Video centered and narrated by BC’s Jennyfer Hatch. The 37-year-old died on October 23 and chose medical assistance in dying (MAID) after dealing with complications and chronic pain related to her diagnosis of Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a group of inherited disorders that affect the connective tissue that supports many parts of the body. In the video, which is available on the Simons shopping website, viewers get a glimpse of some of Hatch’s last month and hear her share her thoughts on life, death and trying to fill her final days. with beauty, with nature and with connection”. Hutch sat on the shores of a Tofino beach as part of Simons’ video. Simons says he committed to the filming process, promising to “destroy” the entire project if Hatch didn’t like the final product. (Simons) Peter Simons, head of merchandising for the fashion chain, says the documentary project began after he met Hatch through the MAID program and traveled to Vancouver to talk about working on a one-of-a-kind film. “We really felt — after everything we’ve been through the last couple of years and everyone’s been through — maybe it would resonate more to do a project that’s less commercially driven and more focused on the inspiration and the values ​​we hold dear,” Simons said. Simons says he thinks customers will appreciate the unconventional move. “I learned early in my career not to underestimate our customers. They are smart and thoughtful and want to engage in difficult conversations,” he said. “It’s not about MAID, it’s really a story. It’s a celebration of Jennyfer’s life and I think she has a lot to teach us.”

“Uncharted territory” for Simons

Simons says All Is Beauty is unlike any other work the company has done to date. They gave Hatch “total control” over the telling of her story as they set up unique scenes and experiences for Hatch and her closest friends in Tofino, BC. “I think there’s something missing in the corporate world today in terms of understanding that privilege comes with responsibility and being involved in the communities where we work,” Simons said. “Sometimes it’s not necessarily going to be easy art. It’s going to be harder art and that’s part of the commitment,” he said. “Jennifer’s life was a work of art.” “We were heading into uncharted territory for us,” Simons said. “I think everyone was proud that she felt we did justice to her philosophy on life.” Simons says Hatch and his friends saw the film. It was released on October 24, the day after he died. Her friends Josh Dahling and Heather Mohan joined the shoot. “It’s still kind of fresh,” Dalling said. “We all cried… We thought it was beautiful and we hope it continues to create these ripples.”

“In an ideal world, he would be here today”

Dahling and Mohan were Hatch’s friends as well as her colleagues at the Lumara Grief and Bereavement Care Centre. Hatch was the center’s music therapist and was “passionate about using song,” Mohan said. Hatch helped clients who were dealing with serious illness, bereavement and grief. The cello was one of Hatch’s “favorite things,” according to her friends. In one of the scenes in the video, Hatch was led to a cello, which helped her feel the vibration of the instrument. (Simons) Dahling says Hatch has discussed her decision to follow MAID often, and says she hopes the video would “broaden people’s awareness” of the importance of dying “humanely.” “We, as a society, do so much to support bringing people into this world, but we do very little to help them get out,” Dahling said. “I’ll tell you he loved life. In an ideal world, he would be here today… No way he wasn’t [pursuing medical assistance in dying] who wanted to leave the world because she didn’t like living. And that takes a lot of courage and a lot of acceptance.” Quebec AM11:06 All is Beauty: Jennyfer Quebec-based department store chain Simons has a thought-provoking new project called All is Beauty. The video tells the story of Jennyfer and her last days before she was medically assisted to die. Peter Simons, the chief marketer at Simons, tells Quebec AM host Julia Caron why it’s important to do more “difficult” art, even as a company.

The filming experience was a ‘profoundly beautiful thing’

Hatch’s friend and colleague Tama Recker described the experience of filming in September as “a profoundly beautiful thing.” “Nothing was staged, like nothing. It was very natural. It was really these experiences that were just created for him to enjoy very organically and it was magical,” Recker said. Jennyfer Hatch, left, and Tama Recker, right, sat on the beach while filming in Tofino. Her friends remarked that it was unusually beautiful for an area that usually rains a lot. They said the sky was clear the days they returned. (Submitted by Ashley Bell) Recker notes that while Hatch’s story of pursuing MAID may be difficult for some people, the focus should be on inviting conversation about these issues. “It’s not about what any of us believe, it’s about honoring people who have different choices and being able to choose things that honor and respect them,” Recker said. “Jen was deeply honored and respected in her choices — the way she lived and the way she died.” Jennifer Hatch visited a farm in her final days. (Submitted by Josh Dahling)

The Importance of “Transferring Complex Emotions”

The latest three-minute video has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube. It’s no wonder the video has gotten so much attention, says Dr. Stefanie Green, author, family physician and co-founder and president of the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers (CAMAP). “I think Canadians are ready for it. I mean, we’ve been discussing and practicing assisted dying for six years now,” Green said. referring to the 2016 legalization of MAID. “Assisted dying is overwhelmingly supported by the vast majority of Canadians … I think [this video] is what they hope MAID can be. And to see it come to fruition, to actually see it visually, is rather reassuring for people.” It might be interesting for Canadians to see a brand join this conversation, says David Kenneth Wright, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s school of nursing. “A company exists to make money, so it’s a valid question about what the motivations are here,” said Wright, who specializes in the ethics of end-of-life care. He says the discourse around MAID before it was legalized in 2016 was very polarized. While some of that still exists, he says sharing personal experiences like Hatch’s is one way to help people understand some of the nuances of this choice. “MAID is still a stigmatized way to die. And even in the comments, I think on this video, you see some people reacting with, ‘I’m never going to shop at Simons again,’ or whatever,” Wright said. “I think it’s very important to remember that this video is about the end of a real person’s life, and any time a dying person chooses to spend their energy on changing the social conversations we have about death, that should be treated with deep respect. “, he said. “Any quibbles one might have with her message, and I have some, should be offered by a place that honors her choice to contribute something meaningful in the short time she had left before she died.” Wright notes that while the video may “declare the ugliness of hospital death,” experiences and preferences of death vary greatly from person to person.
Jennifer says [the hospital] it’s not a place of softness and it needs softness, but when hospice care is done well, we actually see that a soft life experience is possible,” Wright said. A still from All is Beauty, a short film about Hatch’s final days before receiving MAID. (Simons) He notes that it’s important to emphasize the complexity of death, such as the scene from the video that shows a tear rolling down Hutch’s cheek. “[That] conveys complex emotion. I was happy to hear the phrase ‘with all the pain, there’s still so much beauty,’ so it’s recognizing that beauty and pain kind of exist together in tension,” Wright said. “[Because] yes, there is a way to bring beauty to the end of life, but the end of life is rarely anything but beautiful. The end of life is almost always a messy contradiction of beauty, pain, joy and sadness. And any creative or artistic depiction of the end of life, including a retailer, will be more authentic if it captures these tensions.”