Dead Parent Club

Charlotte's mum died when she was just 14 moths old, after her mum refused cancer treatment whilst she was pregnant.We were so interested to hear how she went through childhood thinking that not having a mum was normal, and what happened after her Dad met her step-mum.She talks about struggling to find where she "fits in" with her grief, since she's never been close to anyone that also lost their mum when they were a baby. We also discuss how she has rarely had the opportunity to be able to talk about her mum but how a Facebook message from her Mum's old friends finally brought her closer to her.Charlotte also told us about the first time she heard her Mum's voice on a video she found! We can only begin to imagine how that must have felt!Unfortunately, her Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's four years ago - however, she's using her circumstances to drive her career and is focusing on research for the disease. Charlotte truly is an angel sent from the heavens above and we absolutely loved talking to her.Thank you so much for coming on to the show to speak to us. We are eternally grateful. If any of you can relate to her story and also had a parent die as a young child please get in touch with Charlotte on her social media accounts below - she would love to hear from you! Instagram - @charlottedore Or, get in touch with us..Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week it's Kat's turn to interview solo. She's joined by another hilarious guest, Anna. (How is everyone in the DPC so funny?!) It's been 25 years since Anna's Dad died in a climbing accident, but she's only recently started talking about it as an adult. One of her most vivid memories at the time came two days after he died, when Anna and her brother returned to school, and the Head Teacher announced the death in front of everyone in an assembly. We were surprised to hear that she's actually planning to climb the mountain on which her Dad died, Ben Nevis. A mountain that she quite literally stared in the face for 5 hours during a long distance walking trip; which ended up playing a huge part in her starting to talk about it more now. Anna is soon to become a parent herself, so we talk about how's she's navigating that, plus feeling responsible for her remaining parent - as a lot of us in the DPC do. She also tells us about her real-life DPC tattoo... No, really!! We're jealous! And laugh at her go-to line when someone asks what her Dad's job is. A huge thank you to Anna for reaching out and sharing your story with us! Anna's Insta: @harleydevious Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam chats to the lovely Victoria about losing her Dad after his 5 year cancer journey. This was such an in depth and inspiring discussion; talking everything from crowdfunding for cancer treatment in Germany to the microwave reminding her of seeing her Dad in intensive care. We discuss how a catering sized box of tea bags helped her family through the final weeks of her Dad's life, the importance of grief role models and why we were both willing our Dads to die. Victoria also tells us about her Dad's funeral and their Great British Bake Off wake and gives some incredible advice for changing perspective! Another corker of an episode; massive thanks to Victoria for joining us! Victoria's Insta: @victoriaknowleslacks Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We loved recording this hilarious episode with Vanessa! Originally from Canada, she's lived in the UK for four years. Her Dad died suddenly from a heart attack two years ago, after driving himself to hospital (!!). She was at work, in the UK, when she found out her Dad died; she describes the gruelling flight home - including kind hugs from strangers and someone trying to hit on her. We talk about navigating the change in family dynamics and realising that no one in her family had asked each other if they were ok. We also discuss changing friendships, crying at dogs and starting a relationship in the same month her Dad died. She gives some amazing advice on dealing with family, being away from home and feeling all of the feelings. As you'll hear, Vanessa is hilarious, and has the kind of twisted humour a lot of us love in the DPC. Another treat for your ears! Thank you so much, Vanessa! Vanessa's Insta: @vanesscessary Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by the amazingly talented and hilarious Poppy Chancellor, she's the talent behind @poppyspapercuts and @thegriefcase; another glorious member of the Insta grief community. Poppy's Dad was given three months to live, but he survived through two more party-filled years before he died three years ago. In Poppy's own words, she's "just realised". It was an absolute dream to have Poppy on the pod. We talk about SO much in this ep; from how her sister was her ally in grief, how grief removes your filter and when she eventually leaned into her grief. Sharing her "Dead Dad Club" artwork on Instagram opened her up to the grief community and she's now created a community of her own, in London, where she's joined by others in the DPC as they share stories, poetry and art to help each other through their grief. Regular listeners will know we love poetry and the power of poetry and writing in grief and loss. Lucky for us Poppy shared one of her own beautiful poems with us!! [36:20] As well as some beautiful advice, you'll hear some questionable Scottish accents and why it's important to share the realities of grief i.e. ugly crying and not being able to move off the floor. This is one hilarious episode, full of realness and #deathspo. Thank you so much to Poppy! "I can blossom, you can blossom, we can blossom" Poppy's insta's: @poppyspapercuts @thegriefcaseInstagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The