Legacy is at Heart of 2021 Misher Lecture

Editor's note: This article was written prior to University of the Sciences' merger with and into Saint Joseph's University and does not reflect the current, combined institution. References to programs, offices, colleges, employees, etc., may be historical information.

The 2021 Misher Lecture focused on the topic of legacy, as author Maryanne O’Hara spoke about how the loss of her daughter led her to focus on how to capture the legacy of loved ones. O’Hara spoke to the USciences community on Thursday, October 28, 2021, and gave a hands on presentation, helping the audience understand how to conduct a life interview.

According to O’Hara, author of “Little Matches: A Memoir of Grief and Light,” life interviews offer an opportunity for people to reflect on their lives and shape their life stories, regardless of age or current health. Such recordings are gifts for the future, offering others a way forward, she said.

O'Hara is an award-winning author and end-of-life doula whose daughter, Caitlin, was born with cystic fibrosis and diagnosed at age two. When she reached adulthood and her quality of life began to deteriorate from the disease, it became clear she would need a lung transplant to survive. People do survive lung transplants; Caitlin did not.

“Why didn’t I ask her to interview her while she was alive? I didn’t want to upset her. But the real reason was the most basic human reason — is that we always think we have more time,” said O’Hara.

O’Hara outlived her daughter and was left wondering why she hadn’t gathered up as much of Caitlin while she could. Made more recordings, asked more questions, given her daughter the power to author her legacy.

“I wrote Little Matches to share who Caitlin was and to share her wisdom,” said O’Hara. “In my fiction I have always explored existential themes. It wasn’t until I was living inside grief that I needed to experience it in a personal way through my writing.”

After her daughter’s death, she trained as a certified end-of-life doula at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. End-of-life doulas provide support and comfort to clients and their families at the end of life. Like a birth doula, only at the other end. Maryanne’s favorite part of that training was legacy work––in particular, life interviews.

She shared some tricks of the trade with the USciences audience and encouraged them to find the time to conduct an interview with a loved one to capture their legacy and wisdom for the future.