In this episode we are on a road trip. In the spirit of 'death talk', we're visiting a local forest burial site to set the scene for our conversation about what we want to do with our remains when we die.

Tune in to listen to our thoughts on burials, cremations, and the importance of normalising death (... you'll also catch bird song, wind rustling in treetops, and tea-slurping).

Disclaimer: This podcast is about life and death, with regular swearing and humour. The content is about our experience; we do not speak for everybody in the community. Neither do we give medical advice, so if in doubt, check it out!

Presenters: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Music: Mark Keeling and Darren Scothern

Contact us on: laughbeforedeath@gmail.com

Surviving metastatic cancer for 10 years is an amazing feat but why does it feel wrong to celebrate it?

Mand was diagnosed with terminal cancer in April 2015. This episode is about her thoughts on living with a terminal illness, how (and if!) to acknowledge her #Cancerversary, and reflections on lives cut short by cancer.

Mand is our very own #CancerDinosaur and although she enjoys life, this milestone is giving us all pause for reflection. Maybe 'celebration' is too strong a word? Instead, let's acknowledge this fabulous lady who has lived through 10 years of cancer treatment.

A quick disclaimer: the podcast is about life and death, with regular swearing and humour. The content is about our experience; we do not speak for everybody in the community. We do not give medical advice so if in doubt, check it out!

Presenters: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Music: Mark Keeling and Darren Scothern

Contact us on: laughbeforedeath@gmail.com

Enough about us and our cancer! Let's hear how OUR illness affect others.

Joking (and references to 'main character energy') aside, terminal illness has a way of making its mark on everybody.

This is the first of a two part episode about the impact of cancer on families. In this episode, we introduce Helen (Mand's mum) and Marianne (Heidi's mum).

Marianne and Helen share their experiences of navigating their parenting role under cancer circumstances, how they manage social expectations of others, and how they use their love to be a strength to us.

Presenters: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Music: Mark Keeling & Darren Scothern

Contact us on: laughbeforedeath@gmail.com

When there's cancer in the family, you need all the love and support you can get. Those of us who have sisters (and good sisters they are!) will appreciate that very special relationships.

This is the second of a two part episode about the impact of cancer on families. In this episode, we hear from Bryony (Mand's sister) and Rikke (Heidi's twin sister). They might sound like us but they have their own mind and stance on sisterhood in the maelstrom of metastatic cancer lives.

Presenters: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Music: Mark Keeling & Darren Scothern

Contact us on: laughbeforedeath@gmail.com

"We are all going to die one day", yet it can feel awkward to speak about this truth. It can be even harder when you or the person you speak to have a life limiting illness such as cancer.

In this episode we talk about the language used to speak about terminal illness and death. We talk about our language likes and dislikes and the worst and kindest things people have said to us.

We don't tell you what to say because each person will have their own way they prefer to talk about their experience. Instead we encourage everybody keep talking about life and death because that is how we make connections with each other... and good relationships matter A LOT when a person lives with terminal cancer.

Disclaimer: This podcast is about life and death, with regular swearing and humour. The content is about our experience; we do not speak for everybody in the community. We do not give medical advice so if in doubt, check it out!

Presenters: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Music: Mark Keeling and Darren Scothern

Contact us on: laughbeforedeath@gmail.com

In recognition of Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness day (13th October 2024), we're sharing voice notes sent between us following a frustrating and distressing phone call trying to organise insurance.

Our podcasts always focus on how we try to remain realistically optimistic in living a cancer life. This 'pod call' was recorded immediately after Heidi's experience of dealing with a sales representative. It is an acknowledgement that because of our illness we experience powerless and frustration. We can't always 'laugh in the face' of difficulty but as Mand says, we can find ways to feel empowered.

Callers: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Being generally optimistic, and some might say a bit daft, has stood us in good stead for living with metastatic breast cancer. In this episode we talk about how humour and laughing helps us manage the difficulties of living with a terminal illness. And in answer to the title... Yes, of course it is!

Topics:

• What 'lines of treatment' means in the metastatic cancer world.
• ​How humour helped us through difficulties news and facing up to the prospect of our 'untimely' death.

• ​A word on social roles and intentionally not living up to what what 'society' might expect of people with a chronic illness.
• ​The health benefits of laughing.
• ​The risks of uncontrollable laughing (just joking!)
• ​Reasons we want people to experience happiness and joy.

Disclaimer: This podcast is about life and death, with regular swearing and humour. The content is about our experience; we do not speak for everybody in the community. We do not give medical advice so if in doubt, check it out!

Presenters: Heidi Keeling & Mand Black

Editing: Mark Keeling

Music: Mark Keeling and Darren Scothern

Contact us on: laughbeforedeath@gmail.com