Disrupting Death

Arts-based Knowledge Translation: Disrupting Death with Sarina Isenberg

“I think if the exhibit is able to motivate a conversation between someone and another person in their life about what their wishes might be I think we will have succeeded.” 
December has Kathy and Keri-Lyn excited to be sitting down to chat about palliative and end-of-life research and exhibits with Dr. Sarina Isenberg, Chair in Mixed Methods Palliative Care Research at Bruyère Research Institute. 
Dr. Isenberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa. Her mixed methods research focuses on ensuring that all people (regardless of background or health condition) receive the highest possible quality of palliative care. She often uses the following methods: cohort studies using large health administrative datasets; economic evaluations using administrative and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) data; systematic reviews and meta-syntheses; qualitative and mixed methods studies; participatory design and patient and caregiver engagement; and arts-based knowledge translation.  
Dr. Isenberg has been a nominated principal or co-principal investigator on 32 research projects (totaling $4.9 million) and a co-investigator on 34 research projects (totaling $51.4 million) supported by national and international funding agencies. She has published over 120 peer-reviewed publications. Her achievements were recognized by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Rising Star Award in Health Services and Policy Research (2022), University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine Early Career Researcher of the Year Award (2022), and the University of Ottawa Department of Medicine PhD Scientist Award (2022). 
Dr. Isenberg has a PhD in Social and Behavioural Sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a Masters of Arts in English Literature from Queen’s University, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from McGill University. 
Links to follow Dr. Isenberg's work:
Art of a good death competition: https://www.isenberglab.com/a-good-death-art-competiton
Roots of wisdom: https://www.isenberglab.com/roots-of-widsom
Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.
This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.
 
 

Ethics and MAiD: Disrupting Death with Eric Mathison

“People should be allowed to be authors of their own lives to make decisions for themselves if they have the capacity to do and having doctors say, or having the government say we don't think you're actually, able or qualified to make this decision. You need our approval. I think that's ethically unjustified.”In this episode, Kathy and Keri-Lyn wax philosophical with Eric Mathison, PhD, contemplating clinical and practical ethical questions about medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Eric Mathison is an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where he researches bioethics, including ethical questions about MAiD. Prior to this, Eric was a clinical ethicist for Alberta Health Services, which involved working with healthcare providers to address ethical questions that arose in patient care. He also did policy work related to the pandemic, including on the ethics of mandatory vaccination policies, distributing scarce resources fairly, and incentivizing people to get vaccinated. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine and has a PhD from the University of Toronto.Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

Artistry, Advocacy, & Hope: Disrupting Death with April Hubbard

“ It's brought some hope that maybe it'll be different for the generation, the young disabled girl who's just getting the diagnosis today will be able to see a few examples anyway out there of somebody who had a life and who got to live and thrive.”
Dear listeners, this month Kathy and Keri-Lyn are privileged to share a conversation with April Hubbard, a performer, arts administrator, accessibility consultant, and a Mad, Disabled, Queer, White & Mi'kmaw woman based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
April spent 25 years struggling to create space for those with unseen bodies and unheard voices. She is the former Chair of the Halifax Fringe Festival, the co-founder of disabilityX Halifax, the author of the Eastern Front Theatre Accessibility Project Report, and recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Volunteerism at the 2025 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards. She was a frequent contributor and host on AMI-tv, and a collaborator with the JRG Society for the Arts. She is most proud of her performance career as a circus artist, collaborating alongside her creative soulmate, Vanessa Furlong, and of her blend of drag with activism, using her alter ego, Crip Tease.
April spent her life encouraging others to be leaders in designing the society in which they wish to live by challenging assumptions and normalizing the presence of Disabled people in our everyday world.In 2023, April shared publicly her choice to apply for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to combat the loneliness and isolation she faced as an atypical dying person. She hopes that talking about her experience will encourage others to bring their death journey into the light and take away some of the fear and shame around preparing to die in a way that throws out the rules and expectations.
Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.
This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.
 

Grief Matters: Disrupting Death with Susan Cadell & Mary Ellen Macdonald

 Grief matters because it happens to all of us. 
In this episode, Kathy and Keri-Lyn are fortunate to converse with Drs. Susan Cadell and Mary Ellen Macdonald, co-creators of Grief Matters, a Canadian organization that aims to improve how people understand and make room for grief, using creative, community-based activities. They use the framework of ‘grief literacy’ to increase knowledge, skills, and actions about all kinds of grief. Grief literacy is about helping community members to better understand their own and other people’s experience of grief. Learn more at www.GriefMatters.ca.
Susan Cadell, PhD, RSW (she/her) is a social work researcher and educator. Her research interests include grief, grief literacy and tattoos. She is the co-founder, along with Mary Ellen Macdonald, of Grief Matters, (https://griefmatters.ca/), an organization to promote grief literacy. She is a Professor at the School of Social Work at Renison University College, which is affiliated with University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Her work on tattoos can be viewed at https://storiesfromtheskin.com/.
Mary Ellen Macdonald, PhD is an anthropologist and Professor in Palliative Medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She holds the J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care, with the mandate of contributing to palliative and end-of-life care research and practice across Nova Scotia. She has been researching death, dying, and bereavement for two decades, and is particularly passionate about supporting death and grief literacy across the diverse communities in the province. See her TEDxPugwash on ‘Grief, memory, and caring for the dead.’ She writes about this work in academic publications and at www.GriefMatters.ca.
Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.
This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

Both Sides of the MAiD Bed: Disrupting Death with Kim Carlson

“ She's in her favourite chair. She's surrounded by loved ones. She's got a supportive GP. There's love and laughter, and I can't imagine anything better for the very final moments of your life. And I have to just say I'm just really thankful, one, to be a Canadian and that she has this option, but also that I had the opportunity to be there and that our family got to have these really beautiful final moments with her.”
Dear listeners, in this episode Kathy and Keri-Lyn share their conversation with Kim Carlson about supporting Canadians on both the professional and personal sides of the MAiD experience. 
Kim is a Registered Nurse with 14 years of experience in palliative care, working in a variety of roles, from bedside care to patient care coordinator to nurse clinician
Despite initial resistance to MAiD within many palliative care programs, Kim was committed to supporting individuals considering it as part of their end-of-life journey. She was present for her first MAiD provision in early 2017, and with each subsequent experience, her interest deepened, particularly in how the final days and moments are experienced. She became increasingly curious about how loved ones navigate grief after MAiD and how conversations with those who may not agree with MAiD could negatively impact the grieving process. 
In 2021, when her grandmother chose to have MAiD, Kim experienced firsthand what it means to be a loved one supporting someone through it. She experienced both the beautiful camaraderie of final goodbyes and also the challenges of grief and secrecy.
Outside of work, Kim and her partner, Paul Magennis—also a registered nurse—co-author the Substack page MAiD in Canada. This platform enables them to address misinformation about MAiD and ensure that accurate information is widely accessible. It has also given Kim a meaningful space to share her personal journey—from supporting patients through MAiD to supporting her own grandmother. 
Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.
This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.
 

Statistics and Safeguards: Disrupting Death with Dr. James Downar

“ Ignorance is not a safeguard.” In this episode, a very fortunate Kathy and Keri-Lyn sit down with Dr. James Downar, a Critical Care and Palliative Care physician in Ottawa, for a conversation about the data around MAiD and access to palliative care.  Dr. Downar graduated from McGill Medical School and completed residency training in Internal Medicine, Critical Care and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto. He has a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the Joint Centre for Bioethics at the University of Toronto. He is currently Professor and Head of the Division of Palliative Care at the University of Ottawa, where he holds a Clinical Research Chair in Palliative and End of Life Care. He is an adjunct professor at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at the Queensland University of Technology. He is the current President of the Canadian Critical Care Society and co-chair of the Pan-Canadian Palliative Care Research Collaborative.He has authored more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and was the principal investigator on more than 30 peer-reviewed grants on topics such as medical aid in dying; communication and decision-making for serious illness; palliative care in the critical care setting; grief and bereavement; and the treatment of psychological and existential distress in advanced illness. In 2025, he received the King Charles III Coronation medal for contributions to Palliative Care in Canada, and in 2021 he received the Award of Excellence from the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on Palliative Medicine.Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.

A Child Life Specialist Talks Dying, Death, and MAiD: Disrupting Death with Ceilidh Eaton Russell

 In the context of any kind of illness, whether it's the child's illness, a family member's illness, somebody's sudden death or MAiD, if we recognise that children have these rights to access information and to express themselves, it's very hard to justify not giving them a choice about having information.In this episode, Kathy and Keri-Lyn have the great pleasure and privilege of speaking with Ceilidh Eaton Russell, a Certified Child Life Specialist and a Grief Counsellor with a PhD in Family Relations and Human Development from the University of Guelph. Ceilidh is a Lecturer in Child Life and Paediatric Psychosocial Care at McMaster University, a Research Fellow with the Association for Child Life Professionals, and Child Life Lead for Canadian Virtual Hospice. Since 2001, Ceilidh has worked as a clinician and a researcher in children’s hospital and community-based palliative care and grief settings, supporting children, young people, and families living with serious illness, dying and death. Ceilidh’s clinical work weaves together her background and training in child and family development, psycho-education, creative and therapeutic play, and informs her approach to understanding and supporting each child and young person’s unique perspective, strengths, needs, and priorities as they navigate experiences of grief and loss. Her research focuses on children’s, adolescents’ and parents’ grief experiences, relationships, and communication in the context of serious illness, death, and grief. She has written handbooks for families about communication with a dying child, as well as supporting grieving children and young people. In her work with Canadian Virtual Hospice, she led the creation of therapeutic activity books for children living with their own or someone else’s serious illness, dying, and death.Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant and Sadie Mallon.

