National Volunteer Week runs from April 27 to May 3. This year’s theme is Volunteers Make Waves. It highlights the power, impact, and importance of individual and collective volunteer efforts across Canada. Like a wave, volunteering is movement building.

We are forever grateful for those who volunteer at DWDC; volunteers bring so many different skills and gifts to our organization. In 2024, five volunteers helped translate some of our resources into other languages, including Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Japanese, and Punjabi. We asked some of these volunteers about the translation project and why they give of their time to DWDC.  

Translation is such an important part of accessibility. What resource(s) did you translate and into what language(s)?  

Pratham: I translated into Hindi a comprehensive presentation covering MAID laws, rules, and available resources and the MAID fact sheet.  

Anabela: I translated the MAID fact sheet and the MAID PowerPoint presentation into Portuguese. 

Yasuko: I translated some of DWDC’s content from English to Japanese.

What does it mean to you to make this information accessible to people who speak your language?  

Pratham: For me, it means ensuring that language is never a barrier to understanding one’s own rights. End-of-life decisions are deeply personal, and everyone deserves access to accurate, culturally sensitive, and clearly explained information. Making these resources available in Hindi allows more people to have informed discussions with their families and health care providers. 

Anabela: The more people the information can reach, the better. 

Yasuko: It means I can help make valuable information on end-of-life choice available to Japanese people in their own language.

What does end-of-life choice mean to you?   

Pratham: End-of-life choice, to me, is about autonomy, dignity, and compassion. It means ensuring that every individual has the right to make informed decisions about how they wish to navigate the final stages of their life, free from unnecessary suffering and in accordance with their values and beliefs. It’s about giving people the ability to pass with peace and on their own terms. 

Anabela: It means my right to choose how and when I want to die peacefully and without prolonging suffering. 

Yasuko: It means a person can make a final decision to how to end one’s life without suffering unnecessarily and with dignity.

What do you wish more people across Canada knew about end-of-life choice?   

Pratham: I wish more Canadians knew that MAID is not about giving up on life — it’s about having control over how it ends. Many people still have misconceptions, believing that MAID is rushed or coerced, when in reality, it is a deeply personal and carefully considered decision made by individuals who are already facing unbearable suffering. I also wish more people understood the legal rights and safeguards that ensure MAID is an informed and ethical process. 

Anabela: I wish everyone knew how the process works and I wish people wouldn’t believe everything they hear about it; for example, that it feels as if someone is drowning. 

Yasuko: I wish more people knew that MAID exists as one end-of-life medical choice, and that it is available for eligible people to end their lives on their own terms.

Why do you volunteer?  

Pratham: I volunteer because I believe access to knowledge is access to choice. Too often, people struggle with end-of-life decisions due to a lack of awareness or resources in their preferred language. By translating vital information, I hope to empower individuals and families with the knowledge they need to make informed choices about their care. 

Anabela: Because I like to help whenever and wherever I can. I think being of service/helping others gives meaning to life. 

Yasuko: In addition to the translation project, I also volunteer as an Independent Witness; not having an Independent Witness should not be an issue if someone wishes to apply for an assisted death. I also want to make sure that people have the correct information about MAID because there are many misconceptions.

What do you love/enjoy most about volunteering with DWDC?   

Pratham: I love being part of an organization that is compassion-driven and dedicated to advocacy. Knowing that my contributions — no matter how small — help people make informed decisions and find peace in difficult moments is incredibly fulfilling. The sense of purpose and the supportive community at DWDC make this work deeply meaningful. 

Anabela: I’m very grateful for the work DWDC does. Helping is just a token of my appreciation.

Yasuko: Being an Independent Witness for MAID could help someone’s application; it feels good to be part of someone’s life journey. 

What are you proud of as a volunteer?  

Pratham: I’m proud that my translations have helped and will help bridge language barriers for those who may not have otherwise had access to clear, reliable information about MAID and end-of-life choices. Seeing the impact of these resources — whether it’s reducing fear, sparking conversations, or providing clarity — makes me feel like I’m contributing to something truly important. 

Anabela: Helping others makes me happy. 

Yasuko: By being a witness for someone’s MAID application, they have one less thing to worry about.

If you were to summarize DWDC into one word, what would it be?  

Pratham: Empowerment. DWDC empowers individuals, families, and communities by ensuring they have the knowledge, resources, and support to make informed end-of-life choices. 

Anabela: Compassion. 

Yasuko: Empathy.

Are there any words or concepts about death and dying in English that don’t have an exact translation in your language? Or any concepts in your language that don’t have a direct translation in English?  

Pratham: Yes, there are many differences in how death and dying are expressed in Hindi compared to English: 

1. The idea of “assisted dying” doesn’t have a direct equivalent in Hindi. Most people are more familiar with the concept of “moksha” (liberation) or “ichha mrityu” (death by will), which are spiritually framed rather than medically defined. This can sometimes make MAID a difficult concept to translate without additional explanation. 

2. Words like ‘palliative care’ don’t have a direct Hindi translation. Instead, Hindi speakers often use descriptive phrases like “vyavasthit dekhbhal” (structured care) or “aakhri avastha ka dhyan” (end-stage care), which can lack the precise medical meaning of palliative care. 

3. The word “death” itself is often softened in Hindi. In English, we say “death” quite directly, but in Hindi, it’s more common to use “swargwas” (passing to heaven), “nirvana prapt karna” (attaining liberation), or “parlok gati” (moving to the next world). These variations reflect cultural sensitivities and religious perspectives, which can sometimes make translation challenging. Although these phrases are very traditional and used less in modern south Asian context. 

Yasuko: There are exact translations that exist in Japanese, however euthanasia and mercy killing are used interchangeably and confused with ‘death with dignity’ or ‘dignified death.’ In the countries like Japan where medically assisted death is not available, it is legally considered as aiding and abetting a suicide, so the concept is not widely accepted.