Before I Go

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

UNTIL MY LAST BREATH I’M LIVING

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0300

Welcome to the first episode of BEFORE I GO…Embracing the Journey of MAiD. Meet our hosts, Danielle Wilson
Brown and Marion Brown as they share who they are, their Indigenous heritage and evolution, the story of their family, of
loss, pain and lessons that heal. Allowing us to get to know grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and siblings, Dani and
Marion tell the story of their family with humour and love. And they explain Marion’s Pulmonary Hypertension diagnosis,
her shift from caregiver to finding the grace to accept care for herself. And we experience Marion’s superpower. Thanks
for listening. Please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main
page.

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

MY RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0300

This week’s conversation is a difficult one. After caring for and witnessing the illness and death of her mother and sister, Marion has come to a decision regarding the use of MAiD. Everyone listening will have strong feelings and opinions on the subject. Marion and Dani set the tone with a discussion that is gentle, respectful, holding space throughout for authenticity and compassion. They talk about how Marion is already experiencing a diminished quality of life, and what it feels like to slowly lose independence. Her choice reflects the little bit of control she does have right now. Marion describes the conversations she had separately with each member of her family. And Dani shares that Marion’s decision broke her, not because she was choosing to leave them, but because that was the choice that was left for her mom. Thanks for listening. Please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

https://www.fnha.ca/about

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

DIGNITY, CONTROL…& STIGMA.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0300

This episode opens up a medical conversation about MAiD and about Indigenous perceptions and feelings about MAiD through the lens of intergenerational trauma and medical racism. Sometimes it is understood as a loving, beautiful humane process, and other times viewed through the experiences of colonial systems around death. Dr. Cornelia (Nel) Wieman, Chief Medical Officer at the First Nations Health Authority, (FNHA), talks with Dani and Marion about her experiences and learnings growing up an Anishinaabe person in Ontario, becoming Canada’s first female Indigenous psychiatrist, and now CMO of the FNHA. And a meaningful sharing about the gift of dignity and control at the end of one’s life. Thanks for listening. Please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

ABOUT DR. WEIMAN:

Dr. Wieman is Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority, as well as Adjunct Professor and Co-Chair of the Indigenous Strategy Committee at the UBC Department of Psychiatry. She is Anishinaabe from Little Grand Rapids First Nation, Manitoba, and lives, works, and plays on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples – the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. She completed her medical degree and psychiatry specialty training at McMaster University. Canada’s first female Indigenous psychiatrist, Dr. Wieman has more than 20 years’ clinical experience working with Indigenous people in both rural/reserve and urban settings. Dr. Wieman also served as the elected President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada from 2016 to 2022. She was one of the 6 Indigenous physician founders of the National Consortium on Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME). She was appointed to the BC Provincial Task Team charged with beginning implementation of the “In Plain Sight” report. Recommendations. Dr. Wieman served as Co-Chair of a provincial First Nations Technical Committee that created the British Columbia Cultural Safety & Humility Standard, directed at anti-Indigenous racism across all health and social services in the province. Dr. Wieman was also presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2024.

Episode-Relevant Links:

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/613/2020/11/In-Plain-Sight-Summary-Report.pdf

https://baseline.bchumanrights.ca/report/in-plain-sight-addressing-indigenous-specific-racism-and-discrimination-in-b-c-health-care/

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-great-work-podcast/id1771070776

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

COMPASSION IS LISTENING.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0300

Today Dani and Marion talk about MAiD with a non-Indigenous medical professional who also has experience in the legal system and a perspective from the UK, his home before moving to Northern BC. Dr Sandell is a MAiD assessor and provider in BC, as well as a medical advisor to the BC Ministry of Health’s MAiD Oversight Unit. But he is also a GP, an ER doctor, a teacher and mentor, is writing a book and has a podcast of his own. In this truly moving conversation Dr. Sandell walked through what an assessment for MAiD is like, and Marion answered his questions with courage and honesty. And their humble and respectful discussion was an example of what compassionate listening and reconciliation sounds like in real time. Thanks for listening. Please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

