S2E12 Death: Terminal illness and the right to die

Media Storm

Warning: Discussions around suicide and assisted dying. If you need someone to talk to, call the Samaritans on 116 123.

It happens to everybody but nobody wants to talk about it: the irony is, it's often the not talking about death that makes it such a terrible thing.

For our season finale, we bring you a special-length investigation into the real-life consequences of silence and stigma around dying. Doctors are restricted by it, patients isolated and otherised for it, families unable to prepare and grieve properly, and those who want choice about how they die are denied it and even criminalised. Media Storm speaks to families and individuals affected by terminal illness and grief about the choices and conversations they’d like to have more of.

The episode is hosted by Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia), with research by Eliza Mellor. The music is by @soundofsamfire. With special thanks to On Road Media.

Guests:

• Ellie Ball @wee_ellster
• Dignity in Dying @dignityindying
• Dr Finella Craig, Great Ormond Street Hospital @GreatOrmondSt
• Simon Blake @simonblake
• Hospice UK's Dying Matters Campaign @hospiceuk @DyingMatters
• Aongola's Story https://bit.ly/3uDnX4N

Resources:

• On Road Media's Children's Palliative Care project: https://bit.ly/3FyNdiY
• Jessie May Children's Hospices at Home: jessiemay.org.uk
• Together For Short Lives: https://bit.ly/2s8yYuu
• Simon Blake's blog https://bit.ly/3izLxNa
• Sisters & Brothers: Stories about the death of a sibling, by Julie Bentley and Simon Blake https://amzn.to/3VCFcPG

Sources:

• Terminal illness and 'suicide' https://bit.ly/3XZpPmd
• ONS findings https://bit.ly/3PgtmZd
• Brits assisted dying in Switzerland https://bit.ly/3BgRGEE
• Palliative care funding https://bit.ly/3iLIDoL
• Palliative care access https://bit.ly/3W0Qo8w
• Palliative care and life expectancy https://bit.ly/3FBCZP7
• British public opinions https://bit.ly/3iLIUrN
• YouGov poll https://bit.ly/3uuyboj

Get in touch:

• Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/mediastormpod
• or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mediastormpod
• or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@mediastormpod
• like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MediaStormPod
• send us an email [e-mail]
• check out our website https://mediastormpodcast.com

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/media-storm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices