What Talking About Death Can Teach Us About Living

Send us Fan Mail We spend so much time planning for life. But how much time do we spend planning for the end of it? In this powerful and surprisingly life-affirming conversation, Marqueeta sits down with **Donna Walker-Muhammed**, Death Doula, Funeral Celebrant, Grief Specialist, End-of-Life Planning Educator, and founder of **Sacred Moments End-of-Life Planning & Education**. Donna explains what a death doula actually does, when you might need one, and why end-of-life planning isn’t just for people who are dying. She also shares why making our wishes known can be an act of love for the people we leave behind. They also explore **living funerals and celebrations of life**, the importance of preserving our stories and voices, what legacy really means, and why we should tell people what they mean to us while they’re still here to hear it. Plus, Donna shares practical advice on choosing a death doula and reminds us why there’s no better time than **right now** to say what needs to be said, make our wishes known, and appreciate the people we love. **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** Introducing: ***Becoming Your Own Ancestor™ — What Matters Most*** Donna’s upcoming course, *Becoming Your Own Ancestor™*, invites us to consider how the choices we make today shape the future we’ll inherit and the legacy we’ll leave behind. Through conversation, storytelling, reflection, and activities, participants will explore how to move beyond autopilot and live with greater awareness, purpose, and agency. **Course dates and registration are coming soon, with the course launching during Kwanzaa 2026.** *Honoring Life • Embracing Transition • Preserving Legacy™* **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** ***MEET OUR GUEST:*** **Donna Marie**   https://sacredmoments.life/                                                                                  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacredmoments\_life/ ***Donna's Birth to Becoming a Death doula Donna Marie, End-of-Life Doula, Educator, Celebrant*** Donna's journey to becoming a death doula began with the unexpected loss of her father in 2014. What began as an emergency hospital visit on a Friday ended with his passing just three days later. In those precious final moments, hope for recovery overshadowed thoughts of mortality.  Through this experience, Donna had a profound awakening to the fragility of life and the sacredness of each and every moment. This realization not only shaped her mission to honor and support others through life’s most delicate transitions but also deepened her understanding that all of life is, in essence,  a delicate transition and each breath we take is sacred. Through her own grief, personal loss, and the experience of supporting her mother, Donna’s work as a death doula unfolded organically. In that journey, she discovered her calling: to guide and educate others through essential conversations about death, dying, grief, and end-of-life planning. She encourages people to reflect, prepare, and share their wishes, values, and love legacy while there is still time. As a serious illness companion and Soul Doula, she also holds sacred space for those nearing life’s final transition, helping ensure that each person’s journey is met with dignity, honor, respect, and meaning. **Academic Education:** Donna holds a Master of Science in Management, Leadership Focus from The Catholic University of American Washington, DC, and a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Business and Health Promotion from the University of New Orleans. **Professional Certifications:** Death Doula Certification - Going with Grace (GwG), 2021; Global Ministries University - Funeral Celebrant Certification, Feb. 2025; Yoga Teacher Certification- Bikram Yoga Works; Health Coach Certification - Institute for Integrative Nutrition Donna is a member of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA), International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA), and National Funeral Home Alliance CONTACT: https://sacredmoments.life/  Support the show **Support Ageless Glamour Girls™:** - www.agelessglamourgirls.com - www.linkedin.com/in/marqueetacurtishaynes - https://www.youtube.com/@agelessglamourgirls - https://agelessglamourgirlsboutique.com/ - Instagram @agelessglamourgirls - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agelessglamourgirls - Private (AGG) FB Group: The Ageless Café: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theagelesscafe - TikTok: @agelessglamourgirls - https://www.shopltk.com/explore/AgelessGlamourGirls - Podcast Producers: Ageless Glamour Girls™ and Purple Tulip Media, LLC