Bronwyn Hayward likes nothing better than to talk about the meaning of life, which makes her the best or worst person to sit next to on a plane, depending on your perspective. Bron is a veterinary nurse, theology student and spiritual care practitioner. A vet’s daughter, she spent her childhood dragging stray animals home and helping with after hours surgeries. After a brief dalliance with a psychology degree Bron gained her vet nursing qualification in 2009 and went on to work in emergency & critical care at both the University of Bristol and the University of Melbourne. A growing interest in the human stories encountered in ECC settings led Bron to start a theology degree with a view to moving into healthcare chaplaincy. After training at the Austin Hospital she now works for Baptcare, providing spiritual support to older people across Melbourne’s western suburbs. Bron is passionate about empowering people to find meaning and live with purpose. She is interested in grief and palliative care and hopes to explore the human-animal bond in spiritual care.