Racheal’s research looks at the afterlives of companion animals, with a focus on their memorialisation, and the continuation of relationships bonds between the living and the animal spirit over the course of the human lifetime.

Becky’s younger brother Stephen died in October 2018 at the age of 34, two weeks before what would have been his 35th birthday.

Rachel’s alcoholic father died from flu and oesophageal cancer at the age of 76 in March 2018.

Sarah started drinking at the age of 16. She has been sober for six years.

Suzy works as a consultant pathologist in Peterborough and is the past president of the Royal College of Pathologists.

Victoria’s dad died suddenly in July 2019.

Justine became an organ donor at the age of 17. Two members of her family have also had a second chance of life thanks to organ donations.

Carrie’s mum died from sepsis as a result of terminal breast cancer at the age of 59.

Rosie’s parents died from cancer within three years of each other.

Deborah Bowman is a Professor of Medical Ethics, mediator and broadcaster. She is also a cancer patient, theatre person, slow runner, dancer, reader, writer and notoriously enthusiastic human.

Nicola’s mum died from brain cancer at the age of 55. Nicola blogs about her life on a farm with her husband and six children, as well as how grief has affected her life.

Yvonne Gavan supported her husband through grief after the death of his brother, at the age of 37. Since 2013 she's been living overseas - first in the Caribbean and now in Southern Africa - with her husband and three young children.

After graduating from Boston University, Glen Lord was on the fast track to accomplishing his goal of being a CEO of a fortune 500 company. The death of his son, Noah, in 1999 derailed the life he had so carefully planned.

Dr Mark Taubert is a palliative care doctor and senior lecturer. He created the TalkCPR.com website & app and has  given a Ted Talk on why language and wording is important in palliative care.

Rachel has been a nurse for 10 years, working in surgery and intensive care before moving into palliative care.

Lesley Goodburn’s husband, Seth, died at 49 years old from pancreatic cancer following a short history of feeling unwell. He died just 33 days after diagnosis.

Richard Sprenger recently made a short documentary about funeral poverty - capturing just how difficult bereavement can be, when you simply don't have the money to pay for a burial. 

Fergus Wessel runs Stoneletters Studio, which specialises in fine, hand-carved headstones.  He’s passionate about headstones, and campaigns to spread awareness of the comfort and healing that a memorial can bring to those who are bereaved.

Romany Reagan received her PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London in performing heritage in 2018, with a focus on community engagement. Her practice-based research project ‘Abney Rambles’ is comprised of four audio walks that she researched, wrote, and recorded from 2014 to 2017 within the space of Abney Park cemetery.

Caroline Lloyd is completing a PhD in bereavement and has 30 years of voluntary experience, plus too many personal bereavements to mention. She’s the author of Grief Demystified.

Felicity Warner is the founder of Soul Midwives’ pioneering movement in Holistic and Spiritual Palliative Care.

Sharon Hudson is the Community Developments & Partnerships Lead at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.

Rosalie Kuyvenhoven is a celebrant and a Death Cafe host. She grew up in the Netherlands, but now lives in London with her husband and two children.

Julie McCrossin had oropharyngeal cancer treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy over six years ago. She has recovered her speech and swallowing, and is back to her usual busy life. Julie is known across Australia for her warmth, humour, intelligence and commitment to social justice. She’s an Ambassador for Targeting Cancer.

Toby Angel is the founder of Sacred Stones, a company dedicated to creating meaningful final resting places for cremation ashes, inspired by the ancient burial mounds of our prehistoric ancestors.

Rupert Callender is a ceremonial undertaker, who started The Green Funeral Company in 1999 with his partner Claire. They became undertakers, (they prefer the term to ‘Funeral Directors’ with its implied etiquette and control) after hearing about The Natural Death Centre charity, an organisation that sprung from the counterculture. Their training mainly consisted of reading The Natural Death Handbook and being influenced personally by punk, acid house and crop circles.

Philip Ball knew that he wanted to work in end of life care in his student nurse days as hospices developed. After almost 30 years in hospices and hospitals working in the specialty, he is now lead nurse of the palliative and end of life care team at Milton Keynes University Hospital. He has seen the importance of having conversations about death and dying, and making the best of life.