Life & Loss Podcasts

Life & Loss Introduction

Here is an overview from Hannah of what you can expect from our new podcast series.

What does dying look like – Dr Amy Pharaoh

Dr Amy Pharaoh, Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Clinical Lead at Forest Holme Hospice, discusses the end-of-life stages and how they differ from person to person, including topics such as what signs are there that indicate someone is approaching end of life, should someone who is dying be encouraged to eat and drink and how breathing patterns change in the final days of life.

Living with a Brain Tumour – Mark Hayward

Mark discusses his journey from diagnosis through to cancer treatment and the impact that had on him and his young family and how his illness has shaped his future.

How Complementary Therapies Enhance Hospice Care – Dr Kate Smeaton

Dr Kate, a GP, Specialist Doctor at Forest Holme Hospice and acupuncturist, talk about her life as a GP, her passion for hospice care, and how complementary therapies can be used in a healthcare setting to aid a patient’s well-being.

From Strangers to Soulmates: A Journey Through Love and Loss – Christine Cross

Chris shares her experience of love and loss as she describes how her friendship with Des blossomed into a beautiful love story before their world was rocked by the devastating news of his terminal illness.

Grieving as a young adult – Jasmine Wall

23-year-old Jasmine, who lost her Dad to Pancreatic Cancer just over a year ago, talks about her experience of grief as a young adult and the emotional and practical challenges that she faces from losing her Dad at a young age.

Talking to children about a life limiting and terminal illness – Leo

Leo, a Social Worker based at Forest Holme Hospice, discusses when and how to begin discussing a terminal diagnosis with a child, sharing advice on age-appropriate language and communication strategies.

Let’s Talk about Karl: A Mum’s journey through loss – Sue Austin

Sue discusses the death of her son Karl in 2019, aged just 39, following a 9-year battle with Melanoma, the subsequent grief and how she keeps his memory alive.

Understanding Grief – Dania Moussali

Dania, a bereavement counsellor at Forest Holme Hospice, explains the diverse ways individuals experience grief and how it can affect people both emotionally and physically.

Insights from community palliative care nurses – Tory and Sarah

Tory and Sarah, two experienced community specialist palliative care nurses at Forest Holme, offer invaluable insights into their profession and share their personal journeys into palliative care, shedding light on the complexities of their roles within the community.

‘I couldn’t cry’: Grieving within stoic families – Caroline Fowler

Caroline talks about navigating grief within stoic families that uphold the “stiff upper lip” mentality, particularly focusing on the challenge of being unable to cry when someone dies.

Diagnosis and coping strategies – Kathy Lett

Kathy, a counsellor at Forest Holme Hospice, discusses the emotional impact of receiving a terminal diagnosis, or palliative prognosis and shares some coping strategies.

Finding love again after loss – Nat Scott

Natalie shares her journey of love, loss, and resilience following the tragic loss of her husband, Nick, to Head and Neck Cancer in 2021 at the young age of 43.

The importance of end-of-life care planning – Elizabeth Reynolds

Liz, an End-of-Life Care Educator based at Forest Holme Hospice, discusses what should be included in an End-of-Life Care plan and why they are so important to patients, and their loved ones.

Everlasting love: Clive’s journey after loss – Clive Gray

Clive discusses his experience of love and loss of his wife Sandie as they faced the unexpected challenges of both ME and cancer after 30 years of marriage.

Palliative care and quality of life – Dr Amy Pharaoh

Dr Amy, Lead Consultant at Forest Holme Hospice, explores the role of palliative care in enhancing the quality of life.

Finding purpose through loss –  Jennie Tofts

Jennie shares her experience of grief and finding purpose again following the loss of her Dad in 2013 just two weeks after her wedding, where her Dad’s presence was her greatest wish.

Navigating loss and finding healing – Mary Bevan

Mary discusses her personal experiences of grief following the loss of her husband Eric and offers her insights and strategies for navigating loss and finding healing.

Children and grief – Leo

Leo, a Social Worker based at Forest Holme Hospice, explores how children understand and cope with death.

 Facing death: Personal journeys – Kathy Lett

Leo, a Social Worker based at Forest Holme Hospice, explores how children understand and cope with death.

Grieving the loss of a child – Martin Edwards

Martin Edwards, Chief Executive for Julia’s House, the Dorset and Wiltshire Children’s hospices, shares his insights on bereavement, remembrance and finding a way forward when your child has died.

Mindfulness as a tool for grieving – Lorien Holiday

Lorien Holiday, a mindfulness coach and wellbeing expert, highlights how mindfulness can be used as a tool for grieving.

 Danny Fudge-Harman – Living with MND

Danny discusses living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the immense physical and mental challenges he has faced since his diagnosis 10 years ago.