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Living With Serious Illness

(Years - Months Before)

A Season of Organizing

(Years - Months Before)

I want to learn about end-of-life, essential vs optional paperwork, how to engage in conversation with loved ones, best ways to prepare support for myself and my home.


Examples of Support (Varies by professional):

  • Emotional support for patient and loved ones

  • Support processing prognosis, uncertainty, and fear

  • Translating medical language into human terms

  • Support navigating care options and systems

  • Facilitating family communication and alignment

  • Clarifying goals of care as conditions change9

  • Continued legacy work and memory projects

  • Spiritual or existential support

Professionals Who Work In This Stage

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Our collective is a trusted community of trained and experienced professionals who can support this stage when approaching the end-of-life, as well as the physical and emotional challenges that follow. Our offerings encompass guidance and presence, grief counseling, end-of-life planning assistance, support groups, and educational workshops. Each service is tailored to address the unique needs of our clients, ensuring a holistic approach to navigating the challenges of loss and bereavement. 

Listings are provided for informational purposes and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. We do not favor or recommend one provider over another, and encourage individuals to choose the support that best aligns with their needs and values.

Gretchen Gelke

Fiduciary and Death Doula in training (expected May 2026)

Gretchen's person-centered approach honors each client's unique wishes while providing families with practical guidance and emotional support. As a death doula and aging care case manager, she offers holistic guidance through medical decisions, care coordination, and end-of-life planning for aging and cognitively impaired clients.

Santa Clara County

(408) 806-6273

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Ore Ganin-Pinto

Death Doula and Interfaith Chaplain

Ore Ganin-Pinto is an ordained Interfaith Chaplain and Ritualist that opened up Bones and Breath Chaplaincy to provide End-of-Life Doula services, Spiritual Counseling, and Life Cycle Ceremonies for individuals, families and anyone facing any life transition. They have served as an interfaith palliative and hospice Chaplain for almost a decade.

Santa Cruz County, Bay Area

(845) 642-7976

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Traci Arieli

End-of-Life Doula, Grief Coach, First Steps® ACP Facilitator

Traci supports patients and their family through end-of-life planning, active dying, and grief. This includes advance directives, bedside presence, life review, legacy projects, and Celebration of Life planning. Her focus is practical support and clear communication so your care and decisions reflect what matters most to you.

Santa Clara County

(669) 696-3118

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Diane Elabidi

End-of-Life Doula (Inelda), Coach (Co-Active) and University Professor

Diane is a trained end-of-life doula and coach, as well as a Volunteer with Hospice of Santa Cruz County and Threshold Choir. Her workshops help demystify the space of end-of-life for better awareness, planning and making the most of life. She brings to this space 25 years of experience from her Design and User-experience career, as well as guidance from being a university professor.

Santa Cruz County, Santa Clara County

1 (650) 888-0430

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Ka Yun Cheng

Death Doula/End of Life Planner (INELDA, CDI)

Ka Yun Cheng is a death doula and end of life planner passionate about empowering clients to make informed decisions around their end of lfe plans. Her operations background best help clients who need logistical and research help accompanied by kindness.

Santa Clara County, San Mateo County

(650) 520-3095

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