The Silent Why: finding hope in grief and loss

#031. Jack Morgan was known by thousands for his fight with a very rare form of cancer. In this episode we chat to his dad, Grant Morgan, from London, about the grief he faced when Jack tragically passed away in 2019. Loss #22 of 101 - Loss of a 22-year-old son Grant tells us what this kind of grief and loss looks like for him, how you cope and support a child going through such a horrible disease...

What can we learn from this month that helps us the rest of the year? This My Why is the next episode of my ‘To every thing there is a season’ series, where on the first Friday of the month for a year I am sharing lessons I’m learning from each month of the year, and we’ve reached May. Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast).  My Why episodes are weekly aud...

#030. Alicia Williams posted a video of herself cleaning a grave on TikTok and Instagram and it went viral making her a social media sensation from Bedford in Virginia. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around loss and grief and to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. Alicia is known as Lady Taphos on social media (Taphos being Greek for &a...

This week is a bit different because I decided to share my story of infertility instead, as part of National Infertility Awareness Week. And to boldly step into the future, I did it in video form! Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys, co-host of The Silent Why podcast. My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post from the website: thesilentwhy.com/blog .  Not every story...

#029.  We've reached number 20 on our mission to find 101 losses, leaving a mere 81 to explore. In this episode we, your hosts - Chris & Claire, are pausing to briefly explore what we've learned so far on this journey of exploring loss. What are the takeaways? What has encouraged us? What will we try in the future?  We're loving every second of talking to others on the podcast,...

Chris and I recently got back from a holiday in Tenerife. Holidays are important parts of our childless life, and in this episode I explain why, but also look at one of my favourite parts of this particular holiday - the sea. Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read...

#028. I hadn't realised until I spoke to Katie in this episode how helpful it can be to us, when we're going through loss and grief, to be more self aware.  Welcome to Let’s Chat… These episodes pop-up every now and then instead of one of our 101 different types of loss, as I (Claire Sandys, one of the co-hosts of The Silent Why podcast) chat to a guest who has experience or expertise in...

Nice small topic today, I thought I'd tackle God and suffering. Just your average blog post really, why not take on two of the biggest subjects on the planet?! Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, you can find it here: thesilentwhy.com/post/godheartless...

#027. Sadly, the UK loses about 70 to 80 veterans to suicide every year, over one a week, and in the US the statistics are significantly higher, with multiples lives lost per day. Such an important topic needs talking about, so in this episode we chat to former soldier Shaun 'Johno' Johnson from London. Loss #20 of 101 - Loss of veterans to suicide. Shaun is no stranger to loss. When he...

We're sadly not sharing a normal episode this week because co-host and producer Claire got Covid! Welcome to... well, it's not an episode, but more of a 'notification' from The Silent Why.  This is just a little note from Chris to let you know what happened, what's coming next, and what you can do in the meantime to support the podcast. Send us Fan Mail Support the show --...

What can we learn from this month that helps us the rest of the year? This is the second episode in my 'To every thing there is a season' series, looking at what each month of the year can teach us.   Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast).  My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, or want t...

#026. This episode is the third in a small series of three, exploring the different stages that can all fall within 'loss of a baby'. From childlessness through to the death of a newborn, loss of a baby is tragically the story of many people, but the experiences, and types of loss attached, vary greatly. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around loss...

I've always loved graveyards. I'm not sure what it is about them that draws me in, but as I wandered around our local one I recorded my thoughts out loud to share with you. And as they were 30 minutes long, I split them into three shorter episodes - with this being the final instalment. Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are...

#025. This episode is the second in a small series of three, exploring the different stages that can all fall within 'loss of a baby'. From childlessness through to the death of a newborn, loss of a baby is tragically the story of many people, but the experiences, and types of loss attached, vary greatly. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around loss...

I've always loved graveyards. I'm not sure what it is about them that draws me in, but as I wandered around our local one I recorded my thoughts out loud to share with you. And as they were 30 minutes long, I split them into three shorter episodes. Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog p...

#024. This episode is the first in a small series of three, exploring the different stages that can all fall within 'loss of a baby'. From childlessness through to the death of a newborn, loss of a baby is tragically the story of many people, but the experiences, and types of loss attached, vary greatly. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around loss...

I've always loved graveyards. I'm not sure what it is about them that draws me in, but as I wandered around our local one I recorded my thoughts out loud to share with you. And as they were 30 minutes long, I've split them into three shorter episodes. Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are usually weekly audio shorts of...

#023. This episode gives a short introduction to the next three episodes, which form a series around one particular area of loss - loss of a baby. We explain the order they'll be released, talk about where childlessness fits in, and look at why it might not always be helpful to brand the loss of a child as the 'worst grief'.  This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up...

What does this time of year have to teach us? Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, or want to see the photos I refer to, you can find it all here: thesilentwhy.com/post/theseasonofmarch 👀 - 11 min read 🎧 - 15 min listen Just as there's a lot we can le...

#022. What do we lose when we suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? How can we be more sympathetic to it? Is it only war veterans that suffer from it? And what are the symptoms? Welcome to Let’s Chat… Episodes that pop up each month as I (Claire Sandys, one of the co-hosts of The Silent Why podcast) chat to a guest who has experience or expertise in a particular area that can help us...

The four seasons can teach us a lot about life, but so can the individual months of the year. In this blog I share the details of a new monthly series I'll be starting next week and continuing for the next year.   Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, yo...

#021. What losses and emotions are involved when you're parenting a young child going through cancer?  This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around loss and grief and to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. Loss #16 of 101 - Loss of self through parenting a young child with cancer. In this episode we chat to Diana Tohar, who lives in beaut...

I don't use trigger warnings with this podcast, which might seem strange or even cruel to some, but that's the decision I've made. In this episode I explain why and what thought process led me to this decision. Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read...

#020. When Maurillia was seven years old, living in Trinidad & Tobago, she told her mum ‘One day I will be a soldier and live where the Queen lives’, and she did, but sadly it ended far too soon. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around loss and grief and to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. Loss #15 of 101 - Loss of a dream career....

There is only one version of you in the world, and your uniqueness is worth finding and living.   Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are weekly audio shorts of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, you can find it here: thesilentwhy.com/post/withoutaclaireintheworld In this blog I share a bit about my passion for writin...