Welcome Mina Devadas, Development Advisor and End-of-Life Doula
by INELDA
My path to becoming an end-of-life doula, hospice volunteer, and my present role with INELDA, development advisor, began some years ago with the sudden illness and death of my beloved husband, John, from stomach cancer at the age of 54. Given the initial prognosis that he had less than one year to live, my “proto-doula experience” was honed as we quickly shifted focus to the things that were most important to him. We filled each day, each hour, with love, purpose, and meaning. As it turned out, John had fewer than 12 weeks left to live.
Over the course of his treatments, hospitalizations, and inpatient hospice care, John and I were struck by how many people had to navigate serious illnesses and dying alone. Perhaps it was from hope or magical thinking that we dreamed together of volunteering to support them when he felt better. Following John’s death, compelled by our profound journey, I began considering how I might bring together my arts background, career in the nonprofit sector, and personal experiences to help others live and die more intentionally and with greater comfort, meaning, and peace of mind. To that end, I pursued training with INELDA and the hospice that supported John. In 2017, I became a practicing end-of-life doula and active hospice volunteer. In 2022, I joined INELDA’s volunteer advisory board and fundraising committee. In March of 2024, I was thrilled to join INELDA’s team as a fundraising advisor.
My path to becoming an end-of-life doula, hospice volunteer, and my present role with INELDA, development advisor, began some years ago with the sudden illness and death of my beloved husband, John, from stomach cancer at the age of 54. Given the initial prognosis that he had less than one year to live, my “proto-doula experience” was honed as we quickly shifted focus to the things that were most important to him. We filled each day, each hour, with love, purpose, and meaning. As it turned out, John had fewer than 12 weeks left to live.
Over the course of his treatments, hospitalizations, and inpatient hospice care, John and I were struck by how many people had to navigate serious illnesses and dying alone. Perhaps it was from hope or magical thinking that we dreamed together of volunteering to support them when he felt better. Following John’s death, compelled by our profound journey, I began considering how I might bring together my arts background, career in the nonprofit sector, and personal experiences to help others live and die more intentionally and with greater comfort, meaning, and peace of mind. To that end, I pursued training with INELDA and the hospice that supported John.
What many of you may not know is that INELDA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In order to provide and expand our high-quality programs and professional resources, INELDA must raise additional funding to supplement revenue generated through our course fees. Recently, we received a grant from the McElhattan Foundation to pilot a project in 2024 to develop an end-of-life curriculum to educate those who support people experiencing homelessness in Pittsburgh. Through funding raised last year, we also will offer support and training to Joshua’s House Volunteer Hospice and to the Humane Prison Hospice Project.
In joining INELDA’s team, I will bring more than 25 years of fundraising success with national and international nonprofit organizations and will work in partnership with the executive director, staff, board of directors, and our members to build support to ensure the durability of INELDA’s vital work and mission. We are excited to work with you to expand our network of champions, advocates, and donors, not only to sustain the work of INELDA and our community of practice but to strengthen and scale our capacity to meet end-of-life needs across our nation and communities. I invite you to reach out to me at [email protected] if you want to learn more about INELDA’s strategic goals or want to share your ideas.