The Survival Project

What being dead taught me about living.

Former pharmaceutical CEO Shay thought success meant working harder, achieving more and constantly chasing the next milestone.

Then, at just 47 years old, he suffered a massive heart attack that stopped him in his tracks and forced him to ask one life-changing question:

What actually matters?

In this powerful episode of The Survival Project, Shay shares how surviving a near-death experience completely transformed his outlook on success, family, purpose, mental health and happiness.

Together we explore the emotional aftermath of serious illness, the pressure of modern life, and why sometimes our greatest challenges become our greatest teachers.

Whether you've experienced illness yourself or simply feel overwhelmed by the pace of life, this conversation is a reminder to slow down, reconnect with what matters most and never take another day for granted.

Topics include:
• Heart attack recovery
• Near-death perspective
• Mental health
• Burnout
• Purpose and meaning
• Personal growth
• Resilience
• Family
• Gratitude
• Living with intention

If this episode resonated with you, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and share it with someone who might need to hear it.

Every share helps these stories reach someone who may be searching for hope.

Sharan Singh's life changed forever when she was diagnosed with lupus at a young age.

Years of autoimmune disease, powerful medications, chronic pain, and major complications eventually led to both of her hips being replaced in her early twenties. But her story is about far more than illness.

In this episode of The Survival Project, Sharan shares how she navigated the emotional and physical challenges of living with an invisible illness, why learning to advocate for herself became essential, and how her own experiences inspired her to pursue a career helping others through healthcare.

Jonathan and Sharan discuss resilience, identity, recovery, mental health, chronic pain, and the importance of finding purpose after life-changing adversity.

Whether you're living with lupus, another chronic illness, supporting someone who is, or simply looking for an inspiring story of resilience, this conversation is full of honesty, hope, and practical insight.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow The Survival Project, leave a rating, and share it with someone who could benefit from hearing Sharan's story.

Check out Sharans journey on her socials: @sharaninscrubs

What does it mean to live with a body that never stops changing?

This week on The Survival Project, I'm joined by Cerys Davage, host of the Unbalanced Podcast and a passionate disability advocate living with limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD).

Diagnosed as a child, Cerys shares her experience of growing up with a progressive muscle condition, navigating invisible disability, learning to embrace mobility aids, and finding confidence through vulnerability. Together, we discuss independence, accessibility, ableism, chronic illness, and the incredible power of sharing our stories.

Cerys also talks about creating the Unbalanced Podcast, a platform that has become a source of support, education and hope for thousands of people living with disabilities and chronic illnesses around the world.

Whether you're living with a disability, supporting someone who is, or simply want to better understand the realities of life with a progressive condition, this episode is full of honesty, humour and hope.

If you enjoy the episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with someone who would benefit from hearing Cerys' incredible story.

Follow Cerys:

Instagram: @cerysdavage

Unbalanced with Cerys Davage

What happens when surviving Crohn's disease means fighting your own healthcare system?

This week on The Survival Project, I'm joined by Ian, a Crohn's disease advocate, comedian and storyteller from New York.

Diagnosed at just 16 years old, Ian shares his journey through bowel obstructions, multiple surgeries, intestinal strictures, internal bleeding, anxiety and the emotional impact of living with inflammatory bowel disease for nearly two decades.

Together we explore the hidden realities of chronic illness, the importance of community, using humour as a coping mechanism, and the incredible financial and emotional burden of navigating the American healthcare system while trying to stay healthy.

Whether you're living with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune condition, or supporting someone who is, this conversation is filled with honesty, perspective and hope.

In this episode we discuss:
• Crohn's disease diagnosis
• Bowel obstruction recovery
• Bowel resection surgery
• Internal bleeding
• Chronic illness and mental health
• Healthcare in America
• Insurance challenges
• Comedy and resilience
• Living with invisible illness
• Building community after diagnosis

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and share it with someone who could benefit from hearing Ian's story.

To check out Ians work on IG: @iangoldsteinyes & @out_of_network_network

New episodes of The Survival Project are released every week.

