A heartfelt story. Meet the woman reading to the elderly and vulnerable.
Stories have connected generations of people through the shared truths built into them. There is nothing more powerful than connecting with others by sharing stories and experiences. Fabienne Buhagiar is harnessing this powerful tool and putting it to good use to help others. She talks about why she set up Heartfelt Stories to provide companionship reading.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I’m Fabienne, a driven individual balancing various passions in life. I have a BA in English and Philosophy, and in 2023 I earned my Masters in Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship.
Family is a big part of who I am – I’m a wife and a mother, and my husband and children constantly inspire me. My professional life revolves around business administration in dentistry, but I also find immense joy in exploring my creative side through writing and storytelling.
Beyond my work, I love engaging with activities that challenge me, whether it's working out, attempting new crochet blankets, or losing myself in a good book. I also find deep fulfilment in sharing my experiences, which is part of what led me to my newest venture, Heartfelt Stories.
How did the idea of Heartfelt Stories come about?
Heartfelt Stories wasn’t a sudden decision, but something that had been quietly brewing for some time. I’ve always been drawn to the power of stories and how they connect us. The idea came from the time when I used to visit my mother at the nursing home in her final months. The residents there would stop me, thanking me for visiting them or share their own stories.
Also a mother myself, I find great delight in watching my children discover the magic of books. This further ignited my passion for spreading the joy of reading and connecting with others, especially seniors and individuals with visual impairments.
“It took time to leap from idea to action, largely due to self-doubt and the challenge of juggling work, family, and other commitments. But what pushed me forward was the realisation that these stories needed to be told.”
It took time to leap from idea to action, largely due to self-doubt and the challenge of juggling work, family, and other commitments. But what pushed me forward was the realisation that these stories needed to be told.
I felt compelled to create a space where these voices could be heard. My aim was to offer the elderly an opportunity to feel seen, heard, and valued, even when words aren’t spoken.
How does it work?
Heartfelt Stories came about to provide personal companionship reading, bringing comfort and alleviating boredom.
My mission is to bring joy, connection, and comfort to seniors and individuals with visual impairments through the power of storytelling. This is done in different ways that can include one-to-one reading sessions or group sessions.
As I read aloud, I invite the listener to share thoughts, memories, and emotions evoked by the stories.
There are stories that residents share about themselves. A story that comes to mind for example: there is one who always tells me the same story about how she and her husband set up a flower shop and now the halls of the nursing home are all flowers from their shop.
Whether it's true or not is irrelevant. It must feel true enough for her or perhaps she just wants to feel special. So what I do is validate her. I tell her the flowers are gorgeous, even if I don't see any, and ask her how it started, or what her favourite flower is, or ask her advice on a particular plant. It creates an opportunity to be heard.
Most of the time though residents don't feel inspired to start a conversation, so we set up small groups and I read short stories to them.
One particularly meaningful aspect of Heartfelt Stories has been working with individuals who face unique challenges. For example, I have a client who suffered a stroke last year and had to relearn English. It’s been immensely satisfying to witness his journey of growth and improvement through our sessions. These moments are truly at the heart of what I hope to achieve—making a real difference through storytelling and companionship.
At present, I’m focused on growing Heartfelt Stories organically, but I have plans for the future. I envision expanding to include workshops or events where people can connect and share in person.
How do you juggle everything else?
I do have small children, and becoming a mother has completely reshaped how I approach life. In terms of career and personal growth, it’s been a balancing act, but motherhood has made me more determined and driven. It’s also made me more aware of the importance of living authentically and following what feels true to me.
“Motherhood has made me more determined and driven. It’s also made me more aware of the importance of living authentically and following what feels true to me.”
Writing is actually a new-found passion. I always enjoyed essay writing at school and university but never pursued it much further. Earlier this year, I started a Medium page, which has allowed me to explore my writing voice as a creative outlet. There’s something liberating about putting thoughts into words and connecting with others through shared experiences.
Fitting everything in—family, work, writing—comes down to prioritising and setting realistic goals. I’ve learned to give myself grace when things don’t always go according to plan. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
For any women or mothers out there who want to pursue a passion or dream, I would say: take it one step at a time and trust that your journey is unfolding as it should. There’s no right time to start, only the present.
How she does it…
We often look on at other people in awe and ask ourselves: How does she do it? How does she find the time? How does she find the willpower?
Woman Unclouded believes that, by sharing our stories, women can inspire one another - to take the leap, make that call, book that class. A leap towards doing what you really want to do or being who you really want to be. It does not have to be something extraordinary. It just needs to be special for you.
Do you know someone who has an inspiring story to share? It could be yourself, of course! Drop us an email at hello@womanunclouded.com