ABOUT DR. SANDELL

Dr. Adam Sandell is a MAID assessor and provider in BC, and medical advisor to the BC Ministry of Health’s MAID Oversight Unit. He’s a GP, ER doctor and hospital medical lead at ƛ̓uxválásu̓ilas Heiltsuk Hospital in Bella Bella, 300 miles northwest of Vancouver. He also concurrently teaches medical students and residents at the University of British Columbia, is a mentor/coach with UBC’s rural medical coaching and mentoring program and he helps people near the end of their lives with medical assistance in dying. Dr. Sandell has worked with marginalized communities for over 25 years. He has helped develop primary healthcare services on four continents, taught at four universities in the UK and Canada, advised and helped lead public and non-profit organizations, and trained and mentored countless doctors, nurses, medical students, lawyers, managers, and others. Originally from the UK, alongside his medical career, he worked for more than ten years as a legal aid barrister specializing in health-related human rights, public and administrative law, acting mainly for people who were marginalized or vulnerable and for organizations representing them. Previously often wrung out by work or working in troubled teams, he spent years figuring out solutions to those problems for himself and many others. He created the Great Work Podcast where he reads his email newsletter, about working well in jobs that matter.

Episode-Relevant Links:

https://www.adamsandell.com/

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

https://www.phacanada.ca/

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

WE CAN ALL BE ADVOCATES.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0300

In this episode Dani and Marion talk about Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), about the care Marion has received, about advocacy in our medical system. Lisa Kolkman, Nurse Practitioner (NP) in the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital. She supported Marion’s sister, who had PH, and takes incredible care of Marion today, helping her and her family navigate this illness. Lisa talks with Dani and Marion about her role as an NP, sharing her insights into advocacy and its importance, as well as self-care techniques, and advice for families supporting a loved one. Thanks for listening. Please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

ABOUT LISA KOLKMAN:

Lisa Kolkman spent 13 years working as a registered nurse on inpatient units throughout Canada and the United States. Her training and certifications as an RN focused on neurology, neurosurgery, trauma and intensive care. She completed her Master of Nursing in 2012 at the University of British Columbia. Lisa joined the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic as a Nurse Practitioner in 2012 and is the manager of the prostacyclin program for the province of BC and Yukon Territory.

She developed and continues to coordinate the genetic testing program for Familial PH, Idiopathic PAH and Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease. Lisa is a member of the Canadian Pulmonary Hypertension Registry Steering Committee and is responsible for overseeing the clinic's database. In addition to being a member of the Canadian Pulmonary Hypertension Professional Network since its inception and repeat member of the executive, Lisa is a regular contributor to the efforts of PHA Canada, the national patient advocacy association.

Episode-Relevant Links:

https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/nursing/advanced-nursing-practice/nurse-practitioners

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

https://www.cma.ca/our-focus/indigenous-health/apology-harms-indigenous-peoples

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

FROM HARM TO HEALING.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0300

Today’s episode talks about the term ‘reconciliation’, and how including Indigenous voices and involvement is the way to see true change regarding the code of ethics and systemic racism within the Canadian Medical Association. The potential for harm as the only indigenous person in the medical education system and the medical system itself, has informed Dr. Cashin’s activism. From growing up in Cornerbrook NFLD, and studying at Memorial University, to her experiences working in a small rural hospital, Dr. Cashin’s experiences have inspired her advocacy in the area of education and policy. It is so important to see representation, and be treated by people who look like we do. How can the medical community change its culture, be inclusive, supportive and welcoming? Alongside other Indigenous medical leaders, Dr. Cashin is helping to change the experience of Indigenous medical students, which will in turn change the experience if Indigenous patients within our medical system. As always, please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

ABOUT Dr. Paula Cashin:

Dr. Paula Cashin is a Mi'kmaw physician, the first Indigenous radiologist and nuclear medicine physician in Canada, and the first Indigenous female medical school graduate of Memorial University. She works in rural Newfoundland in teleradiology and recently completed a Master of Laws (LLM) in Dispute Resolution at Osgoode Hall Law School. Last year, as the Canadian Medical Association Board Vice-Chair, Dr. Cashin was a speaker at the CMA’s event to formally apologize for the role of the medical profession, in past and ongoing harms to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in the health system.

Episode-Relevant Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-0v3sbwEpI

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

https://tv.apple.com/ca/movie/theres-something-in-the-water/umc.cmc.381z61woajenbm4uozr8gl788?action=play

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

THE PAST IS THE PRESENT.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:59:16 -0300

