Disrupting Death

“I think if the exhibit is able to motivate a conversation between someone and another person in their life about what their wishes might be I think we will have succeeded.” 

December has Kathy and Keri-Lyn excited to be sitting down to chat about palliative and end-of-life research and exhibits with Dr. Sarina Isenberg, Chair in Mixed Methods Palliative Care Research at Bruyère Research Institute. 

Dr. Isenberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa. Her mixed methods research focuses on ensuring that all people (regardless of background or health condition) receive the highest possible quality of palliative care. She often uses the following methods: cohort studies using large health administrative datasets; economic evaluations using administrative and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) data; systematic reviews and meta-syntheses; qualitative and mixed methods studies; participatory design and patient and caregiver engagement; and arts-based knowledge translation.  

Dr. Isenberg has been a nominated principal or co-principal investigator on 32 research projects (totaling $4.9 million) and a co-investigator on 34 research projects (totaling $51.4 million) supported by national and international funding agencies. She has published over 120 peer-reviewed publications. Her achievements were recognized by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Rising Star Award in Health Services and Policy Research (2022), University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine Early Career Researcher of the Year Award (2022), and the University of Ottawa Department of Medicine PhD Scientist Award (2022). 

Dr. Isenberg has a PhD in Social and Behavioural Sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a Masters of Arts in English Literature from Queen’s University, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from McGill University. 

Links to follow Dr. Isenberg's work:

Art of a good death competition: https://www.isenberglab.com/a-good-death-art-competiton

Roots of wisdom: https://www.isenberglab.com/roots-of-widsom

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

“People should be allowed to be authors of their own lives to make decisions for themselves if they have the capacity to do and having doctors say, or having the government say we don't think you're actually, able or qualified to make this decision. You need our approval. I think that's ethically unjustified.”

“ It's brought some hope that maybe it'll be different for the generation, the young disabled girl who's just getting the diagnosis today will be able to see a few examples anyway out there of somebody who had a life and who got to live and thrive.”

Dear listeners, this month Kathy and Keri-Lyn are privileged to share a conversation with April Hubbard, a performer, arts administrator, accessibility consultant, and a Mad, Disabled, Queer, White & Mi'kmaw woman based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

April spent 25 years struggling to create space for those with unseen bodies and unheard voices. She is the former Chair of the Halifax Fringe Festival, the co-founder of disabilityX Halifax, the author of the Eastern Front Theatre Accessibility Project Report, and recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Volunteerism at the 2025 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards. She was a frequent contributor and host on AMI-tv, and a collaborator with the JRG Society for the Arts. She is most proud of her performance career as a circus artist, collaborating alongside her creative soulmate, Vanessa Furlong, and of her blend of drag with activism, using her alter ego, Crip Tease.

April spent her life encouraging others to be leaders in designing the society in which they wish to live by challenging assumptions and normalizing the presence of Disabled people in our everyday world.

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

 Grief matters because it happens to all of us. 

In this episode, Kathy and Keri-Lyn are fortunate to converse with Drs. Susan Cadell and Mary Ellen Macdonald, co-creators of Grief Matters, a Canadian organization that aims to improve how people understand and make room for grief, using creative, community-based activities. They use the framework of ‘grief literacy’ to increase knowledge, skills, and actions about all kinds of grief. Grief literacy is about helping community members to better understand their own and other people’s experience of grief. Learn more at www.GriefMatters.ca.

Susan Cadell, PhD, RSW (she/her) is a social work researcher and educator. Her research interests include grief, grief literacy and tattoos. She is the co-founder, along with Mary Ellen Macdonald, of Grief Matters, (https://griefmatters.ca/), an organization to promote grief literacy. She is a Professor at the School of Social Work at Renison University College, which is affiliated with University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Her work on tattoos can be viewed at https://storiesfromtheskin.com/.