At 22 years old, Liv Moore was told she would need a permanent stoma.

After years of unexplained symptoms, severe constipation, and a body that seemed to be shutting down, Liv was diagnosed with hypoganglionosis, a rare bowel disorder that left her rectum unable to function properly.

In this episode of The Survival Project, Liv shares her remarkable journey from diagnosis to surgery, the fear of living with a stoma at such a young age, and how she ultimately found freedom, confidence, and a new lease on life.

We discuss:

• What hypoganglionosis is and how it affects the body
• Being told you need a permanent stoma at 22
• The emotional impact of major surgery
• Body confidence and learning to accept a changed body
• Fitness, Hyrox and rebuilding strength after surgery
• Living, travelling and thriving with a stoma
• The importance of advocacy, awareness and representation
• Finding purpose after life-changing health challenges

Liv's story is a powerful reminder that the things we fear most are often not the end of our story, but the beginning of a new chapter.

If you're living with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, an ostomy, chronic illness, or you're facing surgery yourself, this episode is packed with hope, perspective and practical insight.

To check out Olivia's content: @livwithastoma (IG & TikTok)

#Stoma #Ostomy #Hypoganglionosis #IBD #CrohnsDisease #UlcerativeColitis #Hyrox #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #TheSurvivalProject

Arthur O'Connor appeared to have everything on track.

A successful personal trainer, recently engaged, healthy, active, and building a future he was excited about.

Then his body began to change.

What started as digestive issues soon became overwhelming fatigue, chronic inflammation, hormonal dysfunction, skin problems, weight loss, heart palpitations, and a growing list of symptoms that no one could explain.

As doctor visits turned into dead ends, Arthur found himself questioning not only his health but his own reality.

In this deeply honest conversation, Arthur shares the physical and emotional toll of living with an unexplained illness, the impact it had on his relationships and mental health, and how his relentless search for answers eventually led him to uncover a hidden source of toxicity that had been affecting his life for years.

This episode explores chronic illness, mould toxicity, resilience, gut health, mental health, and the power of trusting yourself when you know something isn't right.

Follow Arthur:
Instagram: @aocfitness

A special thank you to Western Auto Parts, Oranmore, Galway, for supporting The Survival Project Podcast.

Western Auto Parts
📞 091-790014

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with someone who may benefit from hearing Arthur's story.

From 60 toilet trips a day to fitness racing, Terri Brannigan's story is one of resilience, courage, and reclaiming life after Crohn's disease.

In this episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan sits down with Crohn's disease advocate, ostomate, and fitness enthusiast Terri Brannigan to discuss her journey from being diagnosed with Crohn's at just 15 years old to making the life-changing decision to undergo ostomy surgery at 28.

Terri opens up about growing up with chronic illness, the embarrassment and isolation of living with severe symptoms as a teenager, years of hospital visits, failed medications, major surgery, and the emotional toll Crohn's disease can take on every aspect of life.

She shares the moment she realised she could no longer continue living the way she was, why she chose an ostomy, and how that decision ultimately gave her the freedom to rebuild her life.

Today, Terri is completing fitness challenges, participating in Tryka events, facilitating ostomy support groups with Crohn's & Colitis Ireland, and helping others navigate life with IBD and an ostomy.

In this episode:

• Growing up with Crohn's disease as a teenager
• The challenges of diagnosis and treatment
• Living with severe Crohn's symptoms
• Surgery, stomas, and life after an ostomy
• Mental health and chronic illness
• Fitness, strength training, and recovery
• Body confidence and self-acceptance
• Ostomy support groups and community
• Advocacy, resilience, and rebuilding life after illness

Whether you're living with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, an ostomy, IBD, or supporting someone who is, this conversation is filled with honesty, hope, and practical insight.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and share The Survival Project.

IG: @thesurvivalprojectpod

Terri's IG: livin_the_stoma_bag_life

#CrohnsDisease #IBD #Ostomy #Stoma #UlcerativeColitis #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #MentalHealth #FitnessJourney #TheSurvivalProject

What happens when years of being undertreated for Ulcerative Colitis leads to a permanent ostomy, a cancer diagnosis, multiple major surgeries, and repeated setbacks?

