Co-Created

One gesture can keep a patient in care. That’s the charge running through our conversation with Jack Bones, a transgender cancer survivor whose digital story takes us from a tense biopsy room to a stage where an audience of clinicians wiped away tears and leaned into hard, necessary dialogue. We walk through how a politicized identity collided with late-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma, how bias nearly closed a door, and how a single act of compassion reopened it.Episode Key Messages• the craft of digital storytelling as patient advocacy• bias in clinical encounters and its real-world risks• the technician’s gesture that restored safety and trust• workshop process from script to screening• reactions at the BC Cancer Summit and productive dialogue• reaching missing audiences in shame and stigma work• plans to use film and allegory for future stories• the ocean moment as a metaphor for freedom• how stories support training, orientation and culture changeOther Links MentionedRead this episode's blog postWatch Jack's digital storyJack created their digital story in a BC Cancer workshop facilitated by Krystle SchofieldCheck out Jack's work, Brassthorn ArtAbout Our GuestJackdaw Bones describes them self as an "eremite" and occasionally ventures out of their home in the woods to show the shiny things they've made, in true covid style.They've been a practising artist ever since their youth, using the lenses of cameras and inks to explore ideas of self, relationships to the natural world, and the terror/joy of living.Jack is a dropout from an art school that has since disappeared to make way for training industrial workers, though they consider their experiences with disastrous experiments over the years their most valuable teacher. They revel in the beautiful chaos of learning from other artists, from books, other artists, and fucking up. The process is where the joy lay for them, and indeed that joy is built into the foundation of every piece they make.They are disabled, and a cancer survivor. They have worked hard over the years to get to the level where they can produce art without sacrificing their health, so while their pieces may not be perfect, the imperfection belies the passion, determination, joy, and gratitude they feel when practising.

What if a two-minute story could change how a care team sees you? We dive into the power of short, first-person narratives to bring dignity, clarity, and warmth back into healthcare, especially in dementia care where behaviour, memory, and language can obscure the person beneath the chart. Lisa Joworski returns to share how Capturing Essence For Care has evolved from interviews into a connector hub for life story methods, linking digital storytellers, guided autobiographers, videographers, and families who want practical ways to preserve identity.Episode Key Messageswhy capturing essence improves care and communicationwhat digital storytelling is and why ownership stays with the storytellercreating clear elevator pitches and scripts that set expectationsmany paths to story including music, photos, writing and family podcastsbuilding a connector hub for life story resources across methodsBeth’s digital story, Story Slam and the impact of public sharing, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 21advocacy links to Waiting Room Revolution and practical workbooks, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 16 VR training for person-centred communication and reading environments, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 17using AI for drafts while keeping the human voiceprompts that unlock memory such as tattoos and scarsupcoming projects and finding one’s voice with assertivenessOther Links MentionedRead this episode's blog postWatch Lisa's digital storyListen to Lisa's original Co-Created episodeGet your ticket to the April 30th 2026 Story SlamAbout Our Guest Lisa Joworski works in Therapeutic Recreation and is a Life Story Resource who brings together storytellers, artists, musicians, advocates, people living with dementia, healthcare practitioners, and life story experts. Each conversation of her Capturing Essence for Care podcast offers insights and practical approaches for the beautiful ways we can honour our own stories and the stories of those we love—not just for memory's sake, but for the fullness of living and for the care we may one day need.

Pull up a chair at our Common Language Kitchen Table Takeover and hear how stories can turn clinical facts into lived wisdom. We bring together three CHD parents and leaders from WCCHN and Conquering CHD to explore the neurodevelopment side of congenital heart disease—speech, executive function, school, mental health, and the quiet weight caregivers carry. You’ll leave with language to use, questions to ask, and resources to share—whether you’re a parent, teacher, or clinician.Episode Key MessagesKitchen Table Nights as a bridge from facts to wisdomspeech delays after surgery and the path to specialized therapyparents learning the language of advocacy alongside their childrenwhen to start conversations about neurodevelopment in CHDICU environment, parent roles, and tiny actions that matterschool transitions, executive function, and neuropsych testingmaking invisible challenges visible to teachers and principalssharing digital stories to unlock empathy and resourcesWCCHN’s co-created resources and family-centred dataConquering CHD’s tools, webinars, and policy advocacycaregiver overwhelm, regulation, and specific support asksCNOC’s education focus and why parent voices belong at conferencesAbout the Digital StoriesUnspoken: Finding our path with CHD - a digital story by Kristi Bateman“Our daughter’s diagnosis of a critical CHD was the precipice of a difficult journey. But her medical challenges were just the beginning. Her struggles with early speech set us on a path to discovering how to support her neurodevelopment and develop our own advocacy skills.”More Than Just a Broken Heart - A digital story by Kristyn Miller“Every parent has a moment when they realize just how much courage it takes to raise a child. For me, that moment began with a simple phone call from the school. What should have been a day filled with pride and excitement felt heavy with fear and memories. Our story is one of survival, strength, and learning to navigate the invisible challenges that come after the hospital stay ends. Because congenital heart disease doesn’t just change a child’s body—it changes everything.” Kristi and Kristyn’s stories were both created as part of Dr. Marsha Vasserman’s Strong Hearts Growing Minds Neurodevelopment in CHD project with funding from Western Canadian Children’s Heart Network (WCCHN). The Overwhelm - A digital story by Jennifer Siran"The Overwhelm" is based on a chapter of her book “When Your World Stops; Finding Hope in Your Child’s Medical Journey”. Jennifer wrote this book because she saw the need for a resource to help transition families into the medical world. Jennifer received funding from WCCHN for her project, Caregivers Corner, which was recently shared at the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Collaborative annual meeting in Denver. Learn more about Caregiver’s Corner here or listen to Jen’s recent Co-Created podcast episode here.Other Links MentionedRead this episode's blog postWatch the full Kitchen Table TakeoverCheck out Common Language DSTWestern Canadian Children’s Heart Network (WCCHN) Resources: For Parents and Caregivers and Developmental CareConquering CHD Resources: Talk to Your Care Team, Resources for Bereaved Families and CHD Wise Webinars

