NoCole Kidman she is ready to start a new chapter in her life. TO 58 years oldthe American actress Oscar winner has decided that, alongside his film career, he will undertake a training course as death doulathat is to say end of life doula. It’s about a companion figure who offers practical, emotional and spiritual support to people in the last days of their existencewithout replacing medical staff, but guaranteeing presence, listening and human support in an extremely delicate phase. Kidman spoke about it openly during a press conference al War Memorial Gymnasium of the University of San Francisco and, as reported by San Francisco Chronicle, the idea came to her after the passing of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, in September 2024.
Nicole Kidman and the disappearance of her mother Janelle
When Janelle Ann Kidman disappeared, the actress was at the Venice Film Festival to collect the Volpi Cup for Babygirl. The loss had a profound impact on her and led her to reflect on the meaning of presence and accompaniment in the final moments of life. «When my mother was dying she felt alone, and we as a family were only able to be there for her to a certain extent. My sister and I have children, commitments and careers, and our father has been gone since 2014,” the actress said at the conference. «That’s when I thought: “I wish there were people willing to offer comfort and assistance in these moments”».
Nicole Kidman’s new mission
In the following months, Kidman has publicly shared the pain of bereavementalso recounting moments of strong fragility and the weight of the mother’s absence in everyday life. Over time, this experience transformed into a broader reflection, to the point of becoming the inspiration that led her to approach the world of death doula.
The role of death douladeath doula
The term “doula” has spread to the United States between the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s thanks to the work of the anthropologist Dana Raphael. The term indicated exclusively those support figures for women before and after giving birth.
There death doulahowever, is one more recent figure that developed between the late 1990s and early 2000sin parallel with the growth of attention towards palliative care And the end of life. There death doula deals with supporting the dying person and their family on the emotional, relational and organizational level, without intervening in the medical field. His goal is to create one safe space in which the patient can express fears, desires and needs, encouraging an open dialogue with family members and helping everyone involved to face the dying process with greater awareness.
Respect wishes before and after death
A central aspect of his work concerns respect for the patient’s wishes. The doula can help clarify and put into practice end-of-life decisions, including advance directives or choices regarding care, coordinating the various care figures involved when necessary. Its role does not end with the death of the person, but continues in supporting the family, both in the management of immediate practical aspects and in the mourning process.. Through this accompaniment, the death doula contributes to making the end of life a more human, aware and shared path.
In Italy there is death doula?
In Italy these figures they are still little known, but in recent years the first structured courses have started. One of the best known routes is the one promoted by Edoardo Vitale Study Center Of Genoawith a two-year advanced training course dedicated to supporting the person in the final stages of life. In 2025, right in Genoa, they are The first end-of-life doulas trained in Italy have graduated.
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