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PODCAST

Don"t Be Caught Dead

Catherine Ashton

Don"t Be Caught Dead is a podcast about the conversations most of us avoid — until we’re forced to have them.Each episode brings you honest, accessible conversations with experts across end-of-life, health, legal, financial, and care industries, alongside people with lived experience, to help you better understand your end-of-life choices and how to prepare a practical backup plan if you fall ill, become incapacitated, or die.Hosted by Catherine Ashton, award-winning speaker and founder of Critical

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

67:27

Beyond the Grave: Fighting Heteronormativity in...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/11/12

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Imagine a gay man planning his own funeral, only for his family to swoop in and rewrite everything. That’s what one of Bronte Price’s clients faced, and he had to fight to honour his wishes. In this episode I chat with Bronte Price, “your gay celebrant,” Australia’s trailblazing LGBTQIA+ celebrant shaking up weddings and funerals. We talk about bias in death care, family interference, and why queer people still face barriers when planning funera...

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54:46

Facing Death Head-On: A Doula's Guide to End-of-Life...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/11/05

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Ever wondered what really happens in those final moments before someone dies, or how a death doula can turn a family's grief into something meaningful? In this episode, I chat with Barb Ferguson, a seasoned end-of-life doula, about her hands-on work with dying, death, and everything after. It's raw, real, and full of insights that might just change how you think about the end of life. Barb shares her journey from accountant to death doula, sparke...

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55:55

Meaning Over Ministry: Jim's Unique Approach to Grief...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/10/29

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What do you give the love of your life as a final birthday gift when they only have days left? That's the tender moment Reverend Jim Colville shares with us in this powerful chat. It's an act of love that perfectly sums up Jim's radical, non-judgemental approach to life, death, and dying. Jim, the man who started Colony 47 in Hobart in 1973, joins me to discuss his work offering unconditional acceptance to everyone rejected by 1970s society—from ...

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59:32

The Fabric of Dying: How a Stitched Map Sparks...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/10/22

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Ever wondered if a simple box of fabric and words could unlock the toughest chats about dying? In this episode, I dive into the world of the Bioscope with Chetan Shastri, a Melbourne designer who's turned death into a navigable map – literally. It’s not some dusty chart; it’s a tactile, embroidered toolkit that sparks real talk about end-of-life wishes, from home to hospice, without the awkward silence. Chetan shares how his Indian roots, from st...

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55:03

Building Resilience: How Architecture and Landscape...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/10/15

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Ever wondered how architecture and landscape can turn contested land into a living tribute to lives lost and those affected by family violence? In this episode, I chat with Amy Muir, director of Muir Architecture, about designing Victoria's Family Violence Memorial located next to the Parliament Precinct in East Melbourne. It's a reminder that memorials aren't relics, but rather spaces for reflection, gathering and support that advocate for socie...

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72:07

Facing the Unfathomable – Grief, Suicide, and Living...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/10/08

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Ever wondered what it’s like to face death – not your own, but the sudden loss of a child to suicide? In this raw and moving chat, I sit down with Christine Pedley, a grief counsellor, death doula, and author who turned unimaginable pain into purpose. If you’ve ever felt lost in the silence around death and dying, this episode reminds you that talking about it isn’t just okay – it’s essential. Christine’s story began long before her son Jono’s de...

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45:20

TIME'S UP: Facing Death and Finding Your LIFE LIST

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/10/01

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Are you making the most of your time before death catches us all? In this heartfelt episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I chat with Kate Christie, Australia’s leading time management expert, about how loss and grief can be the wake-up call we need to live intentionally. Kate shares her personal story of losing her ex-husband to pancreatic cancer and how that tragedy reshaped her approach to time, priorities, and what she calls a “life list” — not a ...

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64:20

Advance Care Planning: The Gift of CHOICE Before Death

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/09/24

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) Are you ready to face death head-on? In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I chat with Rose Sexton, a seasoned nurse and passionate palliative care educator from Wangaratta, Northeast Victoria. Rose shares her deep insights into palliative care, advance care planning, and the importance of having honest conversations about death and dying before it’s too late. We explore how palliative care is about living well, not just dying, and why plannin...

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69:43

Death, Grief and Ritual: Lessons from an Interfaith...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/09/17

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What does it mean to “do death differently”? In this episode of Don’t Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Reverend Amy Firth — interfaith minister, funeral director, and spiritual counsellor — to talk about her incredible journey through grief, loss, and finding her calling in end-of-life care. From training in London with the One Spirit Interfaith Foundation, to returning to the Blue Mountains to support families, Amy shares what it means to walk al...

