🎙️ The Glitter Effect – Episode Summary

Guest: Matt Cronin, Co-founder of the Pat Cronin Foundation
Host: Kate Gniel
Theme: From Tragedy to Legacy – Choosing Courage, Kindness, and Change

In this heartfelt and powerful episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate Gniel sits down with Matt Cronin, co-founder of the Pat Cronin Foundation and proud father of Pat Cronin, whose life was tragically cut short in 2016 due to a coward punch attack.

What begins as a story of unimaginable loss transforms into a moving discussion about resilience, purpose, and advocacy. Matt shares the emotional journey of losing his 19-year-old son, Pat, following a senseless act of violence during a night out with friends. Pat was doing exactly what he’d been taught — looking out for his mates — when he was struck by a single punch that ultimately ended his life.

Matt opens up about the immediate aftermath of Pat’s injury, the strength of his family, and the pain of turning off life support just days later. But rather than letting grief consume them, Matt and his family channelled their heartbreak into action. Through the Pat Cronin Foundation, they now dedicate themselves to educating young people, promoting non-violence, and encouraging others to “choose to walk away.”

Listeners will be inspired by Matt’s unwavering commitment to change, the values of kindness and courage that Pat embodied, and the ripple effect one life can have when honored with love and purpose.

This episode is a moving tribute to Pat and a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

🕊️ “We’re a family of five, and we’ll always be a family of five.” – Matt Cronin

Pat Cronin Foundation: https://patcroninfoundation.org.au/

In this inspiring episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate Gniel chats with Barbara Gill, the dynamic General Manager of Garage Sale Trail—Australia’s biggest community reuse event. What began as a spontaneous idea during a local Bondi festival in 2010 has now blossomed into a nationwide movement promoting sustainability, community connection, and the circular economy.

Barbara shares the incredible journey of the Garage Sale Trail, from humble beginnings with 180 local sales to now partnering with over 90 councils across Australia. Under her leadership, the initiative has diverted hundreds of tonnes of items from landfill, saved Aussies millions of dollars, and—perhaps most importantly—fostered lasting community connections, one garage sale at a time.

Listeners will learn how this grassroots movement is making sustainability fun, practical, and empowering—proving that creativity, community, and a little bit of glitter can create real change.

✨ Key Takeaways:

The accidental origins of Garage Sale Trail in Bondi Beach

How secondhand selling is making a big environmental impact

The importance of community in driving sustainable behavior

Plans for expanding the movement beyond Australia

💬 “Don’t dump it, sell it”—the simple idea that sparked a reuse revolution.

Garage Sale Trail: https://www.garagesaletrail.com.au/

In this inspiring episode, host Kate is joined by Ben Duffy, a 20-year-old with a huge heart and unstoppable determination. Ben is currently taking on the challenge of running 52 marathons in 52 weeks to raise awareness and funds for the Pat Cronin Foundation, which works to end coward punch violence and promote a safer, kinder community.

Ben shares the emotional story behind his motivation—sparked by a school presentation from Pat’s father, Matt Cronin—and how his love for sport and passion for purpose led to this incredible physical and mental challenge.

More than just a marathon runner, Ben is creating a ripple effect of compassion, mateship, and awareness with every step he takes.

Ben Duffy 52 Marathons: https://patcroninfoundation.org.au/ben-duffy-52-marathons-in-52-weeks/

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of The Glitter Effect, Kate sits down with Jen Waltmon — a passionate mental health advocate and suicide prevention leader whose journey from personal adversity to national impact is both moving and inspiring.

Jen shares her deeply personal story, beginning with a childhood shaped by trauma, addiction, and the early loss of both parents. She opens up about her own struggles with clinical depression and suicidal ideation in her 20s, navigating intense grief and loneliness without siblings or a support system. Her lived experience became the catalyst for profound transformation.

After a successful 23-year career in learning and development, Jen made a life-changing pivot into the mental health and suicide prevention space. Since then, she’s worked with leading organisations including Beyond Blue, Black Dog Institute, and now serves as Lived Experience Lead at Suicide Prevention Australia.

More than just her professional roles, Jen is a powerful storyteller, researcher, and change-maker. She’s an outspoken advocate for mental health reform, accessibility for people with disabilities, and a wide range of human rights including women’s, LGBTQ+, and children’s rights. Her commitment to community runs deep — even extending to being a dedicated blood and plasma donor, which is how she first connected with the host.

Together, they explore themes of grief, healing, purpose, and how we can all “sprinkle a little glitter” where it’s needed most. Jen’s story is a testament to resilience and using pain as a platform for change — perfectly embodying the spirit of The Glitter Effect.

Suicide Prevention Australia: https://www.suicidepreventionaust.org/

In this inspiring episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate sits down with Rochelle Courtenay, founder of Share the Dignity, a groundbreaking Australian charity tackling period poverty. Rochelle shares the powerful story behind the movement’s creation — sparked in 2015 when she read an article about homeless women using makeshift items like socks and newspaper during their periods.

Outraged and moved to act, Rochelle began collecting sanitary products through her personal training clients, ultimately launching a grassroots initiative that grew into a national force. From wearing a sanitary pad dress to raise awareness to lobbying parliament, Rochelle has fearlessly confronted the stigma around menstruation.