In this powerful episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan Healy sits down with Jenn Moore, an ostomy advocate, fitness coach, health coach, and specialist in helping people rebuild strength after chronic illness and surgery.

Jenn shares her extraordinary journey from living with severe Ulcerative Colitis and years of inadequate medical care, to undergoing permanent ostomy surgery, discovering anal cancer, navigating multiple complex hernia repairs, and repeatedly rebuilding her life after major setbacks.

But this is not a story about defeat.

It is a story about resilience, purpose, adaptation, and learning to trust your body again.

Jenn explains how she transformed her own experiences into a mission to help people living with ostomies, chronic illness, autoimmune disease, cancer recovery, and complex medical conditions regain confidence, rebuild strength, and return to the activities they love.

In this episode:

• Living with severe Ulcerative Colitis
• Years of being undertreated and mismanaged
• The decision to have permanent ostomy surgery
• Discovering anal cancer after surgery
• Multiple parastomal hernias and complex repairs
• Recovery after major abdominal surgery
• Returning to exercise with an ostomy
• Core strength and hernia prevention
• Fitness advice for ostomates
• Chronic illness and mental resilience
• Supporting loved ones through illness
• Finding purpose through adversity
• Why Jenn believes "the glass is refillable"

Whether you're living with Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, an ostomy, cancer recovery, chronic illness, or supporting someone who is, this episode offers practical advice, hope, and inspiration.

To contact Jenn: [email protected] or through IG @coach_jenn_moore

For 13 years, Kate Ann was told her pain was normal.

In this episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan Healy sits down with Kate for a deeply emotional and eye-opening conversation about living with Stage 4 Endometriosis and bowel endometriosis.

Kate shares the reality of growing up in severe pain, being dismissed by doctors, told her symptoms were “just anxiety” or IBS, and spending years trying to convince people that something was seriously wrong.

Eventually, after fighting for answers and advocating for herself, Kate was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis so severe that her organs had fused together.

Together, Jonathan and Kate discuss:
• Chronic pain & invisible illness
• Medical gaslighting
• Fertility fears & egg freezing
• The emotional impact of chronic illness
• Body image, bloating & femininity
• Mental health & self trust
• Surgery & fear of the future
• Women’s health inequality
• Nutrition, fitness & holistic healing
• Learning to advocate for yourself

This episode is not just about endometriosis.

It’s about what happens when people stop listening to women’s pain.

And it’s about finding strength, identity, and purpose in the middle of chronic illness.

A huge thank you to Kate for her honesty and vulnerability throughout this conversation.

If this episode resonates with you, please follow, share, and leave a rating for the podcast.

#Endometriosis #Stage4Endometriosis #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #TheSurvivalProject

World IBD Day Special | The Female Experience of IBD, Chronic Illness & Identity

In this episode of The Survival Project, Sarah O’Connor and Terri Brannigan join me for a powerful conversation on the female experience of living with Crohn’s disease, IBD, invisible illness, fatigue, body image, relationships, and resilience.

We speak honestly about the realities women face while navigating chronic illness, from the pressure to “look well” and keep pushing through fatigue, to the emotional impact of body changes, medical dismissal, dating, intimacy, and uncertainty around the future.

Sarah shares her experience living with both Crohn’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), while Terri reflects on how stoma surgery transformed her confidence, identity, and outlook on life.

This conversation explores:
• Crohn’s disease & ulcerative colitis
• Invisible illness & chronic fatigue
• Women’s health & medical gaslighting
• Body image & confidence after illness
• Stoma surgery & identity
• Relationships & vulnerability
• Motherhood fears & uncertainty
• Mental health & resilience
• Finding yourself again after diagnosis

A deeply honest conversation about womanhood, strength, and rebuilding your life through chronic illness.

Thank you to Sarah and Terri for their openness and honesty throughout this episode.