day that many of us in the DPC dread. How do you even handle Mother's Day in the DPC? What do you? Do you post on Facebook? Is it weird to spend it with someone else's family? What can our friends do to help? Thanks to Cat for her message on Instagram asking us to cover this topic! We talk through our experience of our first Mother's and Father's Day without our parents and give some tips for how to make it through the day unscathed. We also discuss the amazing move by Bloom and Wild; the flower company that enabled their customers to opt out of Mother's Day emails! (How great is that!?) Ricky Gervais has been all over the internet with his new Netflix series 'After Life'. If you haven't seen it yet - you NEED to! We are obsessed with how mainstream this series is and have had so much feedback from the DPC community about how accurately it deals with grief and loss. We also have some exciting news to share!!! And find out what happened when Sam went to see a psychic. As always, we love hearing from you! Please do reach out if you want to get involved!! Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura is part of the amazing, and growing, grief community on Instagram, her tag line being 'positivity in loss & grief'. Her feed is amazing and full of uplifting posts. In this episode we talk all about the the importance of balancing that positivity with honesty, on the bad days. Laura was 17 when her Mum died 8 years ago, from a brain tumour. Although she describes the feeling of finding out her mum died as the 'whole ground just gave way', she tells us how she didn't cry for the first year after her death. As so many of us in the DPC have experienced, the pressure of "being strong" meant that she shied away from talking about her experience and certainly avoided getting emotional when asked about it. 4 years later, after a travelling stint around the world, she finally starting confronting her grief. It's from this that her Instagram account (@lauraelizabethduck) began. As always, we ask Laura about her support network, how her friendships changed in her grief, and how a chance encounter on the other side of the world led to her meeting her now boyfriend. We also talk about how her outlook and approach to life has changed, and how experiencing something so traumatic in your teens can actually have many silver linings. We absolutely loved this chat with Laura, and are so excited to share it with you. As always, we love receiving your messages and love hearing from anyone that wants to get involved!Laura's Instagram: @lauraelizabethduckInstagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by a different type of guest than usual, Tom is the oldest member of the DPC that we've had on the pod. His Dad died 26 years ago and he is now a father himself. We took the opportunity to ask him some of our burning questions for the future, like how he feels that his kids will never meet his Dad, whether his mum ever met anyone else and if being in the DPC affected his relationship with his wife. We also revisit our business plan for DPC dating... I think it could really take off! The chat we had with Tom was so insightful and he shares some brilliant advice as well as some brilliant stories from growing up in the DPC including how he learnt to say 'my dad is dead' in French so he could correct his French teachers in school. Some of my favourite quotes from this one include "nobody has all the answers" and "life is the longest thing you're ever gonna do". This was another episode recorded across 3 continents, since Tom was in the US at the time of recording (at 1am!!!). Thank you so much, Tom!Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie-Marie is the owner of the Instagram account 'Honestly Grieving'. If you have Instagram we definitely recommend giving her a follow for daily insights into her experience of grief and daily 'grief'spiration. Jamie is originally from Puerto Rico but moved away to Florida after hurricane Maria devastated the island back in 2017. It was only after this move that Jamie eventually started to acknowledge her grief and begin to 'deal' with the loss of her Father, who died in June 2016 from She speaks of her experience of anticipatory grief, which refers to the feeling of grief occurring before an impending loss. Typically, the impending loss is the death of someone close due to illness. Jamie's Dad, Carlos, died after a long battle with cirrhosis of the liver. Jamie speaks of the group therapy sessions she now attends and how even though others that attend haven't dealt with the same loss as her it's still helpful as 'pain knows pain'. She also talks about the struggle of never knowing how her Dad was going to be each time she saw/spoke to him as his health continued to deteriorate over the years whilst she was at college. Her story is incredibly unique in comparison to some others' that we have had on the podcast and we're extremely grateful that she took the time to speak with us and share her experience. We actually recorded this podcast a few weeks back and when I contacted Jamie this weekend telling her we would be releasing her episode this week it was a joy to find out that it is being released on the day of what would have been her Dad's 69th birthday. This episode is in honour of her Dad, happy birthday! