Anna Marshall
“…the dying were not passive patients, but the lead actors in their lives’ final, most important drama. Even on their deathbed, even in pain, they had choices and moral agency. Their dying was domestic and communal, as sacred and familiar as baptism or a wedding.”
— Katy Butler, The Art of Dying Well
Background
Caregiving has been a central part of my life from an early age. I was born into a multi-generational home where my mother was the primary caregiver for my grandfather in his final years. In 2006, at the age of 13, I took on my first formal caregiving role, providing companionship to an elderly neighbor with advanced Alzheimer’s. Throughout high school and college, where I studied English, I continued supporting individuals in my community facing advanced age and illness.
My life changed direction when I left college to care for a friend who was dying. Together, we traveled to her childhood hometown, where I supported her in finding the closure, comfort, and courage needed to face her final days. This journey set me on a new path of supporting individuals who wish to craft more meaningful end-of-life experiences for themselves and their loved ones.
Qualifications
To equip myself with the technical skills needed to support individuals with their activities of daily living (ADLs), I completed nurse aide training and residency through Tidewater Medical Training in Virginia in 2019. To better support people with the emotional, spiritual, and logistical aspects of advanced illness, death, and grief, I received formal end-of-life doula training and certification through Going With Grace in 2021, where I studied under Alua Arthur. I maintain my Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association.
Experience
I have worked with individuals facing a wide range of conditions, including cancer, heart disease, COPD, kidney disease, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke. I have also supported individuals in establishing a practice of advance planning while they’re healthy, so they can live more purposefully and with peace of mind.
Community Advocacy & Education
As part of my effort to empower caregivers and foster informed end-of-life conversations, I served as a panelist for Caregiver Appreciation Day with Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia in Norfolk (2024), where I joined the discussion “Getting Ready for Departure.” In 2025, I was a workshop facilitator for “Healthcare Advocacy: Making Informed Decisions,” an advance-planning workshop hosted at the Colley Community Center in Norfolk. Through these offerings, I hope to help individuals and families navigate healthcare choices with greater confidence, clarity, and compassion.