About

“This is what we’re advocating for: not only the ability to have a completed life, but also to have it be dignified and peaceful.”

Faith Sommerfield

Our Mission

We cultivate an open dialogue about end-of-life options and provide a supportive and peaceful environment for informed, empowered end-of-life decision making.

Facing a terminal illness is one of life’s most difficult challenges. At the Completed Life Initiative, we believe individuals deserve access to compassionate and quality end-of-life care that empowers them and maintains their personal dignity. We are continually guided by a simple yet profound belief: patients should have the option to have end-of-life experiences that honor their values, meet their needs, and reflect their personal wishes.

We’re putting boots on the ground in Vermont to help achieve that goal. Opening in late 2026, the Sanctuary will offer peaceful and meditative accommodations to guests seeking medical aid in dying in Vermont.

Learn about the Sanctuary

Our History

The Completed Life Initiative began as a resource hub dedicated to bridging gaps in end-of-life education.

From informational sessions on end-of-life options to virtual conferences tackling the latest innovations in end-of-life care, we have supported healthcare professionals and terminally ill individuals as they explore what it means to live a completed life. Tapping into a network of experts–from physicians, to lawyers, to bioethicists–we’ve developed an archive of webinars that delves into the intricacies of end-of-life care in the United States.

Explore our educational videos

Our Founder

Faith Sommerfield founded the Completed Life Initiative in 2019 after a career in public relations and interior design. Impacted by a friend’s painful death when she was younger and by the death of her first child years later, Faith felt that her purpose in life was to help foster the availability of end-of-life options that offer choice and dignity to those who need it.

“Life is such an incredible gift,” said Faith. “It’s our responsibility, depending on who and how we want to be, to give our lives as much meaning as possible. The concept of a completed life asks what our lifelong dreams are; what our intentions are; what we most want to accomplish, experience, and do.”

On September 27, 2022 Faith died peacefully at the time of her choosing in Basel, Switzerland. Faith was grateful to have died on her own terms when she believed her life had been completed. The Completed Life Initiative seeks to honor Faith’s steadfast life purpose to provide dignity, care, and peace to eligible individuals and their families.