Don't Be Caught Dead

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What happens to your brain after you die?

In this episode, I speak with Professor Greg Sutherland, Director of the New South Wales Brain Tissue Resource Centre. Greg leads one of Australia’s postmortem brain banks and works at the forefront of research into Alzheimer’s Disease and Alcohol Use Disorder.

We talk about what a brain bank really is and why human brain tissue is still essen...

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Theresa Flavin was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s Disease at 47. What followed was not just a medical journey, but a profound reckoning with how unprepared our systems are for people living with dementia.

In this deeply moving and confronting conversation, Theresa shares what it felt like to be dismissed, unheard and effectively “managed away” after diagnosis. From being to...

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What happens when the person you thought embodied “success” dies in a way that completely unravels your definition of it?

That’s where this conversation with Penny Locaso begins.

Penny is a behavioural scientist and leadership coach, but this episode is not corporate theory. We talk about suicide, unanswered questions, grief that doesn’t follow a tidy process, and trauma that lodges i...

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Imagine a gay man planning his own funeral, only for his family to swoop in on the day and try to rewrite everything – that's the raw, heartbreaking reality one of Bronte Price's clients faced, and he had to advocate fiercely for his wishes. 

In this episode, I chat with Bronte Price, a.k.a. “your gay celebrant,” Australia's trailblazing LGBTQIA+ marriage celebrant who...

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Ever wondered what it's really like to stare death in the face – not just your own, but the sudden, shattering loss of a child to suicide? In this raw and honest chat, I sit down with Christine Pedley, a grief counsellor, death doula, and author who's turned her deepest pain into a lifeline for others. If you've ever felt lost in the silence around death and dying, th...

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In this episode of Don’t Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Reverend Amy Firth — interfaith minister, funeral director, and spiritual counsellor — to talk about her incredible journey through grief, loss, and finding her calling in end-of-life care. From training in London with the One Spirit Interfaith Foundation, to returning to the Blue Mountains to support families, Amy shares what...

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What do you give the love of your life as a final birthday gift when they only have days left? That's the tender moment Reverend Jim Colville shares with us in this powerful chat. It's an act of love that perfectly sums up Jim's radical, non-judgemental approach to life, death, and dying.

Jim, the man who started Colony 47 in Hobart in 1973, joins me to discuss his wor...

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In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of chatting with Dr. Annetta Mallon, a leading expert in grief loss education and end-of-life care. With over three decades of experience as a psychotherapist, Annetta dives deep into the complexities of grief, loss, and the importance of personal storytelling. We explore the multifaceted roles of an end-of-life doula, the significance o...

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What does it mean to TRULY save a life? For humanitarian Moira Kelly, the answer was simple—give a part of herself.

In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, we dive deep into the extraordinary life of Moira Kelly, a remarkable humanitarian whose journey has been defined by compassion, courage, and the gift of life. From her early dreams of working alongside Mother Teresa to her ...

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Are you making the most of your time before death catches us all? In this heartfelt episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I chat with Kate Christie, Australia’s leading time management expert, about how loss and grief can be the wake-up call we need to live intentionally. Kate shares her personal story of losing her ex-husband to pancreatic cancer and how that tragedy reshaped her a...

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What if the objects we hold dear could help us navigate the complex journey of grief? In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Chloe Marcela Coelho, a passionate death scholar and creative practitioner who dives deep into the intricate dimensions of death, grief, and design. Chloe's work is all about enhancing our understanding of death and the grieving pro...

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Have you ever thought about who might be the biggest threat to the elderly in our lives? It’s not just the faceless strangers in nursing homes; it’s often their own family members. 

In this eye-opening episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I chat with William J. Betts, a legal expert in family violence and elder rights at Peninsula Community Legal Centre. Will sheds light on the ofte...

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This is an encore episode of the Don't Be Caught Dead podcast and a listener favourite from Season 2.

In this thought-provoking episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Dr. Simon Longstaff, a philosopher and the first executive director of the Ethics Centre. We dive deep into the complexities of life, death, and everything in between. Simon shares his unique journey...

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This is an encore episode of the Don't Be Caught Dead podcast and a listener favourite from Season 2.

In this heartfelt episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Barb Gering, who shares her deeply personal journey as she navigated her mother's cancer diagnosis and the complexities of voluntary assisted dying. Barb's story is a powerful reminder of the impor...

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This is an encore episode of the Don't Be Caught Dead podcast and a listener favourite from Season 2.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with the incredible Rosie Batty, a fierce advocate for family violence prevention and a beacon of resilience following the tragic murder of her son, Luke. Rosie’s journey through grief, PTSD, and healing is nothing short of inspiring. She sha...

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Ever wondered how staring down your deepest fear of death could actually make you live bolder and more intentionally? That's exactly what today's guest, Alicia Ng, discovered on her wild journey from corporate life in Singapore to end-of-life planning in Australia.

Alicia, a brand and content marketing whiz turned author, opened up about her thanatophobia – that gut-wrenchi...

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When Melissa King lost her baby in 2011, she discovered an unexpected silence. No information, no pathway to support, and very few people willing to talk openly about miscarriage. Out of that heartbreak, she founded Miscarriage Information Support Service (MISS), Australia’s first miscarriage-specific not-for-profit providing free resources, care packages, and a sense of community f...

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Imagine a gay man planning his own funeral, only for his family to swoop in and rewrite everything. That’s what one of Bronte Price’s clients faced, and he had to fight to honour his wishes.

In this episode I chat with Bronte Price, “your gay celebrant,” Australia’s trailblazing LGBTQIA+ celebrant shaking up weddings and funerals. We talk about bias in death care, family in...

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Ever wondered what really happens in those final moments before someone dies, or how a death doula can turn a family's grief into something meaningful? In this episode, I chat with Barb Ferguson, a seasoned end-of-life doula, about her hands-on work with dying, death, and everything after. It's raw, real, and full of insights that might just change how you think about the ...