Illness & Survival Episodes

Lyn Parent was born in Paris, raised in England, and built a life full of reinvention, risk, resilience and unexpected turns. In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Lyn shares the story of being diagnosed with HIV in 1990, being told she had six months to live, moving to New Zealand, becoming a mother, facing stigma, surviving control and emotional abuse, and using her own experience to support other women. Lyn’s story is about much more than one diagnosis. It is about refusing to be def...

Rachel Thomas is a specialist mesothelioma nurse whose work has been defined by more than two decades of supporting people and families through serious illness, end of life care, and the hard realities most of us try not to face. In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Rachel talks about why so many people avoid talking about death, the fear families carry when time is short, and how honest conversations and good care can bring more peace than many expect. Rachel leaves you thinking about...

Rebbeca Morse is an artist whose life was shaped by epilepsy, brain surgery, and the lasting changes those experiences left behind. In this episode of Life by Misadventure, she talks about growing up with seizures she did not yet understand, reaching the point where brain surgery became the only real option, and living with the personality, memory, and identity shifts that followed. Rebbeca shares how art became a way to process what happened and how surviving something major does not alwa...

Heart failure might sound like a death sentence, but for Alan King, it turned out to be a life-altering experience that reshaped his perspective on health and happiness. During a candid conversation with host David, Alan shares the gripping story of his health journey, detailing not just the clinical aspects but the emotional roller coaster that accompanied it. From his initial heart failure diagnosis in 2007 to the subsequent challenges he faced, Alan reflects on how this condition forced...