Deadly Serious Conversations

Fiona Garrivan
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A podcast created to help navigate the difficult time of the death of a loved one.

  1. Sep 27

    Episode 52 - The Reality of Voluntary Assisted Dying Regional Areas of Australia and Victoria

    Motor neurone disease or MND as it is also known, is a devastating illness. It attacks the nerve cells that control our muscles, while the mind and personality can remain completely unaffected. As the disease progresses, muscles gradually waste away, eventually affecting a person’s ability to move, swallow and speak. For someone living with MND, as the disease progresses it usually becomes much more about quality of life and dignity.  In Victoria, voluntary assisted dying or VAD, is available to people who meet a strict set of eligibility requirements. A person must have decision-making capacity and they must also have an incurable, advanced and progressive disease, illness or medical condition that is expected to cause their death. Generally, they must be expected to die within six months. For someone with a neuro-degenerative condition, such as MND, that timeframe extends to 12 months. But meeting those requirements is only part of the story. Today, I’m joined by Nicole, who shares the story of her stepfather, Shane, who lived with MND for more than two years before choosing voluntary assisted dying. Nicole’s experience also highlights something that isn’t as widely understood when we talk about VAD and that is, access to VAD. Because VAD isn’t just about meeting the legislative requirements. Where you live, what services are available and whether there are healthcare professionals who can support you through the process can all make a difference. For Shane, living in regional Victoria meant that location, travel requirements and gaps in healthcare services created significant challenges. Nicole talks openly about navigating the VAD approval process, the practical realities of accessing care in a regional area and the very real impact that inadequate end-of-life care and support can have on someone living with a terminal illness.    Voluntary Assisted Dying  Motor Neurone Disease

  2. Jul 29

    Episode 51 - The life changing gift of organ donation

    The life changing gift of organ donation  This episode is very personal to me and I would like to dedicate it to my beautiful friend Carol. Without Carol, this podcast , Deadly Serious Conversations, would not exist. It was Carol who first suggested that I create it and with her encouragement she set everything up for me.    In fact, she is also the reason I am a celebrant as she told me 17 years ago, that she had found the perfect job for me.   In the week between recording this episode and publishing it, my dear friend Carol died very unexpectedly. Carol was a registered organ donor and through her incredible generosity, 5 people have been given the precious gift of life. Her decision to become an organ donor was an extraordinary final act of kindness. But in many ways, it was also a reflection of the person Carol was throughout her life. Carol was an incredible woman. She was funny, she loved travelling, she was always up for an adventure and she had the most generous spirit. So while losing her has been incredibly difficult, it was not a surprise that Carol had chosen to become an organ donor. It was simply another expression of the kindness and generosity that defined who she was. As I sat with Carol in the ICU, I witnessed the incredible care and dedication of the wonderful ICU staff who looked after her. I would also like to acknowledge the extraordinary donation teams who work behind the scenes to make this gift of life possible. Through their expertise, Carol’s generosity has given hope and a future to 5 people and their families. I will miss her every day but I am so incredibly proud of her.   Introduction For families waiting for an organ transplant, life can feel as though it's on hold. Hope and fear exist side by side and every day is filled with uncertainty as they wait for that phone call or the news that could change everything. My guest today is Kristy Busuttil, mum to four beautiful children, including her son Harlen. Harlen was born with a life-threatening liver condition. When it became clear that a liver transplant was his only chance of survival, Kristy and her family entered a world no parent ever imagines facing. For five long months, they lived in limbo, balancing round-the-clock hospital care with the realities of raising three other young children, all while waiting for the call that could save Harlen's life. Today, Kristy joins me to share her family's journey…… the heartbreak, the uncertainty, the moments of hope and what life looks like after transplant. We will also talk about the extraordinary generosity of donor families and the life-changing impact one selfless decision can have on complete strangers, creating hope in the midst of unimaginable loss. Kristy, thank you so much for joining me and for being willing to share your family's story.  Donate Life Week

  3. Jul 6

    Episode 50 - A conversation about Organ Donation

    Later this month, we will mark DonateLife Week, a time that encourages all of us to have one of the most important conversations we can have with the people we love. Organ donation is something many of us support, yet so few of us have actually spoken about our wishes with our family. And when the time comes, those conversations can make an incredibly difficult decision just a little bit easier. On today's episode of Deadly Serious Conversations, we explore organ donation and what it means, how the process works and the extraordinary impact one person's decision can have on the lives of many others. This particular episode is very personal to me today.  And I would like to dedicate it to my beautiful Uncle Frankie…..  Frankie dedicated his whole life caring for others as a paramedic.  He never smoked or drank alcohol and lived a very healthy life.  Yet he developed a serious liver condition that ultimately meant he needed a liver transplant.   Our family experienced what it was like to receive an extraordinary gift from a stranger and a family who in the midst of unimaginable grief, made the most selfless decision, at a very difficult time in their lives.  The impact of that gift, gave Frankie more time with the people he loved and it gave our family memories we would otherwise never have had.   Such was the gratitude felt by Frankie’s family, that my beautiful Aunty Kay went on to set up a Charity in the UK called the Liver Support group, which provides information, practical assistance and support to people navigating liver disease and transplantation in Northern Ireland.  Today, I’m joined by Georgie from DonateLife Victoria, an organisation dedicated to saving and transforming lives through organ and tissue donation, here in Australia. Behind this work is a team of people who not only facilitate donation, but also support families through some of the hardest moments they will ever face. This is a great conversation on organ donation……the decisions, the realities, the myths and the incredible impact one person can have. Donate Life  RVH Liver Support Group

