Both Sides of the MAiD Bed: Disrupting Death with Kim Carlson

“ She's in her favourite chair. She's surrounded by loved ones. She's got a supportive GP. There's love and laughter, and I can't imagine anything better for the very final moments of your life. And I have to just say I'm just really thankful, one, to be a Canadian and that she has this option, but also that I had the opportunity to be there and that our family got to have these really beautiful final moments with her.”

Dear listeners, in this episode Kathy and Keri-Lyn share their conversation with Kim Carlson about supporting Canadians on both the professional and personal sides of the MAiD experience. 

Kim is a Registered Nurse with 14 years of experience in palliative care, working in a variety of roles, from bedside care to patient care coordinator to nurse clinician

Despite initial resistance to MAiD within many palliative care programs, Kim was committed to supporting individuals considering it as part of their end-of-life journey. She was present for her first MAiD provision in early 2017, and with each subsequent experience, her interest deepened, particularly in how the final days and moments are experienced. She became increasingly curious about how loved ones navigate grief after MAiD and how conversations with those who may not agree with MAiD could negatively impact the grieving process. 

In 2021, when her grandmother chose to have MAiD, Kim experienced firsthand what it means to be a loved one supporting someone through it. She experienced both the beautiful camaraderie of final goodbyes and also the challenges of grief and secrecy.

Outside of work, Kim and her partner, Paul Magennis—also a registered nurse—co-author the Substack page MAiD in Canada. This platform enables them to address misinformation about MAiD and ensure that accurate information is widely accessible. It has also given Kim a meaningful space to share her personal journey—from supporting patients through MAiD to supporting her own grandmother. 

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.