MAiD in Canada: Disrupting Death with Paul Magennis

This month’s episode of Disrupting Death has Kathy and Keri-Lyn have the pleasure of speaking with Paul Magennis, a Registered Nurse and educator on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in British Columbia and co-creator of MAiD in Canada, a Substack newsletter that tackles misinformation and promotes education about medical assistance in dying. 
With over seven years of experience in MAiD, Paul has the expertise to provide fact-based education to healthcare professionals and the public. He has taught the nuances of MAiD to health care professionals at every level--including guest lecturing to medical students and residents--ensuring they understand the legal, ethical, and practical aspects of MAiD.Beyond the clinical setting, Paul is a writer and public educator tackling misinformation and disinformation about MAiD. He and his partner, Kim Carlson—also a Registered Nurse—run MAiD in Canada, a Substack newsletter that breaks down complex issues, addresses public misconceptions, and engages with the latest policy discussions. Their work has become a trusted resource for those seeking clear, evidence-based information.
Paul’s advocacy extends beyond writing. He offers free speaking engagements in an effort to ensure as many people have access to accurate and compassionate information about MAiD as possible. Whether addressing fears stirred by viral misinformation or exploring the legal landscape of assisted dying in Canada, Paul is committed to fostering informed, respectful conversations about this deeply personal and evolving issue.
Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.
This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant and Sadie Mallon.
 

MAiD Rites & Ceremonies: Disrupting Death with Kelley Korbin

 ”I think we need to know that the possibilities are out there, that MAiD's not just a medical procedure, that even though this healthcare professional is coming with their kit and their medications and all of their social authority that they bring with them, that we get to slow it down and do some important things to remember our person.”This month, Kathy and Keri-Lyn have the pleasure and privilege of sitting down with Kelley Korbin to talk about her father’s death, the role of rites and ceremonies around MAiD, and writing it all down. Kelley Korbin is a Vancouver-based communications professional. Her writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, CBC, Ski Canada Magazine, and The Jewish Independent Newspaper along with countless crisis communication plans, corporate annual reports, and press releases. She did, however, draw the line at ghostwriting goodbye letters from her father to his six grandchildren. Like many people who’ve experienced MAID, Kelley found her dad’s 2022 death and the parade of lasts that preceded it to be a transformative and surprisingly healing rite of passage. As a palliative care volunteer for Vancouver Coastal Health and a MAID Family Support Society peer support volunteer, Kelley feels privileged to spend much of her spare time supporting dying people and their friends and family. She is writing a reported memoir about her father’s last days, entitled Exit Stage Rite: Lessons for a Brand New Way of Dying. Kelley holds a BA in cultural anthropology from the University of British Columbia, an MA in Journalism from Western, and is currently pursuing an MFA in creative nonfiction at the University of King’s College in Halifax. Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant and Sadie Mallon.

MAiD Times Two: Disrupting Death with Chris Reid

“When we're brought into this world more often than not … there's all this love coming for birthing in a human being to this world, right? And I felt like that same kind of energy  was given to them on their way out.”
This month, your hosts of Disrupting Death sit down with Chris Reid, a storyteller, military veteran, and founder of Stretch Creative, about his experiences in 2024 when two very important people in his life chose to access MAiD, and within eight days of one another. 
Stretch Creative is a content agency that partners with freelance creatives to produce meaningful and impactful narratives. Drawing on his experience as a submariner, Chris brings discipline, adaptability, and a unique perspective to his work. At Stretch, he is deeply committed to fostering a sense of community among freelance writers, editors, and designers, ensuring they feel supported and valued while delivering exceptional content for clients.
Chris is also a devoted husband and stepfather, roles that inspire his passion for creating work rooted in empathy and connection. In April 2024, he experienced the profound loss of both his mother and grandmother, who chose MAiD within eight days of each other. This life-changing event became the catalyst for his first documentary, exploring the complexities of MAiD and its emotional impact on families.
While Stretch occupies much of his time, Chris remains dedicated to sharing stories that matter, building communities, and inspiring meaningful conversations through storytelling.
Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.
This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant and Sadie Mallon.