Disrupting Death: Stories of MAiD
Recently, the intersection of digital storytelling and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) has emerged as a powerful space for healing, education, and advocacy. This innovative approach by Kathy Kortes-Miller and Keri-Lyn Durant hosts of the Disrupting Death podcast provided individuals who have accompanied loved ones through the MAID process with an opportunity to process grief, share experiences, and contribute to a broader understanding of end-of-life care choices.
Listen to the podcast here
Digital storytelling, at its core, involves creating short, personal films that capture meaningful moments in one's life through narration, imagery, and editing. When applied to experiences with MAID, these stories become invaluable resources for both personal healing and collective knowledge-sharing. As Dr. Kathy Cortes-Miller, Associate Professor at Lakehead University, explains, "As a qualitative researcher, I get to hear stories from many people in a way that most people don't have access to." This privileged position prompted her to explore ways to connect others with these powerful narratives.
The project emerged from a five-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant, allowing researchers to engage with individuals who had experienced MAID in various capacities. What sets this initiative apart is its emphasis on participant ownership – storytellers maintain complete control over how and where their stories are shared. Many choose to share widely, recognizing the educational value of their experiences with remarks like, "Take my story, shout it from the mountains. People need to learn from this."
Listen to part 1 and watch Diane Sims’ story here
Beyond the obvious connection to MAID discussions, these digital stories highlight the universal experience of caregiving. As Kathy notes, "A really common thread through all our stories is the role of caregiving... the articulation of how challenging that can be." These narratives normalize the complex emotions caregivers experience, including feelings of inadequacy or wishing they "had done things better." This aspect resonates deeply with audiences regardless of their connection to MAID specifically.
The impact of these stories extends far beyond their initial creation. Educational institutions have begun incorporating them into curricula for future healthcare providers, with students reporting that they "learned so much more from the digital stories" than from theoretical discussions of MAID. Family members with differing views on MAID have used these stories to initiate meaningful conversations that deepen understanding, even when opinions remain unchanged. This demonstrates the unique ability of personal narratives to bridge divides in ways that abstract arguments cannot.
Listen to part 2 and watch the Bridge C-14 stories here.
Looking toward the future, researchers hope to expand their collection to include more stories from individuals choosing MAID themselves, as well as from healthcare providers who assess and administer MAID. These perspectives could significantly influence social policy during this formative period for MAID legislation and implementation. Additionally, there's growing interest in capturing children's perspectives on MAID, particularly how they process a parent's decision to choose this end-of-life option.
Listen to part 3 and watch the MAID Family Support Society stories here.
Episode 37 Key Messages
0:05 Storytelling as Catalyst for Discussion
1:00 Meeting the Disrupting Death Co-Hosts
3:00 Connecting Through Digital Storytelling
5:35 The MAID Digital Story Workshops
8:45 How Stories Create Impact
18:40 Digital Stories for Education
30:15 Future Storytelling Projects
For those interested in learning more about digital storytelling in end-of-life contexts, the Disrupting Death podcast offers a three-part series specifically on MAID digital storytelling projects. The series explores the research methodology, showcases participant experiences, and provides insights into how these stories can be ethically shared for maximum impact. As interest in both MAID and digital storytelling continues to grow, these resources offer valuable guidance for individuals and organizations looking to engage with these powerful tools for healing, education, and advocacy.
About Our Guests
Keri-Lyn Durant, PhD Education, is Research Project Lead on a SSHRC Insight Research Grant and co-host of the podcast Disrupting Death (Lakehead University). She is also a teacher with Bluewater District School Board and lives in Wiarton, Ontario. A passionate dying, death, and loss educator, Keri-Lyn is the Child & Youth Grief & Bereavement Coordinator at Bruce Peninsula Hospice, where she gets to work with Phoebe the Sloth, using play to meet and explore grief with tiny griefsters on their level. Keri-Lyn’s background in applied theatre sparked a desire to learn more about digital storytelling and podcasting; she gratefully studied both through The Story Center. Her research interests include how people, especially children and adolescents, navigate grief experiences, medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada, and the programming and delivery of grief camps across Canada. In her spare time, Keri-Lyn prefers to be outdoors with her wife, Paula, and dogs, Frank & Nitro.
Watch Keri-Lyn’s digital story below
Kathy Kortes-Miller, MSW, PhD is an Associate professor in the School of Social Work, the Director of the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health and the research chair in aging and end-of-life at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada. Kathy has a passion for contributing to improving the end-of-life care for all. Kathy’s research is interdisciplinary and collaborative, and she is a founding member of the Canadian Grief Alliance. She is the author of the book “Talking About Death Won’t Kill You” with ECW Press and her most recent projects include a podcast called “Disrupting Death” available wherever you get your podcasts.
Connect with Keri-Lyn Durant & Kathy Kortes-Miller here.
About Co-Created
Co-Created is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of digital storytelling. On each episode, host Kristy Wolfe dives into conversations with the storytellers and facilitators who bring digital stories to life.
If this particular conversation resonated with you, tell a friend or a colleague about Co-Created or share one of the digital stories we were talking about. You can find the stories here.
Co-Created is presented by Common Language DST, digital storytelling facilitation training for health and wellness changemakers and is supported by the team at Snack Labs.