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris contacted us after listening to our segment on BBC Nottingham in January and we’re extremely grateful. As you may have noticed, men don’t approach us very often to come on to the podcast and so when we get the opportunity to talk grief with men Sam and I really look forward to it! Unfortunately, as Chris speaks about in this episode, men generally feel the pressure to keep themselves together for their family and struggle to admit when they need help. Men are also the least likely to open up the conversation about their grief - this is why people like Chris are SO important in raising awareness! Chris’ Mum died when he was just 20 in 2010, after finding a tumour in her leg in December 2009. He talks about struggling to cope with his grief and finally reaching breaking point around four years after his Mum died, when he ended up contacting the Samaritans for help due to feeling suicidal. We also speak about telling your employers and possible love interests about your dead parent and struggles with grief and mental illnesses and how time isn’t a healer - we just learn how to cope a little better every day. Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're bringing you part 2 of our amazing chat with Meera from @yournewnormal1. If you haven't listened to part one yet, you should absolutely do so! Meera qualified as a lawyer after graduating from Warwick Uni, as she thought that's what her Mum would have wanted. She tells us how she finally realised this wasn't for her and how she's now moulding a new life. We talk about why she started @yournewnormal1, the beauty of social media and why grief and joy are not mutually exclusive. "People think of grief and joy as mutually exclusive, but they really do come hand in hand. I've never been as happy, I can really feel what happiness is now." Meera's husband is also a member of the DPC, which sparked an idea for a potential new branch of the DPC... DPC speed dating, anyone?? This was such an uplifting conversation, and as always, Kat and I were comforted to know that it's absolutely normal to feel the way that we do, and that sadness will always be there, but it's something you become comfortable with.  "Whatever you're feeling right now, you won't always feel that. It's a temporary state, and you will feel lighter." Thank you for inspiring us, Meera!! Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got a real treat for you this week! We had such amazing chat with Meera from @yournewnormal1, that we are bringing you our first ever two-parter!! Meera's Mum died 12 years ago, but she's only recently felt able to deal with the grief. We love Meera's message of finding your "new normal", and it's a phrase that we both use often when talking about our grief. As Meera so eloquently describes; 'it's not about starting a fresh, it's about finding a new way to live in the world'. In part 1 we talk about Italian holidays, dealing with her Dad and we welcome another member to the 49 club. Meera's Dad struggled to acknowledge her Mum's death for many years after, and she tells us about being surrounded by family that would sweep it under the rug or act that nothing had changed. You'll also find out why Meera compares the day her mum died to the day she got married, and why we wish we had a photographer at our parent's funerals! Part 2 will be live next week!! In the meantime, check out Meera (and DPC) on social and connect with the community! Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daisy's Dad died almost exactly a year ago, after a fall at home led to him experiencing two strokes in hospital.We were surprised to hear how much wisdom she had to share after just one year!She spoke (hilariously) about powering through and trying to be the same person she was before, then finally accepting help after a friend encouraged her to visit a doctor.She also talks us through organising the funeral, her love for pizza, cheese and J2Os (she legitimately downed 5 on the night of her Dad's funeral and passed out... she has a sugar intolerance). This podcast was an absolute treat to record and we loved speaking with Daisy so much. Daisy's also an avid artist and her work is amazing! Check her out on Instagram @daisyallen_art - you won't regret it. As always, you can find us on Instagram and Twitter too at @dpcpodcast or on Facebook by searching Dead Parent Club. We also have a website! Which is www.dpcpodcast.co.uk .  Please get in contact with us if you want to get involved or find out more.. Speak soon!  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kayleigh's mum died from bone cancer when she was just 11 years old, she's now 22. So she's almost lived more years without her mum than she did with. It was amazing to listen to Kayleigh's story and get a feel for what it's like losing a parent so young. As is the theme with our guests, she has an unbelievable outlook on life. We talk about the pros and cons of losing a parent so young vs losing a parent now and how she was expected to step up to be the 'woman of the house' at 11 years old. She is a listener of the podcast (good gal) and although her experience is so different from any of our previous guests, we all still resonate with each other's experiences so much. We discuss her step-dad finding a new partner, talking about her dead mum in the workplace and the feeling that if she can make it through this she can make it through anything. It was an absolute pleasure chatting to Kayleigh, plus her laugh is so uplifting, we know you'll love her as much as we do! Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura reached out to us on Facebook before Christmas and we could not wait to get her on the pod. Her Dad died in May 2018 and she's already so full of DPC wisdom!! We learnt so much from her and she's already got an amazing sense of humour about her dead dad.She gives us some serious #deadspo and we talk poetry, mowing your grieving neighbour's lawn and meeting DPC friends in the toilets. We also discuss the tough decision of moving out when you don't want to leave your remaining parent on their own. We're looking forward to sharing some of Laura's poetry with you all. Thank you so much Laura, it was an absolute pleasure! Instagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us this week as we reflect on those moments from 2018 that someone has said "Your would be so proud", and as we look forward to 2019. The start of a new year brings about a time of reflection, to look back at everything you're proud of from the year. It's these things that we would have loved to tell our dead parent about... so instead we're telling each other, and you. Sam's starting the year in Australia, Kat's starting the year without antidepressants and we're both determined to normalise the conversation around death and grief. 2019 is going to be a big year for the DPC, we're on a mission to reach as many DPC members as we can and we are so excited!! We also discuss: the circle of life, feeling responsible for the parent you have left and writing a social media will! Join us in celebrating your 2018 achievements, using #YourDadWouldBeSoProud or #YourMumWouldBeSoProudInstagram: @dpcpodcast Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.ukSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year!!! What better way to start the year than with some DPC wisdom?! Trick question of course... there isn't a better way! We've compiled all of the answers so far to our closing question "What would you say to somebody that is going through something similar to you right now?" to bring you one bumper injection of DPC loveliness to your ears. The beauty of the DPC of course is that everyone's answer is different, however, there are similar themes throughout, the main one being one of our key reasons for this podcast... to talk about it! We'll be back next week with another fantastic DPC interview, but if you can't wait til then, our very own Kathryn Hooker made her BBC debut this week!! She was LIVE on BBC Radio Nottingham on Wednesday 2nd Jan @ 9:30am (on Mark Dennison's show). Here's the link to listen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06tvngw Once again, thank you all so much for listening, sharing, instagramming and your continued support, it means the world!! Featured guests and times of enlightenment: Sam Jones 2:45 Chris Barnard 7:17 Kathryn Hooker 11:43 Beth Rendall 13:36 Amy & Laura (Friends of the DPC) 17:12 Sam Vidler 18:43 Bréda Timoney 21:05 Emma Jones 23:09 Chris Penn 25:36 Tobey Vidler 28:07 Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we welcome our youngest guest of the pod so far, Sam's youngest sister, Tobey. Tobey's 21 now and her Dad died when she was 17. It's so interesting to hear how different Tobey's experience of her Dad's death was to Sam's and how they both continue to deal with it so so differently. It really does prove that no two person's experiences are the same, even when they're part of the same family. This is the first time that Sam & Tobey have sat down and spoke about their Dad's death. Tobey tells us about going to a party the night her Dad died (and trying to sober up before getting to his bed side), getting into uni with no A Levels, and using your dead Dad to get likes. P.s. Stay tuned til the end for some of my new favourite Dad jokes.. Thanks Tobe!Tobey's insta: @tobeyvidssEmail: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Griefmas!! This week we're bringing you another #DPCDiscussion. Find out how our Christmas' have changed since being in the DPC, how crying is a new tradition and that it's actually ok to enjoy yourself (just don't throw up in your Aunty's kitchen). Also keep your ears out for some fun Xmas games including DPC Bingo and a nationwide Grave Crawl! Massive thank you to you all for continuing to listen and sharing the podcast with your friends! We absolutely LOVE receiving your messages and hearing your stories! Kat's Radio Northwich Debut: https://bit.ly/2ruAWW2 Our first feature article: https://bit.ly/2EoW60g Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we had the pleasure of welcoming Kat's cousin Chris Penn to the podcast.Chris' story is one that we've not yet heard on the DPC Podcast. His Dad, Kat's Uncle, died from suicide in 2010. Chris was doing his first year uni exams at the time; he dropped out of uni two years later, but somehow ended up beating the system by finding his passion and going straight to a Masters!! Chris had a tricky relationship with his Dad but had decided he wanted to make amends a short time before he died.Chris has an unexpectedly positive outlook, after what has been a tough number of years. We loved recording this one and are both super proud of Chris. We talk about the stigma surrounding suicide, how losing a parent suddenly makes you realise you're not immortal, realising what's important, and why FIFA is good for the soul (and so much more!). Links to stuff we talked about: Songs That Saved My Life Album: https://www.songsthatsavedmylife.com/ You can get it on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon (all ya classics) Song: Candour by Neck Deep https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/candour/718437078?i=718437322 Film: Collateral Beauty https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4682786/ http://www.bernardmatthews.com/ https://www.birdseye.co.uk/range Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're in double figures!! This week Kat sat down with the fabulous, multi-talented Emma Jones (if you're in the North of England, you may just recognise her voice from Signal 1 radio or LUTV!!). Emma's mum died when she was 18, this was 10 years ago. Since then Emma has grown from her grief and now has an amazing outlook and gives some amazing advice. In particular she talks about being your true self, why you shouldn't wait til death to tell someone how loved they are, how beneficial therapy can be and why you should always tell your hairdresser you're proud of them. It's another belter of an episode! Email: [email protected] Website. www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcast Emma's Twitter: @elj90 (she's blue tick verified) Emma's Insta: eljones90Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we had the pleasure of interviewing someone we only officially met THROUGH the DPC podcast!! Sam and I 'met' Breda through our friend Tiffany. Tiff introduced Breda to the podcast after finding out that her Dad had died earlier this year.  Breda's Dad died at the beginning of the year after suffering from a heart attack. And although her grief is still extremely raw, she has some incredibly insightful things to say about grief and how she copes. She also tells us all about Irish traditions after death and her family, who all sound absolutely lovely.  We'd also like to take this opportunity to apologise for the quality of the podcast. Unfortunately, having one person at the other side of the world and two people in separate locations in England makes for interesting recording standards. Please bear with it though as this podcast is incredibly rewarding to listen to. Thank you so much, Breda! Please, please share our podcast! We would love to meet other people like Breda. Email: [email protected]. www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcast   Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Self Care Week! You may have noticed (or seen on our Instagram) that last week we took a week off podcasting. Sometimes life gets in the way and we've learnt the importance of taking time out and looking after yourself. It also happens to coincide (by total coincidence) with National Self Care Week! So we thought the timing was too perfect to ignore. This week we discuss the things that have made a massive difference to our wellbeing and how and why we look out for ourselves so much more since joining the DPC. Here's just a handful of the things you'll get out of this one: - Eating chocolate everyday is fine - Pizza is fine (20% of the time) - Go outside - Surround yourself with great people - Sleep more - McDonalds in Australia sell socks... McSocks Email: [email protected] Website: www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week it's time for me (Sam) to sit in the hot seat. It's always difficult to talk about my Dad's death, and yes, there is both laughter and tears. I talk about how I found out my Dad had cancer, why it's important to be emotional and why you definitely shouldn't drink the pain away. I also read a snippet from an interview my Dad did just before he died. Link to article: https://bit.ly/2CLVK2h Email: [email protected] Website: www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you know what to say when your friend's parent dies?Would you even know where to begin?Do you even want to bring it up in front of them, in fear of upsetting them?This week we ask our friend's, Laura and Amy, these all imortant questions! We lived with Laura and Amy at university and wanted to find out how they felt about our lack of mother/father. They also give some great advice on how to broach the subject with friends that are grieving and the things they struggled to talk to us about. Give it a listen!Email: [email protected] Website: www.dpcpodcast.co.uk Instagram: @dpcpodcast  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by the wonderful and hilarious Beth Rendall (don't even try to call her Bethany), whose Mum died almost 3 years ago. Beth recently got engaged!! She talks to us about how simultaneously happy and sad she was when she popped the question to her Fiance, Kate, and how she didn't get the chance to tell her Mum that she is gay. We also talk about seeing Thestrals, DPC membership cards and free Nando's. To get in touch with Beth: @beth_rendallSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY! This week I (Sam) asked Kat (and when I say asked, I mean I sprung it on her with no warning) if she would be willing to share her story. Kat is the most positive and joyful person I know, so I know it may surprise some people that she has suffered from panic attacks, anxiety and depression since college. We've discussed in previous podcasts that Kat's mum died 3 years ago, but, as if one parent diagnosed with cancer wasn't enough, Kat's dad also underwent treatment for prostate cancer whilst she was at uni. Kat's story is fascinating, inspiring, and at times heartbreaking. She also shares with us the poem that she read at her mum's funeral (54:50). Let us know what you think and don't forget to share your stories this #WorldMentalHealthDay Link to Mental Health Day Booklet: https://wfmh.global/wp-content/uploads/WMHD_REPORT_19_9_2018_FINAL.pdfSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Kat is joined by our second guest - Chris Barnard. Chris' Dad died suddenly after a heart attack in March 2017; Chris was 25 and in the middle of his Masters at the time. In this podcast he talks about his Dad's Elvis-style death, and how writing helped him to accept his emotions and learn about himself. After breaking his back and having to walk away from his army dream at a young age, Chris is a pretty inspirational guy, and gives some really great advice. Thanks so much for sharing with us, Chris.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have our first guest on the podcast - Sam Jones. Sam's Mum died of cancer when he was just 18 years old. In this podcast he will talk about the background behind his loss, who he approached for help, how it shaped his future and he gives advice on how male friends can help others who are grieving. Thank you so much Sam for taking the time out to speak with us. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.