It is simple… what do you do to live YOUR best life? Regardless of any condition or diagnoses, are you living the fullness of your true authentic self? As an EOLD, I provide an Advocate to allow an individual to transition consciously with dignity. My duty is to provide choices and non-medical support to create plans and actions to provide inner peace in the eye of a storm. It is a remarkably interesting dichotomy to be happy or content, until the very last breath.

There is not a person on the planet that does not have some sort of individual struggle. I’m a divorcee, single parent, Gen-Xer, who survived a stroke in my 40’s. I had to rehabilitate and reinvent myself and figure out how I was going to utilize the additional time that was provided to me. We are not given a playbook that guarantees our paths in life, and we will not escape our own passing, death or homegoing. When given the chance though, we are allowed choices before and in our time of transition.

I am Sara E. Stewart, an End-of-Life Doula, Notary, Insurance Agent, Certified Yoga Teacher and Meditation Guide, Officiant, Health Coach and Energy Worker. I am not a particularly religious person. I am a person of faith and I have woven the Buddhist principles of the Four Nobles Truths and the Eightfold Path into my life. I am here to help you tackle the topics that make life and death challenging and advocate for you. Allow me to hold space for your questions, joy, sadness, confusion, peace, grief, mourning, contentment, etc. I welcome your conversation.

My philosophy is to, “Define your NO to get to your YES.” If you can get all your “NO” out of the way, you will allow space for the “YES”. I feel that ultimately, getting to “YES” is how we live our best lives… despite our situations.

What brought me to Doula work:

In retrospect, there were several events in my life that directed me to end-of-life care. My undergraduate degree is in Speech and Debate. In the late 1990’s, I was a hospice volunteer. In 2001, I completed a post-baccalaureate program in Legal Studies and became Ordained. My fitness business was destroyed during the 2020 pandemic and I paid close attention to the devastating tolls inflicted on families. Greater conversations were had about the inequality and inequity in health care. My family members and I updated our advance planning documents, including Wills. I started researching the number of people that do not prepare written documents for their end-of-life and decided to combine planning and advocacy with direct care to start a new, next step in my life. I selected the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine End-of-Life Doula Professional program. I considered the heart-centered and practical work combined with the medical knowledge gained with the completion.

Services offered:

• Advanced Planning
• Notary Public
• Restorative or Supportive Yoga
• Chair Fitness
• Meditation
• Energy Work
• Officiant
• Accompaniment to medical appointments
• Organization
• Light house cleaning
• Making a Memory Book/ Life Reflection/ Legacy Projects
• Complete errands
• Living Wake/Celebration of Life/Living Funeral/Memorial Service
• Prepare meals
• ​Companionship and/or conversation
• Aromatherapy
• Cannabis Advocacy
• Non-medical Advocacy
• Emotional and Spiritual Care/Support
• Urns
• Non-Denominational Weddings
• Sitting Vigil

Education, Training, Certifications, Professional Experience, etc:

• University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate
• Breathe for Change Yoga/Meditation Teacher Yoga Alliance approves Certificate
• Institute of Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate
• Hospice Volunteer Training
• Roosevelt University Post-Baccalaureate Legal Studies Certificate
• Northeastern Illinois University B.A. Speech and Debate
• Kishwaukee College A.A. Business Administration