Saving life stories after a terminal diagnosis

When you know time is limited, the decision to create a life story documentary for a loved one or friend can be daunting.

Faced with this situation, what would you do?

Would you make it happen no matter what?

Or would you put it off because it’s all too hard when someone is really sick?

Why it feels difficult to record their story

Deciding whether to record a life story is certainly not easy when someone is terminally ill.

It feels heavy: The pressure of preserving someone’s life story when they’re very ill can weigh heavy. You may be worried that the idea sounds morbid.

It’s emotional: Revisiting memories with them, both joyful and painful, can be emotionally difficult.

It’s overwhelming: Knowing where to start or how to organise and plan it all is a challenge.

It can be scary: There can be a fear of not doing justice to their story, missing things out or not doing a good enough job.

Why it really matters

It’s not an easy task, but ask yourself what happens if you don’t do it? All those invaluable stories, cherished memories and heartfelt messages for future generations could be lost forever.

It’s likely there will be messages that they want to share with children or grandchildren too, that they can’t get the courage to say face to face, but will be able to share this way through video.

Preserving these stories is a gift to their loved ones and a legacy for those who come after.

A recent experience

Last week, I worked with a man in his 50s who has a terminal diagnosis. He initially planned to create his life story video himself, particularly wanting to record a message for his son.

However, he found it difficult to navigate the process alone and struggled emotionally each time he went to record it. Working together made it so much easier for him to focus on his stories and beautiful messages for loved ones. We were able to create a heartfelt documentary that I know his family will absolutely treasure.

His relief at having it completed was also very clear. He told me that without my guidance, he might never have finished it. The experience confirmed for me that I must continue with this work and help as many families as I can, allowing the spirits of these people to live on through their shared messages and stories.

How I can help

If you have a loved one or know of someone with a terminal diagnosis who hasn’t yet captured their story, please reach out. I’m here to make the process easier and promise you that their legacy will be recorded with care and compassion.

Visit www.movingmemories.nz to learn more.

Prefer to do it yourself?

If you’d rather take on this project independently, I’m currently developing a “How to Film a Life Story” e-book complete with a bonus video walk-through. Let me know in the comments if you’re interested as I’d love to share it with you once it’s ready.

Let’s make sure that no story goes untold. ❤️

Book a call with Nicola

If you need help with getting started with recording your family stories and memories, I offer a free 30 minute call to help you identify key areas of your life to focus on, and tips to help get your life story underway. Here’s a link to book a time:

https://bookwithnicola.as.me