Palliatively Speaking Ep 7 - Quality Healthcare for LGBTQ+ People

Guest: Carey Candrian

Guest’s Guest: Linda Kotsaftis

Dr. Carey Candrian, a communications scientist at the University of Colorado, discusses her mission to improve healthcare for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly those facing serious illness and end-of-life care.  She is a storyteller, in words and pictures and film.  She shares a poignant story about same sex couple whose marriage was disregarded by the healthcare system, leading to poor care and disenfranchised grief. The story serves as a source of inspiration for Dr. Candrian’s work on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in healthcare, including stigma, silence, and the lack of inclusive environments.  Dr. Candrian discusses how she uses the power of storytelling and creative media, such as her Eye to Eye photo project and documentary Just Us, to humanize LGBTQ+ individuals and foster empathy.

We welcome her guest, Linda Kotsaftis, a Colorado-based journalist who has worked with Dr. Candrian on several projects. Linda shares her personal experience of witnessing Dr. Candrian's profound impact on the community, particularly older LGBTQ+ women who had previously felt invisible or unheard.  We hear about Dr. Candrian's ability to connect with people and bring about change through her powerful ability to use narrative stories as a means of delivering a message.  Linda has seen emotional transformations take place for those who interact with Dr. Candrian and she reveals how Dr. Candrian's work has raised awareness and created a space for honest conversation and mutual support, helping people see the humanity in each other's stories.