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About ABE

A Beautiful Ending: The Story Behind ABE


The ABE Project began with a simple belief: no one should have to face death, or support a loved one through it, alone.

We strive to empower individuals to navigate their final chapter with greater agency and peace. For Labhrás, this work is deeply personal. Growing up in Ireland, where death was acknowledged as a natural part of life, he became familiar with grief at an early age. But it was the loss of his brother as a teenager, and later the experience of supporting a family member through illness, that shaped his understanding of what dignified, compassionate end-of-life care should be, and how often it falls short. These early experiences planted the seeds for a lifelong inquiry into how we care for one another through death and grief.

After making home on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, in what is now called Vancouver, Labhrás spent more than 15 years building relationships and leading partnerships in the tech sector. Yet his heart was drawn to a different kind of work. His time providing bedside hospice support, facilitating grief circles, and accompanying individuals through medical assistance in dying (MAID) revealed a crucial truth: too many people—especially those from underrepresented communities—struggle to find the guidance they need at the end of life.

From this understanding, The ABE Project was born. A nonprofit dedicated to education, advocacy, and community programming, ABE fosters open and inclusive conversations about death, dying, and bereavement. Its mission is to ensure equitable access to end-of-life support, grounded in dignity, autonomy, and compassion.

Recognizing the need for direct support, Labhrás later founded ABE Care, a virtual clinic that connects individuals and families with trusted end-of-life practitioners, including death doulas, grief counselors, and spiritual care providers. Operating as a social enterprise, ABE Care reinvests 10% of its profits into The ABE Project, helping to fund programming for individuals and communities that might otherwise go without support. While The ABE Project focuses on community education and advocacy, ABE Care offers direct, individualized support.

Together, The ABE Project and ABE Care offer a holistic vision. By bridging education, advocacy, and care, they are reshaping how we approach death and dying. Their shared purpose is to create a culture where the end of life is met with preparation, presence, and profound compassion. Join us in building a world where no one meets death alone—where every life is honored, and every ending held with care.

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