Meet Erin Custer of Universal Pathways

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Custer.

Erin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My career as a RN began in 2008. I had the stereotypical, superhero nurse idea of saving lives. The longer I worked in acute care, the more I felt like I was a part of an idea that often meant death delaying instead. With enough time, the same patients would again circulation through the health care dance, hooked up to one more tube and prescribed 3 more medications before they were sent back out to live, often suffering with the additional time they just purchased. It’s a bold conclusion, but the underlying illness lies within our culture. We don’t talk about death because the societal message we take part in, is that it’s not ok to die. As I worked through 8 years in hospice, it was even more apparent that we are doing our loved ones, ourselves and those we leave behind a great disservice by denying death until the crisis strikes. The implications of having a well prepared plan, facing our own mortality and taking it even further to reclaim our options around our own death; can shed us of the trauma of death and dying. The bereavement is healthy, people find peace, discover coping capabilities and have a renewed sense for their own spiritual or religious understanding. Really, it can be a beautiful journey.

End of life education is a skill that everyone needs because we all will face our mortality at some point or have the opportunity to step up as a caregiver to someone who’s approaching death. We need to begin discussing it and have a plan, know what we want at the end of our journey and where we want to die.

The learning presses even further when most people don’t realize there are more options than cremation and traditional burial. Many believe that cremation is the “green” way. We also tend to blindly trust our healthcare system to put our death in the hands of the right professionals when the time is right. This creates a tragedy in a culture who is geared towards modern medicine, life-saving interventions and state of the art technology to keep us committed to “buying more time” and escaping death in one way or another. So, by the time they arrive to hospice care, they are beaten. They’ve exhausted all hope in curative medicine and are overwhelmed with terror. They’ve been working so hard running from death that the quality of life was exchanged for a longer period of suffering. We are too ill-prepared and my goal is to shed that sense of fighting off death for a sense of ownership and accountability. We are all responsible for knowing and sharing end of life education.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The failures, challenges and difficult times is where we find our gifts. This endeavor has had so many challenges, even the ones that I never anticipated, but all of them are shaping me (and the business) into a strong woman with the passion and drive to make a positive impact. First I was worried about looking like a weirdo. Then I remembered I am a weirdo so I got over that rather quickly. The fear of taking the next step always forces me to find a new place in my soul for the strength I didn’t know I had. It’s so important for my sons and daughters to have a fierce, resilient female role model with the courage to never give up in what you believe in.

Please tell us about Universal Pathways.
Universal Pathways was founded on the hope of offering everyone the choice to choose how to have a peaceful passing. Over the years, I have seen too many loved ones suffer in angst, rather than being able to contribute and be an integral part of their loved one’s legacy. We are just not prepared. Not being prepared means more suffering, 100% of the time.

Sadly, even after they have been on hospice for months, there are times when nobody has discussed what death will look like at the end. We have a responsibility, a duty to plan and prepare for our own death. It the last act of love, the last gift that we can give the ones we leave behind.

As a hospice RN, I have been able to see the positive, healing and beautiful (yes, It can be beautiful like birth!) end of life experiences. I have worked with many incredible professionals along the way who have been able to contribute to my curriculum. Everything from a hospice physician to a pediatric hospice massage therapist, have all shared with me the most important pieces of their work that they would teach to the world if they could. I could spend weeks teaching on end of life. I have turned the course into three days of learning, over the course of a few months.

Along with required “clinical” participation and successful testing after the first two courses, there is a final interview to obtain a certificate of completion. This is because the real learning is in being able to connect, advocate and identify. The human element of the caregiver is truly the most important piece. Dying, is a process that is only a portion about the body. This is “soul midwifery”, one might say.

An initial portion of my teaching is about how we embrace all who are in our community of end of life care. This is a sacred place to be and anyone who is contributing to the need of teaching end of life care, is someone we should be embracing rather than competing with. I had some amazing and well-known professionals “reach down” and pull me up so why wouldn’t I do the exact same? I think we have a tough time as a community, maintaining community and sustaining quality community because we lack the understanding of value in working together. If anything, I hope that someone leaves my course knowing how valuable others are to our own lifework.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I was four, I used to go with my mom to the Harvard Gulch Rec Center, here in Denver and watch her jazzercise. I would just watch in awe because my mom was like the most beautiful version of Richard Simmons. I used to worry if I had to do that too when I grow up. There was just no way I could look so magical in a leotard over shiny red leggings. That was a lot of pressure.

It was probably that same summer that my marigold names Shirley wasn’t thriving like the other flowers. My mom was a bit frustrated, knowing I loved my little flower. Finally, she noticed I had been taking Shirley in bike rides, where she lay wilted and withering in the handle bar basket. I knew she was dying, so, I gave her some good, solid, quality of life adventure. I guess you could say I was born for this work!

Pricing:

• Intro (Free)
• Advanced Course ($65)
• I offer many free workshops and webinars. Someone looking to invest in the entire curriculum could do so for about $550.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.UPathways.org
• Phone: 720-318-0007
• Email: admin@upathways.org
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/UPathways
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/UPathways

Image Credit:
Sustainable Funeral Home in Arvada. Trying the “New Life Chamber”, where deceased are transformed into nutrients for the soil.
Ivy Allen Photography

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.