was going to be okay. I wondered if he was okay. I would have benefitted greatly from the compassionate support of an end of life doula, but I didn’t think to search for one. I don’t think I knew that they existed in my Memphis, Tennessee (now I know that they do).

I founded the Global Doula Project so that everyone can help others to have that compassionate support around birth and death. Anyone can make a donation, and the funds will go to approved Doula Organizations around the world so that they can provide free or discounted services to families. Support around the sacred moments of birth and death should not be considered a luxury, because it’s not! Every family deserves a doula.

Our doula grant pilot program is made possible by the Rice Family Fund, which was created by my father before he passed away in 2019. I have a feeling he is watching over us from above, happy to know that little by little, step by step, we are working for a world where support at the beginning and end of life is the norm, not the exception.