Gavin shares what it was like to come to the realisation his mom, Donna, was losing her memory and sense of her place in the world. And how being able to find the funny moments is vital to surviving the slow tragedy of Alzheimer's disease.

Hear all 7 episodes of Let's Not Be Kidding now by logging in to CBC Listen or by subscribing to the CBC Stories Premium channel (apple.co/cbcstories), where episodes are also ad free.

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/let-s-not-be-kidding-transcripts-listen-1.6824953

Gavin shares what it was like to come to the realisation his mom, Donna, was losing her memory and sense of her place in the world. And how being able to find the funny moments is vital to surviving the slow tragedy of Alzheimer's disease. Hear all 7 episodes of Let's Not Be Kidding now by logging in to CBC Listen or by subscribing to the CBC Stories Premium channel (apple.co/cbcstories), where episodes are also ad free. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/let-s-not-be-kidding-transcripts-listen-1.6824953

Episode 1: Another Day, Another Donna

<p>If laughter really was the best medicine, Gavin Crawford would have cured his mother of Alzheimer’s disease. As a son, his mother’s dementia has been devastating. As a comedian though… it’s been sort of funny. Honestly, how do you respond when your mom confuses you with her teenage crush and wants you to take her to the high-school dance? Well, you laugh. Because it’s the only thing you can do. In this seven-part series, Gavin tells the story of losing his mother — his best friend and the inspiration for a lot of his comedy — to a disease that can be heartbreaking, but sometimes also hilarious. He’s joined by comedian friends who share their experience caring for family members with dementia. The result is a cross between an improv act and a support group. Part memoir, part stand-up, part meditation on grief and loss, Let’s Not Be Kidding is a dose of the very best medicine for anyone dealing with hard times. Listen ad-free by subscribing to the CBC Stories Premium channel on Apple Podcasts (apple.co/cbcstories). For more content from Gavin, check out Because News: cbc.ca/becausenews</p>

Comedy

If laughter really was the best medicine, Gavin Crawford would have cured his mother of Alzheimer’s disease. As a son, his mother’s dementia has been devastating. As a comedian though… it’s been sort of funny. Honestly, how do you respond when your mom confuses you with her teenage crush and wants you to take her to the high-school dance? Well, you laugh. Because it’s the only thing you can do. In this seven-part series, Gavin tells the story of losing his mother — his best friend and the inspiration for a lot of his comedy — to a disease that can be heartbreaking, but sometimes also hilarious. He’s joined by comedian friends who share their experience caring for family members with dementia. The result is a cross between an improv act and a support group. Part memoir, part stand-up, part meditation on grief and loss, Let’s Not Be Kidding is a dose of the very best medicine for anyone dealing with hard times. Listen ad-free by subscribing to the CBC Stories Premium channel on Apple Podcasts (apple.co/cbcstories). For more content from Gavin, check out Because News: cbc.ca/becausenews

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Episode 1: Another Day, Another Donna

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