Shame can feel like quicksand in medicine—silent, isolating, and relentless—yet it can also be a bridge that pulls us back to each other. We sit down with Dr. Will Bynum, family physician, researcher, and co-founder of The Shame Lab, and returning guest Dr. Daisy Dulay to unpack how shame shows up in training, practice, and leadership, and how storytelling turns private pain into collective insight and safer care. We explore how storytelling can help clinicians process, learn, and speak up as well as why small, honest stories can change safety and culture.Episode Key Messages• defining shame in clinical practice and identity• adverse events as common yet hidden experiences• digital storytelling as a scaffold for self-compassion• post-story conversation as a driver of learning• shame’s link to patient safety and help-seeking• The Shame Lab’s training and shame compass• barriers to engagement and gender dynamics• sustaining the work and finding funding paths• practical steps to start small and build cultureOther Links MentionedRead this episode's blog postCMA's Canadian Conference on Physician HealthWatch the Look Back conversation with Mike Lang about the CMA conferenceWatch Daisy's digital storyListen to Daisy's original podcastListen to The Nocturnists podcast series on Shame in MedicineGo see Hannah Mumby's artworkCheck out The Shame Space websiteAbout Our GuestWill Bynum, MD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and a Veteran of the United States Air Force. He received his M.D. at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2010, completed his residency with the US Air Force and received his Ph.D. in Health Professions Education at Maastricht University in the Netherlands in 2023, where defended his thesis entitled “Out of the shadows: a qualitative exploration of shame in medical learners”, which was awarded best Doctoral Dissertation by the Association for Medical Education in Europe. He has published and spoken widely on the topic of shame and is Co-Founder and Co-Director of The Shame Lab, which conducts research, develops training, and delivers consultancy to advance constructive engagement with shame in professional practice.

What happens when a veterinary technician, end‑of‑life doula, and legacy specialist decides to put story at the centre of care and education? We sit down with Angie Turner to explore how digital storytelling can build resilience, clarify identity, and spark brave conversations in veterinary medicine.Angie shares her path into facilitation through Common Language training, including the craft and care behind her first personal story and the decision to add a clear trigger warning for sensitive content. We talk about the power of mentorship inside the collective—archived continuing education sessions, peer feedback, and mentorship meetings that turn big questions into practical steps.Episode Key Messages• Angie’s path across vet tech, doula, and legacy practice• training insights, first stories, and trigger warnings• the Common Language Collective’s mentorship, continuing education, and peer learning• two tracks: client legacies and veterinary resilience• building a third‑year vet elective with practitioner panels• student origin stories as reflective practice• making a digital story about digital storytelling watch here• practical ways to capture and share family historiesOther Links MentionedWatch Angie's story, My Journey to Life Story WorkWatch the video Angie inspired Kristy to make hereRead this episode's blog postCheck out Angie's websiteAbout Our GuestAngie Turner is a veterinary professional and digital storytelling facilitator who bridges clinical practice with narrative medicine. Through SOS Legacies, she helps veterinary professionals build resilience and strengthen their professional identity by capturing and sharing the stories that define the essence of their personal and professional journeys. By combining years of experience as a veterinary technical instructor with expertise in legacy preservation and digital storytelling, Angie creates pathways for practitioners to process their experiences, connect with purpose, and sustain their passion for animal care in an emotionally demanding field.

A preemie parent and digital storytelling facilitator, who just happens to also host the Co-Created podcast, Kristy Wolfe, shares how a simple bedtime ritual became a lens for resilience, advocacy, and neurodevelopmental care, weaving Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) experience into digital stories that move clinicians and empower families. We show how short films, crafted with consent and care, can change practice, spark equity conversations, and help kids speak for themselves.Episode Key Messageswhy stories carry what data cannothow a two to four minute digital story influences conferences and policyKane’s voice on pacemakers, echocardiograms and hospital Lego reflection prompts for clinicians to change practiceconsent and whose story gets toldthe four-phase Common Language digital storytelling methodprocess versus product goals in advocacy and educationreadiness, emotional safety and caregiver well-beingpractical ways to bring neurodevelopmental care into daily lifeOther Links MentionedWatch the full Preemie Chat episodeWatch Hugs & BugsWatch Kane's StoryRead this episode's blog postLearn more about Canadian Premature Babies Foundation's Preemie ChatsAbout Our Guest (aka the Co-Created host!)Kristy Wolfe is a digital storytelling facilitator and owner of Kristy Wolfe Stories. She believes there is beauty in every story and she champions real stories in marketing and communication. Kristy exposes the human side of any organization, with consideration for ethics in storytelling, as well as storyteller wellness every step of the way. As a Common Language DST certified facilitator and trainer, Kristy helps individuals and social purpose organizations share meaningful stories, turning their unique experiences into compelling narratives that inspire action. Kristy shares some of her own lived experiences within the context of each workshop she facilitates to validate that authenticity, openness, and vulnerability are essential to creating meaningful digital stories.Fabiana Bacchini is the Executive Director of the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation. She is a journalist and the published author of From Surviving to Thriving, a Mother’s Journey Through Infertility, Loss and Miracles.