Today’s episode looks at the term ‘environmental justice’, its meaning historically, and the shift to calling it what it truly is - ‘environmental racism’. Dr. Ingrid Waldron is the author of the award-winning book “There’s Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous and Black Communities”. It is also a Netflix documentary of the same name, co-produced by Waldron, actor Elliot Page, Ian Daniel, and Julia Sanderson, and directed by Page and Daniel. Dr. Waldronjoins Marion and Dani to look at the legacy of environmental racism and its health impacts in Indigenous and Black communities in Canada, focusing on the grassroots resistance activities by Indigenous and Black communities against the pollution and poisoning of their communities in Nova Scotia. The environmental justice narrative there fails to make race explicit, obscuring it within discussions on class. This mutes the specificity of Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian experiences with racism and environmental hazards. They discuss how the effects of environmental racism are compounded by other forms of oppression to further dehumanize and harm communities already dealing with pre-existing vulnerabilities, such as long-standing social and economic inequality. This is not a thing of the past. This is happening now. The past IS the present. As always, please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

ABOUT Dr. Ingris Waldron:

Dr. Ingrid Waldron (MA, University of London; PhD, University of Toronto) is the HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University. She teaches Peace, Environment and Health and Race, Place & Geographies of Violence in Indigenous & Black Communities (Special Topics Course) in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities. She also teaches Social Justice Perspectives on Gender and Health in the Gender Studies and Feminist Research Graduate Program in the Faculty of Humanities. Dr. Waldron’s research interests focus on ecological violence and the structural determinants of health. She is Founder and Director of The Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities and Community Health Project (The ENRICH Project), which inspired the federal private members bill - a National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice (Bill C-230) – approved in 2021. She also co-founded the Anti-Environmental Racism Coalition, which has brought together organizations in the environment and climate change sector across Canada to collaborate on projects and share expertise and resources to address environmental racism and climate change inequities in Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities in Canada. She is also a Member of the Board of Directors at Research Canada.

Episode-Relevant Links:

https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/there8217s-something-in-the-water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itRiNmo3hq8

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

https://angelasterritt.com/

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

HEALING IS THE ONLY IMPERATIVE. PART 1

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 04:59:00 -0300

We would like to dedicate today’s episode to the memory of Ty Iron.
Today, Marion and Dani share a no-holds barred conversation with lawyer Myrna McCallum who shares her lived experience with incredible honesty and insight. Together they discuss residential schools, the resulting trauma and intergenerational trauma - and carrying the grief of our ancestors. Looking at coping with despair and the strength it takes to choose hope, they talk about the idea that when we heal, we can heal what our ancestors could not. Myrna also shares her experiences as a lawyer, the need for trauma-informed lawyering, and the importance of giving consideration to the people who bring in legal issues, not the legal issues alone. And finally, about healing - about truthtelling, acknowledging trauma, never forgetting the past, and dignity for Indigenous people As always, please take care of yourselves and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

**Content Warning:
Throughout this episode, there is discussion of the devastating experiences in residential schools and Indian hospitals, and at the time codes listed below, there is talk of suicide and drug use:
9:47 - drug overdose
10:13 - 24:48 - thoughts of suicide
46:05 - 47:36 - drug overdose and death

ABOUT Myrna McCallum:
Myrna McCallum is Métis Cree from Treaty Six Territory (Green Lake/Waterhen Lake First Nation), and a true changemaker and a leading champion of trauma-informed lawyering. She is the host of The Trauma-Informed Lawyer Podcast and also acts as a subject matter expert and consultant on trauma-informed advocacy, procedure, and policy. Myrna is also an author of 2 books: “Trauma-Informed Law: Primer for Lawyer Resilience and Healing”, and “Criminal Law: Canadian Law, Indigenous Laws & Critical Perspectives”, and founded the Justice as Trauma conference, which returned for a second year this March in Vancouver. She has taught several courses on trauma-informed principles and is currently writing her memoir. In 2020, Myrna received the Federal Department of Justice’s first ever Excellence in Legal Practice and Victim Support Award. McCallum defines trauma-informed justice as a system rooted in healing, cultural responsiveness, equity and community relationships. It focuses on restoring dignity and supporting the mental and emotional well-being of those who have been harmed while also protecting the psychological well-being of those responsible for delivering justice.

Episode-Relevant Links:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-trauma-informed-lawyer/id1514824294
https://goodminds.com/products/healing-the-soul-wound-trauma-informed-counseling-for-indigenous-communities-second-edition?srsltid=AfmBOop62zhSMLzaiZr_-5QJd7wocuFwz6INEsZo63msKCuIWu1v3WRG
https://markwolynn.com/it-didnt-start-with-you/
http://www.iap-pei.ca/story-eng.php

PART 2 - BECOMING WHAT YOU'VE NEVER SEEN.