  4. Mar 9

    Episode 49 - Grief in the workplace

    At some point in our lives, every single one of us will experience grief.  None of us are immune to it.   Grief is the price we pay for love.   If we love, we grieve.  That’s the deal.   And yet, even though death is something every one of us will encounter, we rarely talk about it openly. That silence creates stigma and it can leave people feeling incredibly alone at a time they need the most support. This is especially true in the workplace, a place where many of us spend the majority of our waking hours. The bills don’t stop, so many people return to work while navigating a life-altering loss, expected to function, perform and carry on as if nothing has changed. Grief doesn’t switch off for 40 hours a week just because we are at work.    And yet, so often, we’re expected to push our feelings aside, keep going and carry on as though everything is the same. But for some people returning to work when they are trying to deal with a loss, is incredibly difficult.  Perhaps they are navigating life after the loss of a spouse whilst also becoming a single parent.  We are human first and employees second.  Today we are going to explore with a HR consultant Steph Bell and talk about how we can navigate returning to work after loss.

  5. 11/26/2025

    Episode 48 - Learnings and Insights from Disaster Specialist Lucy Easthope

    Disasters happen……. tsunamis, terrorist attacks, bushfires, pandemics.  No amount of wishing they didn’t happen makes them go away. But it’s comforting to know there are people preparing for these situations.  People like Lucy Easthope. Lucy has played a vital role in the response to some of the world’s most significant disasters such as 9/11, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the 7/7 London bombings, the Manchester Arena attack and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic to name but a few. She is one of the world’s leading authorities on disaster recovery and emergency planning and the author of the book ‘When the Dust Settles'. Lucy’s work is about far more than logistics.  It’s about humanity, care and dignity in the most difficult of circumstances.   And I am absolutely thrilled to have her as a guest on the podcast. Lucy Easthope When the Dust Settles

  6. 10/07/2025

    Episode 47 - The importance of ceremony and ritual in grief and loss

    In this episode of Deadly Serious Conversations, I’m joined by Megan Sheldon, a cultural mythologist,  a humanist celebrant and end-of-life doula based in North Vancouver, Canada.  Megan has a deep understanding of the power of ceremony and ritual, especially in times of grief and loss. In many cultures, rituals once played a central role in marking life’s changes, yet in our modern world, they are often forgotten, even though they come so naturally to us. In this conversation, we talk about why rituals matter, how they give us stability in times of uncertainty and how they can help us embody the emotions we feel during life’s most challenging moments.  Megan also shares the inspiration behind Be Ceremonial , the world’s first guided ritual and ceremony app and how simple rituals can help us connect with ourselves, each other and the world around us. In the words of Dr Alan Wolfelt: “When words are inadequate, have a ritual.” Be Ceremonial  Be Ceremonial instagram Seeking Ceremony

  7. 08/31/2025

    Episode 46 - Conversations with a Funeral Director

    Funeral directors play a pivotal role in guiding families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. But how do you choose the right one? What should you look for and what can you expect from them?   Together with Lillian from The Last Time Funeral Directors in Sydney, we will unpack these questions and more, offering insights to help you make informed decisions and be aware of the choices available to you.  Organising a funeral must be one of life’s toughest tasks and for many people, it’s the last thing they want to be doing. The reality of it all can suddenly hit when you find yourself in the process of organising a funeral.  People panic when someone dies. Even if someone’s death is expected, it’s still a shock.    People can be a little fearful as they may have never experienced a dead body before and therefore, they aren’t sure what to expect, so they think they will get somebody else to take over as quickly as possible.   This episode offers practical advice and thoughtful discussions on the partnership between families and funeral directors.  Last Time Sydney

  8. 06/30/2025

    Episode 45 - Honouring a Final Wish: A Sea Burial Story

    Today I am joined on the podcast by Simon and Sameiko from Candour Funerals - a Melbourne-based funeral company.  Together, we have a wonderful chat about something very special and deeply meaningful; the first sea burial to take place in Victoria in over a decade.  In this episode, we have a wonderful chat about the practicalities and logistics of making it happen, but more importantly, we hear about the deep respect shown to honour one person's final wish to be laid to rest at sea.  It was a true community effort - a coming together of family, funeral professionals and authorities to ensure everything unfolded with care and dignity.  It's a conversation about respect, dignity and going to great lengths to ensure a farewell that felt right for the family and their loved one.  So, grab a cuppa and settle in for a truly remarkable story.  Candour Funerals Candour funerals full sea burial

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About

A podcast created to help navigate the difficult time of the death of a loved one.

Information

  • Creator
    Fiona Garrivan
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Deadly Serious Conversations
  • Show Website
    Deadly Serious Conversations

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