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54:57

Voluntary Assisted Dying: The Doctors Who See Death...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/09/10

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What does it really look like to face death with choice, dignity and clarity? In this episode of Don’t Be Caught Dead, I sit down with two doctors who’ve seen death from every angle — and who aren’t afraid to talk about it. I’m joined by Dr Nick Carr, one of the first GPs in Victoria to be involved in voluntary assisted dying, and Dr Kane Treble, a regional GP in Mildura with a background in emergency medicine, palliative care and paramedicine. T...

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81:34

How My Sister’s Death at Four Shaped My Life

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/09/03

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What happens when death touches your family before you even understand what it means? In this episode of Don’t Be Caught Dead, I sit down with funeral celebrant Leonie Fletcher Adams, whose life was profoundly shaped when her sister died at just four years old. That childhood loss not only shaped her family but also planted the seed for a lifelong journey of spirituality, honesty, and connection. Leonie shares her path from nursing and acting to ...

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70:04

VAD: Choice, Compassion, and the End of Life.

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/08/27

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) We all know death is coming for us, yet most of us avoid talking about it like it’s the plague. In this episode, I sit down with Baci Hillyer for an honest, heartfelt conversation about why facing our mortality head-on, including the controversial topic of assisted dying, can change the way we live. Baci and I dive into the uncomfortable yet essential topic of death, why we fear it, why we avoid it, and what happens when we finally look it in the...

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59:30

FOUND Family: The Importance of Compassion in Grief

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/08/20

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What if I told you that talking about death could be one of the most empowering conversations you ever have? In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Dr. Annetta Mallon, a leading expert in grief loss education and end-of-life care, to explore the profound impact of embracing death and the importance of open dialogue around it. In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of chatting with Dr. Annetta Mallon, a leading expert in g...

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48:24

Weaving Life and Death: The Art of Eco-Friendly Coffins

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/08/13

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What if the way we say goodbye could heal both our hearts and the planet? In this profound episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, we sit down with Zimmi Forest, fibre artist, environmentalist, and creator of handwoven eco-coffins that challenge everything we think we know about death. Zimmi doesn’t just make baskets; she crafts vessels that reconnect us to nature, turning invasive weeds into beautiful, biodegradable farewells. From foraging materials i...

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39:40

The Gift of Life: Adele's Journey Through Grief and...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/08/06

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What happens when your worst nightmare becomes your greatest gift to strangers? Adele shares the moment her son's death transformed into hope. In this heartfelt episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Adele, a mother who faced the unimaginable loss of her son, Dan, in 2020. Dan's tragic accident not only shattered Adele's world but also led to a powerful legacy of life through organ and tissue donation. Join us as we explore the profound...

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61:12

FACING DEATH: Moira Kelly's Mission to Save Lives

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/07/30

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What does it mean to TRULY save a life? For humanitarian Moira Kelly, the answer was simple—give a part of herself. In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, we dive deep into the extraordinary life of Moira Kelly, a remarkable humanitarian whose journey has been defined by compassion, courage, and the gift of life. From her early dreams of working alongside Mother Teresa to her recent act of becoming a living kidney donor to Krishna, one of the c...

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72:23

Life After Death: The Impact of Organ Donation on...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/07/23

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) What if someone else's tragedy could become your lifeline? In this powerful episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, we dive deep into the life-altering journey of Jessica Chappel, a passionate advocate for organ and tissue donation. Jessica's story is one of resilience, hope, and the profound impact of a second chance at life. After being diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, she faced the unimaginable reality of needing a liver transplant. Join us...

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57:28

Healing Hearts: Navigating Grief After Pet Loss

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/07/16

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) In this heartfelt episode of "Don't Be Caught Dead," I sit down with Barbara Allen, the visionary behind Australia's first animal chaplaincy program at the Lort Smith Animal Hospital from 2005 to 2011. Barbara shares her profound insights on the often-overlooked grief that accompanies the loss of our beloved pets. We delve into the emotional complexities of pet loss, exploring why the death of an animal can hit us harder than we expect, and how s...

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60:07

Living Well to Die Well: A Philosophical Perspective

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/07/09

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) In this thought-provoking episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with Dr. Simon Longstaff, a philosopher and the first executive director of the Ethics Centre. We dive deep into the complexities of life, death, and everything in between. Simon shares his unique journey, from his early days on Groot Island to his profound connection with the Anindilyakwa people, and how these experiences have shaped his understanding of ethics, community, and...

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66:07

Community, Kindness, and Care: Death & Grief with...

Don"t Be Caught Dead ·

2025/07/02

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-) In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, I sit down with the inspiring Emma Beattie, founder of Before and After Life, to explore the often-avoided topics of death, dying, and grief. Emma is a trailblazer in reimagining how we prepare for and respond to the realities of caring for those at the end of life. With a background in creative strategy and storytelling, she brings a unique lens to the conversation, drawing from her own experiences of los...

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112 results

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