Mary Ellen Macdonald, PhD is an anthropologist and Professor in Palliative Medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She holds the J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care, with the mandate of contributing to palliative and end-of-life care research and practice across Nova Scotia. She has been researching death, dying, and bereavement for two decades, and is particularly passionate about supporting death and grief literacy across the diverse communities in the province. See her TEDxPugwash on ‘Grief, memory, and caring for the dead.’ She writes about this work in academic publications and at www.GriefMatters.ca.

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

“ She's in her favourite chair. She's surrounded by loved ones. She's got a supportive GP. There's love and laughter, and I can't imagine anything better for the very final moments of your life. And I have to just say I'm just really thankful, one, to be a Canadian and that she has this option, but also that I had the opportunity to be there and that our family got to have these really beautiful final moments with her.”

Kim is a Registered Nurse with 14 years of experience in palliative care, working in a variety of roles, from bedside care to patient care coordinator to nurse clinician

Despite initial resistance to MAiD within many palliative care programs, Kim was committed to supporting individuals considering it as part of their end-of-life journey. She was present for her first MAiD provision in early 2017, and with each subsequent experience, her interest deepened, particularly in how the final days and moments are experienced. She became increasingly curious about how loved ones navigate grief after MAiD and how conversations with those who may not agree with MAiD could negatively impact the grieving process. 

In 2021, when her grandmother chose to have MAiD, Kim experienced firsthand what it means to be a loved one supporting someone through it. She experienced both the beautiful camaraderie of final goodbyes and also the challenges of grief and secrecy.

Outside of work, Kim and her partner, Paul Magennis—also a registered nurse—co-author the Substack page MAiD in Canada. This platform enables them to address misinformation about MAiD and ensure that accurate information is widely accessible. It has also given Kim a meaningful space to share her personal journey—from supporting patients through MAiD to supporting her own grandmother. 

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

“ Ignorance is not a safeguard.” 

This month’s episode of Disrupting Death has Kathy and Keri-Lyn have the pleasure of speaking with Paul Magennis, a Registered Nurse and educator on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in British Columbia and co-creator of MAiD in Canada, a Substack newsletter that tackles misinformation and promotes education about medical assistance in dying. 

With over seven years of experience in MAiD, Paul has the expertise to provide fact-based education to healthcare professionals and the public. He has taught the nuances of MAiD to health care professionals at every level--including guest lecturing to medical students and residents--ensuring they understand the legal, ethical, and practical aspects of MAiD.

Paul’s advocacy extends beyond writing. He offers free speaking engagements in an effort to ensure as many people have access to accurate and compassionate information about MAiD as possible. Whether addressing fears stirred by viral misinformation or exploring the legal landscape of assisted dying in Canada, Paul is committed to fostering informed, respectful conversations about this deeply personal and evolving issue.

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant and Sadie Mallon.

 ”I think we need to know that the possibilities are out there, that MAiD's not just a medical procedure, that even though this healthcare professional is coming with their kit and their medications and all of their social authority that they bring with them, that we get to slow it down and do some important things to remember our person.”

“When we're brought into this world more often than not … there's all this love coming for birthing in a human being to this world, right? And I felt like that same kind of energy  was given to them on their way out.”

This month, your hosts of Disrupting Death sit down with Chris Reid, a storyteller, military veteran, and founder of Stretch Creative, about his experiences in 2024 when two very important people in his life chose to access MAiD, and within eight days of one another. 

Stretch Creative is a content agency that partners with freelance creatives to produce meaningful and impactful narratives. Drawing on his experience as a submariner, Chris brings discipline, adaptability, and a unique perspective to his work. At Stretch, he is deeply committed to fostering a sense of community among freelance writers, editors, and designers, ensuring they feel supported and valued while delivering exceptional content for clients.

Chris is also a devoted husband and stepfather, roles that inspire his passion for creating work rooted in empathy and connection. In April 2024, he experienced the profound loss of both his mother and grandmother, who chose MAiD within eight days of each other. This life-changing event became the catalyst for his first documentary, exploring the complexities of MAiD and its emotional impact on families.

While Stretch occupies much of his time, Chris remains dedicated to sharing stories that matter, building communities, and inspiring meaningful conversations through storytelling.

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant and Sadie Mallon.