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Connections

Special rebroadcasts: How do we talk about death; how music helps people in recovery

Two people wearing headphones sit in front of a microphone at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has long brown hair and is wearing a purple sweater; a man at right has short dark hair and is wearing a white long-sleeved button-down shirt and jeans and is holding a white book with a picture of trees on the cover.
Julie Williams
/
WXXI News
Jennifer Sanfilippo on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Monday, November 25, 2024

We bring you special rebroadcasts on "Connections with Evan Dawson" today.

12:00: Special rebroadcast - End-of-life doula Jennifer Sanfilippo

1:00: Special rebroadcast - How music can help people in recovery thrive

"Death cafes" are surprisingly popular, and end-of-life doulas are in demand. Americans, it turns out, are not very good at talking about dying -- or planning for it. And we all do it. Jennifer Sanfilippo shifted her work to become an end-of-life doula after her husband died from an aggressive form of cancer. He was in his 50s, and it all happened quickly. Now, Sanfilippo helps people of all ages talk about loss, grief, and death. She's written a book about her experience and she helps lead the community in various ways. She's our guest for the hour. In studio:

  • Jennifer Sanfilippo, end-of-life doula and author of “"Our Last Walk Home: Love, Cancer, and the Agony of Letting Go”

Then in our second hour, fatal overdoses have soared in recent years, and while opioids are a big factor, they are not the only reason for the increase. An organization in Rochester called Sobriety Sounds aims to give people suffering from addiction a chance to thrive. The origin story is a tragic one: founder Matthew Hoye remembers kneeling at a coffin and wondering if music could have prevented a friend's death; now, he’s working to create musical spaces that are safe and accessible to others – both now and in the future. We discuss it all with guests from Sobriety Sounds. In studio:

  • Matthew Hoye, founder and president of the board for Sobriety Sounds, Inc.
  • Eli Flynn, multi-instrumentalist, music therapist, and songwriter
  • Scott Fitzgerald, board member for Sobriety Sounds, and owner of ROC Vox Recording & Production, LLC
Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.

Connections with Evan Dawson

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