Ellie Atherton talks about living and letting go, showing a different side to the prospect of dying. Ellie Atherton is a registered nurse with a long history of caring for people who are nearing the end of their lives. In the 1990s, she worked with many as an herbalist, helping them to discover ways to find comfort. She quickly discovered the dying had valuable life lessons to share and that the more we understand about death, the less we fear facing it.

Ellie can often be found speaking to civic groups and organizations about what she learned from the only real experts on the subject—the dying. She is the author of several books based on true patient stories intended to help demystify the dying experience. Her books have already helped many readers to better understand dying and have less fear of the final stages of life. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx