Month: May 2026

EOLPodcast

Ep. 547 When We Die Talks: Facing the Fear of Death with Zach Ancell

kwyattmd

Learn how asking “What do you think happens when we die?” helped this podcast host deal with death anxiety.

My guest Zach Ancell is the creator of When We Die Talks, a project around one question asked to anonymous callers: “What do you believe happens when we die?” He airs these fascinating conversations as a podcast that explores death, meaning, fear, grief, and how mortality shapes the way we live. Zach invites people to “leave a voicemail and share a belief, a question, or a moment you can’t shake about death: 971-328-0864.” Learn more at the website:

whenwedietalks.com

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This episode includes:

  • What motivated Zach to start When We Die Talks
  • The courage it takes to face the fear of death
  • The benefits of anonymity in conversations about death
  • How Zach approaches these discussions with curiosity and no agenda
  • What has changed about his acceptance of death has increased from these conversations
  • How asking “What do you believe happens when we die?” unlocks other layers of meaning
  • The ultimate benefit of the project is learning to live more intentionally and authentically
  • How mortality awareness helps us re-prioritize life

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 546 The Love List of a Lifetime: Uplifting End-of-Life Planning with Sherry Richert Belul

kwyattmd

Learn about an end-of-life planner that helps people share joy and love as they prepare for their later days.

My guest Sherry Richert Belul is the founder of Simply Celebrate and author of The Love List of a Lifetime. She helps people discover creative, heartfelt ways to celebrate life, deepen connection, and express love–while also guiding people to plan for the end-of-life. She is a workshop leader and speaker who emphasizes loving out loud and making moments that matter. Her end-of-life planner The Love List of a Lifetime helps people organize what matters most, share their love, and leave a legacy of connection and care. Learn more at her website:

simplycelebrate.net

Get the book here

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This episode includes:

  • How Sherry is currently finding joy within the depths of her grief
  • The depth of our grief and sorrow is what allows for the breadth of kindness and joy
  • A love list as a gift for someone with a terminal diagnosis
  • Why include something “imperfect” on a love list
  • Why planning for the end of life is an act of great love
  • Start end-of-life planning by making a phone tree of contacts to be notified after your death and include a short message to each person
  • Sharing the stories of the things we plan to pass on to others
  • How sorting through items from the past with a loved one can create new special memories
  • People need to be seen and heard and loved for who they are
  • Say it now – don’t let the moment pass

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest donor Joy Fletcher. And thanks to everyone who bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 545 Organ Donation and Extraordinary Conversations at the End of Life with Toby Campbell MD

kwyattmd

Learn about organ donation at the end of life and how to have conversations about it and other difficult topics.

My guest Dr. Toby Campbell is a Professor of Medicine, Thoracic Oncologist, and Palliative Care Physician who is also a writer and podcaster. He is currently writing A Doctor’s Guide to Hard Conversations and created the Extraordinary Conversations Podcast, which explores the pivotal discussions that arise around organ donation and transplantation–and event at the end of one life that helps prolong another life. He discusses these challenging conversations and how they might inform other situations when we need to talk about a difficult subject. Learn more at the website:

extraordinaryconversationspodcast.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Toby’s desire to practice “slow medicine” led to his interest in oncology and palliative care
  • Challenges faced by families in organ donation situations
  • Recognizing that some healthcare decisions are more for the future than for the present moment
  • How the dying process differs when organs are being donated
  • Rituals that might occur in the setting of organ donation
  • Why our feelings about organ donation need to be discussed as part of our end-of-life planning
  • How organ donation can end up helping donor families with their grief
  • Tips for having difficult conversations including building rapport, responding to emotion, eliciting values and priorities

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest donor Joy Fletcher. And thanks to Cathy Duke for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.