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0300

Today, in the second part of our conversation, Marion and Dani talk with Myrna McCallum about choices. About the trauma we carry, and how it informs all of our choices. About recognizing that the legacy of being a survivor of trauma means finding the strength to consciously choose to face each day. Myrna shares her path to making new and better choices, what led her to advocacy work in the legal system, and her belief that the practices of medicine and of law have a responsibility to be trauma-informed, to stop the cycle of pain and racism. And finally, Dani, Marion, and Myrna talk about gratitude for the time they have spent together and how open, honest, and authentic conversations can be centring, inspiring, and healing. Thanks for listening. Please take care of yourselves, and if you need to, make use of the resources listed on our podcast main page.

Episode-Relevant Links:

https://greystonebooks.com/products/unbroken?srsltid=AfmBOoqhuCNYtQusjdLaUrhMK40ubfBurFr4fRpCXe7mfEIpHuc6w42K

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-trauma-informed-lawyer/id1514824294

MEANING, PURPOSE & JOY

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0300

Dedicated to our brother and uncle, Bill Blue.

Hard to fathom that this is the final episode of Season 1…what an incredible journey. Today, Marion and Danielle begin by talking about the illness their brother/uncle is facing, the pain of this reality, and processing difficult emotions. Dani addresses the difficulty of being a caregiver, recognizing the strength it takes to carry that burden. “Why me…just because I can?” She has the most beautiful answer - “No, it's because of love."

Marion talks about their family’s growth, and generational healing - about creating new neuropathways for change and how cycles can be interrupted. And the courage it takes to continue to stand even when life knocks you down.

The two women also talk about how the podcast began on a personal level, but became educational and advocational. The episodes were not all about MAiD, but addressed the intersection of environmental, medical, legal, and educational racism and the lack of agency that impacts Indigenous people every day.

The conversation then moves to the knowledge and wisdom shared by our wonderful guests! We celebrate how they have each shaped their spaces, and we hold our hands up to them, and these conversations that have changed us.

And finally, this podcast began as Marion planned the end of her life. She will continue to do so, but was able to share that she has been offered a new medical therapy. It is not a cure, but it is slowing the progression of the disease and giving her more quality time with us. We even have an update at the very end of the podcast!

Such a positive conclusion to Season 1, this fills us with gratitude and hope. Thank you, dear listeners, for walking on this journey with us. We look forward to being together again for Season 2! Until then, take care of yourselves, and know that we see you.

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org

Indigenous Books on Grief and Loss:https://www.strongnations.com/store/item_list.php?it=1&cat=3027

Residential School Support Resources:

https://www.irsss.ca/ , 1-800-721-0066 for Survivors and Their Families

https://nctr.ca/contact/survivors/ , The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

Before I Go: Season 2 Trailer

Vision Quest Communications, Inc. — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 01:00:00 -0300

Season 2 of “Before I Go” returns with mother–daughter duo Marion and Dani as they continue to normalize the conversations most people avoid: about death, grief, illness, and the systems that shape our care. Building on the profound impact of Season 1, they go deeper into the emotional cost of caregiving, what it means to be an Indigenous patient and caregiver within a healthcare system marked by medical racism, and the hard questions around MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) and why so few Indigenous people are able to access it.

This season, Marion and Dani open up about the toll of sharing their story so vulnerably, the miracle drug that changed Marion’s prognosis, and the unexpected losses that still found their family. Through honest conversations, they explore intergenerational trauma, environmental and medical racism, emotional and medical justice, and the quiet, everyday heroism of caregivers who pour themselves into the people they love.

“Before I Go” doesn’t promise easy answers. Instead, it offers a space to feel seen, heard, and held, one listener at a time. If you’ve ever navigated illness, loss, or the weight of caring for someone else, Season 2 is an invitation to keep asking hard questions and to remember to care for your own mind, body, and spirit along the way.

*****CONTENT WARNING*****

Mental Health Support Resources:

https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ , 24/7 telephone: 1-855-242-3310, Online chat

https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/healthy-living/end-of-life-journey/medical-assistance-in-dying

First Nations Health Authority (BC), Toll-free: 1-866-913-0033, info@fnha.ca

MAiD Resources:

https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/When-the-Time-Comes-Final-Edit-and-Format3510-march-24.pdf

https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/reclaiming-cultural-teachings-about-mortality-grief-loss-death-and-dying/

https://endoflifedoulaassociation.org/doula-list-maid/

https://abo-peoples.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CAP-2024-FinalReport-PEOLC-MAID_WEB_EN-.pdf

Grief & Loss Support Resources:

https://www.hospicenorthwest.ca/services/outreach-program/

https://lumarasociety.org/indigenouswellness/ , 1-866-9LUMARA, info@lumarasociety.org