In this podcast episode, Deana shares her heartbreaking journey of losing her son Rett to cancer at just 10 months old. Everett ‘Rett’ Cavan was diagnosed with a Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor at six months old. This aggressive cancer would take Rett’s life in less than four months—despite having access to the best doctors and treatment plans available. She reflects on the emotional rollercoaster of receiving Rett's cancer diagnosis, navigating through his treatment, as well as the profound challenge of accepting that her son was not going to survive.

In the nine years since Rett's passing, Deana and her husband have channeled their grief into creating a non-profit organization. The non-profit offers holistic retreats and meaningful gatherings that foster connection, honor the grieving process, and emphasize the healing power of love. Deana's story is one of resilience, profound loss, and the transformative journey of turning grief into something that supports others.

This episode is sponsored by Rett's Roost. https://rettsroost.org

In this episode, I sit down with Lindsay Dolloff, an OB nurse whose journey through loss has reshaped her perspective both personally and professionally. Diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis, Lindsay was encouraged to start trying for a baby right away. She and her husband were thrilled to conceive quickly, but their joy was short-lived. Lindsay experienced a partial molar pregnancy, an incredibly rare and devastating complication, which resulted in a miscarriage at 12 weeks. Her loss was compounded by months of regular blood work and followup care.

Through it all, Lindsay found a way to channel her pain into purpose. She shares how her loss has made her a more empathetic OB nurse, allowing her to connect deeply with her patients. As a passionate member of Empty Arms, Lindsay has not only shared her story but has also played a pivotal role in creating a TTC (Trying to Conceive) support group, offering hope and guidance to others navigating similar struggles.

In this episode, we explore the courage it takes to live your loss out loud. Lindsay delves into how openly sharing her journey has been an act of courage, allowing her to reclaim her story and find meaning in her pain. By speaking about her experience, she not only fosters healing for herself but also creates space for others to feel seen and understood. Living your loss out loud is about breaking the silence around grief, embracing vulnerability, and finding strength in community. Lindsay’s story is a testament to the power of shared experiences and the hope that can emerge when we allow ourselves to be truly seen.

This episode is sponosred by First National Wealth Management.

In this moving episode the love stays, Sara Rian shares her journey of navigating grief and transforming it into art and healing. A grief poet and therapist, Sara turned to poetry after the traumatic suicide of her mother, channeling her pain into words that resonate with countless others experiencing loss. Through her work, she highlights how grief, no matter its origin, connects us through shared emotions and the longing for what could have been. Sara also reflects on her role as a sister and an aunt, deeply affected by the loss of her niece, Sahara, who passed at 17 weeks. The parallels between these losses—though vastly different in circumstance—reveal the universal truths of grief: love, longing, and the need for community and remembrance.

The episode explores how grief doesn’t adhere to hierarchies or comparisons; instead, it carves a unique yet familiar path for each person. Whether mourning a parent, a child, or anyone in between, Sara emphasizes that the rawness of loss carries common threads: a yearning for connection, the challenge of finding meaning, and the power of honoring memories through creative expression. By sharing her poetry, her personal story, and the lessons grief has taught her, Sara invites listeners to see grief as both deeply personal and profoundly unifying—a space where we can all find connection and hope. The love stays is about exactly that; though the person you loved is gone, the love you shared always stays.