Advertise on podcast: The Last Breath — A Podcast About Death And Dying

Kevin Toolis - A Handshake for the Dead. For the last episode of the second series of Hospice Waikato’s Last Breath, we are finishing as we began, with a special international guest. In this interview, BAFTA-winning filmmaker and journalist Kevin Toolis reflects on the traditional Irish wake as a living ritual through which communities process grief together. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Linda Thompson found out she had stage 4 cancer in November 2025 and was given six to twelve months to live. Intelligent, vivacious, and filled with curiosity and wonder, Linda decided straight away that she was not going to be a cancer warrior, whatever time she has left, is for living and doing the things she likes best. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

In this interview Aroha Croft talks about the experience of losing a parent to suicide. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Gil is a Funeral Director and in this episode she takes us behind the scenes and explains what a Funeral Director does, everything from paperwork through to embalming. But as she explains, above all else, her vocation is about care. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

As a society we seldom talk about death but as I have learned, given an opportunity, people have a lot to say on the topic. For Series 2 of The Last Breath, I have asked all sorts of people to share their perspectives on death, dying and grief, assisted dying, faith and the afterlife. In this episode guitarist Gary Verberne, Filmmaker Matt Hicks and retired GP Somas, share their perspectives and experiences. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Louise Williams - Caring for a Child with a Life Limiting Condition. Hospice Waikato’s Rainbow Place provides free, specialist palliative care to children and young people up to the age of 21 with advanced, incurable, or life-limiting conditions.18 year old Cameron Williams is one of those children. In this insightful interview, Louse Williams talks about her life caring for a child with complex medical needs. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Josh Bangs - A Sacred Calling Josh Bangs is a registered nurse and works in the community caring for the dying, a vocation he describes as a sacred privilege. In this wide ranging conversation talks about his vocation, life, death and what it means to be a good person.

Facing a painful death from lung cancer Verna chose assisted dying. In this insightful and penetrating interview, Sophie talks about being witness to her grandmother's death. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Mel Brooks - Everything Belongs Here Mel Brooks is 81 and living with advanced prostate cancer. In this gentle, wide-ranging conversation, he reflects on his life and speaks candidly about his impending death. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Paul Turney was 17 when his older brother Michael died in a sudden accident. The loss reshaped Paul’s life, and in this interview he reflects on grief, memory, and what it means to carry loss across time. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Jeanette Macdonald - Rural Palliative Care Jeanette Macdonald is a Rural Community Registered Nurse with Hospice Waikato. She talks about caring for patients on farms and in rural communities across the Waikato, where geography, isolation, and deep personal bonds shape end-of-life care.

As a society we seldom talk about death but as I have learned, given an opportunity, people have a lot to say about a topic often regarded as uncomfortable. For Series 2 of The Last Breath, I have asked all sorts of people to share their perspectives on death, dying and grief, assisted dying, and the afterlife. In this episode the General Manager of Free FM Phil Grey and musician Caitlin Smith share their perspectives. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Julia Ward is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with Hospice Waikato. In this interview, she discusses her work supporting patients living in aged care facilities and the importance of dignity, continuity, and compassion at the end of life. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Filmmaker Costa Botes was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015. After a period of remission, his health deteriorated in 2025, and in early November he was transferred to Wellington’s Mary Potter Hospice. I spoke with Costa just days before his death, in a conversation marked by clarity, courage, and grace. Hospice Waikato, in association with Free FM, presents The Last Breath – A Podcast About Death And Dying.

Lauren Fenn is the Clinical Nurse Manager at Rainbow Place, Hospice Waikato’s specialised paediatric palliative care service. In this interview, she talks about caring for children with life-limiting conditions and supporting families through unimaginable circumstances.