This episode dives into her journey, the challenges she faced, and the massive impact her work has had on restoring dignity to women and girls across Australia. Rochelle’s story is a testament to the power of compassion, community, and action.

Share the dignity: https://www.sharethedignity.org.au

In this episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate welcomes Emma Rose Parsons—a passionate psychologist, mum, and the powerhouse behind Mountain to Melbourne, a grassroots fundraising movement bringing critical support to local children’s hospitals in Victoria.

Emma Rose combines her professional insight into childhood anxiety with her personal experience as a mother to champion better care for kids—especially neurodivergent children—who often face overwhelming hospital environments. Shocked to discover that major fundraising often bypasses local hospitals, she decided to do something bold: run over 100km in just 12 hours, from Healesville Hospital to Eastland Town Square, passing through key Eastern Health sites along the way.

Her mission? To raise vital funds for facilities that serve over 36,000 children each year—ensuring they have the tools, resources, and environments needed to ease anxiety and deliver better care.

This episode is a powerful story of community-driven change, personal courage, and how one determined woman is reminding us that local kids deserve world-class care too.

Mountain to Melbourne website: https://eastland.qicre.com/articles/community/mountain-to-melbourne

In this deeply moving episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate sits down with Jason Sotiris, founder of SuperTee—a superhero-inspired medical garment transforming the hospital experience for children across Australia.

Jason shares the heartbreaking journey of his daughter’s cancer battle and how one moment of frustration and helplessness led to a life-changing idea. Tired of hospital gowns that made children look and feel sick, Jason imagined something better—garments that offered comfort, dignity, and courage.

What started as a desperate Dad’s solution has grown into a national movement, replacing clinical gowns with colourful, easy-to-use SuperTees that help kids feel strong in the face of serious illness. With deep compassion, creativity, and a drive to rewrite the narrative of what it means to be in hospital, Jason is helping thousands of families feel seen, supported, and super.

This is a powerful story of resilience, purpose, and how even in the darkest moments, love can ignite change.

SuperTee website: https://www.supertee.org.au/

In this heartwarming episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate sits down with the extraordinary Ruth Lazerson, founder of Art of Hope—a creative initiative that transforms handcrafted heart-shaped pendants into powerful symbols of kindness, connection, and healing.

Ruth shares the story behind her colorful creations and the philosophy that drives her: that even the smallest acts of kindness, like a tiny light in a dark room, can illuminate the lives of those in pain or isolation. Originally trained as a textile designer, Ruth rediscovered her life’s purpose in her 40s, channeling her creativity into a movement that touches hearts—literally and metaphorically.

Each handcrafted pendant is paired with a heartfelt message and gifted to people during tough times, offering a moment of recognition, beauty, and hope. From nurses pinning them to their scrubs, to young men treasuring them on keyrings, these tiny hearts are bringing light wherever they go.

Kate and Ruth also share the beautiful connection between The Glitter Effect and Art of Hope, with each guest receiving a handcrafted heart made by Ruth as a token of appreciation.

This is a story of creativity, empathy, and quiet transformation—one heart at a time.

The art of hope: https://artofhope.com.au/

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate sits down with the extraordinary Kirsty Porter, founder of Umbrella Dementia Cafés — a grassroots initiative providing safe, inclusive spaces for people living with dementia and their loved ones.

Kirsty shares the personal story that inspired her to shift from a career in aged care nursing to becoming a powerful community advocate. From a serendipitous visit to a dementia café in the UK to launching a now-vital network of support back home in Australia, Kirsty unpacks the urgent need for more dementia-friendly environments and open conversations.

Together, they explore:

The rising prevalence of dementia in Australia — now impacting nearly 500,000 people.

The often-overlooked challenges faced by carers, particularly in cases of younger-onset dementia.

Why community-based care and connection are crucial — long before aged care becomes necessary.

How Umbrella Dementia Cafés are helping reduce stigma, isolation, and burnout for both individuals and families.

This episode is a moving reminder of the power of compassion, small actions, and grassroots leadership in changing lives.

☕ Grab a cuppa and tune in — Kirsty’s glitter truly shines.

Umbrella Dementia Cafés https://umbrelladementiacafes.com.au/

In this insightful and heart-led episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate sits down with Wendy Coombe, founder of Animal Therapies Limited (ATL) — a pioneering Australian not-for-profit reshaping the landscape of therapeutic support through the healing power of animals.

Wendy takes us on the inspiring journey behind ATL’s creation, born from personal experience and grown into a national movement advocating for the formal recognition, education, and integration of animal-assisted services across health, education, disability, and aged care sectors.

With warmth and clarity, Wendy explains the vital differences between simply owning a pet and animal-assisted therapy, highlighting the deep science, structure, and professional collaboration behind this growing field. From guinea pigs helping children build empathy to dogs working alongside occupational therapists, ATL is leading the way — not just in Australia, but globally — in promoting accessible, evidence-based care through human–animal connection.

Tune in to hear:

Animal Therapies Limited https://animaltherapies.org.au/

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