Finding hope after losing a child to childhood cancer. We are a bereaved family too, losing our baby to Wilm's Tumor in 2015. This podcast showcases the reality of childhood cancer and the subsequent grief journey for us and for other families around the world who are affected by childhood cancer loss. Our hope is that families can relate to our experiences. We are not medical professionals. We are griefists - unskilled in childhood cancer grief.
In Part 2 with Briana, we talk about navigating sibling grief, changed relationships, and changed perspectives.
Recorded while I was still pregnant, we met Briana who shares about her son, Johan, diagnosed at 18 months old with neuroblastoma. It's interesting to learn that it's not always Make a Wish that comes through for childhood cancer families.
We had the privilege of catching up with Charlie's Mumma Kel to check in on how her grief has progressed, her year of firsts, and the creation of Charlie's Rainbow.
Gramma Carmen talks us through her double mastectomy procedure and the subsequent feelings about her cancer diagnosis and journey.
Mom and I cover pregnancy, debrief from having a booth at an event, and then Mom shares some not so great news.
We crammed a 2022 update into 1 episode, but there is a lot to unravel here. Enjoy all the news and updates from 2022!
Mom and I talk about our grief during the 2021 holiday season. We reflect on our 2021 griefist guests, and we hope to continue our mission through 2022 of helping grieving childhood cancer families and friends feel less alone on their journey.
We wrap up our thoughts and some amazing takeaways on the final griefist guest of the year. Interestingly in this episode, mom survives an earthquake.
In Part 3, Davina shares with us the aftermath of losing Baby Jayce: Jayce's celebration of life, finding a routine, and receiving validation.
In Part 2, Davina walks us through post-transplant, relapse, and Jayce's suffering through end of life. WARNING - This is incredibly tough to hear, but this is childhood cancer.
We meet Davina, mom to Baby Jayce, diagnosed in 2020 with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), pre Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic at just 13 months old.
Mom and I wrap up our thoughts from our conversation with Uncle Jake and talk through entering this year's holiday season.
In our final installment with Uncle Jake, he takes on a rollercoaster of thoughts and ideas related to religion, ghosts, aliens, and mediums. He's a very intriguing conversationalist indeed.
In Part 2 with Uncle Jake, we take a stroll through a few topics: the impact of donating blood and platelets, his religious beliefs, and reliving those final moments.
Uncle Jake, Aunt Jack's husband, joins us to share about his journey, including having to watch and support his wife.
We are so grateful for Michele sharing her experience and expertise with us. We connected with Michele on such an elevated level, and in this episode we reflect on all of the information and wisdom she shared with us. For more information about Michele and Good Grief Parenting, please visit goodgriefparenting.com
In Part 3, Michele gives us some final thoughts of support and encouragement for our bereaved siblings and for us.
After David died, David's sister Deanna told Michele, "half of me is gone," and it inspired Michele as a parent educator to continue the work in sibling loss. Michele developed Good Grief Parenting, and she talks us through the Good Grief Parenting framework and how we can support siblings.
On today's episode, we meet Griefist Michele, mother to David, who was diagnosed at 4 years old with Rhabdomyosarcoma in 1997.
Mom, Papa Steve, and I found such inspiration from Ian & Kate's story. In this episode, we walk through the similarities, and we reflect on how we will take the inspiration and live a little bit differently.
In Part 2, Ian & Kate share how they have coped, experiencing new life, new loss, and a new way to look at life. Their relationship is inspirational.
On this episode, we asked Papa Steve to guest co-host as we speak to Ian and Kate, parents to Gracie who was diagnosed at 3 years old with neuroblastoma and who passed only a short 14 months later at 4 years old in 2018.
We talk about that exactly - honesty. We digest our conversation with Roxanne, and speak frankly about a few touchy subjects.
In Part 2, Roxanne shares what grief looks like after 25 years, and how she continues to volunteer and raise funds for Give Kids the World.
Griefist Roxanne Covillo shares about her son Ryan, diagnosed at 8 years old in 1994, with anaplastic astrocytoma. She takes us on a life adventure, sharing immaculate details 25 years later.
Mom and I spend our time reflecting on Kris's incredible story.
In Part 2, Kris shares about coping after Anna's passing, and motivating her to do things in Anna's honor. Visit annaspals.org to follow this incredible mother's journey to help other families.
Guest Kris Jerome joins us to introduce Anna, her daughter and a twin diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at 14 years old.
Mom and I wrap up the tough season reflecting on having Papa Steve on and sharing with you how we celebrated the baby's birthday this year.
We close this episode up with Papa Steve where he talks us through the weight he bears proudly, but he wouldn't have it any other way.
In this episode, we talk to Papa Steve. Mom has talked a lot about Papa Steve, but now we get to hear about a (step) grandfather's perspective.
Oh, what a tough month of events: celebration of cancer survivors, graduation, and compounded loss. This month we lost our beloved pet, Rosco, and would like to dedicate this episode to him. RIP little guy - thank you for being the best first forever puppy. We will miss you always.
In Part 2 with Cousin Angelina, we hear but can see clearly a young person's view of the surrounding grief. We also learn about how kids receive communication - or not!
We have a special guest on, Cousin Angelina, who talks us through her view as a child and having a cousin with childhood cancer.
Mom and I have identified some of the events or things that hit you like a ton of bricks on this grief journey. We call these things triggers. We share a bit about ours and what we've discovered about ourselves with triggers.
We share how we got through May 2021, full of events.
In this second installment with Uncle Jo, he shares how he copes and how he helps his family get through the tough times.
Uncle Jo joins us in Part 1 to provide a different perspective on the cancer journey - as a dude, as a brother, as an uncle, as a son, and as a parent.
Reflecting on having our first guest and coping through anniversaries.
Charlie's Mumma Kel and Charlie's Granny Ria share their grief journey: what they're doing to cope and how they continue to include Charlie in all they do.
Charlie's Mumma Kel and Charlie's Granny Ria so bravely continue sharing about Charlie's cancer journey and his departure.
Charlie's Mumma Kel and Charlie's Granny Ria join us as our very first guests to introduce us to baby Charlie, diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at 18 months old.
Talking about the struggles of what to do with her "things."
Finally, we talk about the things people have said that was well intended but just didn't sit right.
We share some of our experiences with resources and support groups we found helpful.
How wonderful that episode 7 (of all episodes) showcases all the little signs we see that help us to remember and stay connected.
We embraced spirituality and have explored mediumship to connect with the baby.
We discuss a tank of topics, including getting our thoughts on religion out of the way.
**TISSUE ALERT** We discuss the end of her cancer journey and her final moments. This is a rough one.
Sharing her journey of childhood cancer and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it.
Introduction of host, co-host, and guest: Aunt Jack, Gramma Carmen, and Mama Jess. We share about our names/titles, and how our cancer (and technically our grief) journey begins.
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