I can’t believe we are already near the end of February.

Over the holiday season I had the opportunity to feast with family, old friends and some new ones. I was fortunate enough to have quite a few moments where I could walk barefoot on cool grass and also on warm sand. I hope you had some moments as well that you can hold onto now we are back into our routines.

Our Critical Info website is up and running, providing you with a comprehensive Resource Hub listing over 100 bereavement organisations and industry associations supporting the deathcare and end-of-life community.

Critical Info has chosen to refer to reputable bereavement organisations and industry associations as they provide a collective voice for individual businesses, develop standards and establish rules for best practices within their industry. No referral fees, financial incentives, or commissions are paid to them, nor Critical Info. Our supporting organisations include;

• Griefline
• Australian Home Funeral Alliance
• Australian Funeral Directors Association
• Institute of Professional Organisers
• Palliative Care Australia
• Sustainable Funerals Group
• The Ageing Revolution, the creators of the Carked It card game  
• End Stage Matters, the Australian distributors of The Death deck & End-of-life cards.

Our Don’t Be Caught Dead weekly podcast launched on Thursday 22 February, so I thought it would be an opportune time to provide you with some insight into some of our guests. My first guest is my best friend and medical advisor to Critical Info, Dr. Renee Stamation. As an emergency doctor, she faced incredibly challenging life-and-death moments during the tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Renee shares her firsthand experiences from the frontline, weaving a tale of resilience, compassion, and the emotional toll of being a healthcare worker during a global crisis. She opens up about profound moments of connection amid the pandemic, like being the last person to comfort patients in their final moments.

You’ve probably heard of the term ‘doula’ before, often used in the context of those who support birthing mothers. But do you understand the role of a death doula? We demystify the often misunderstood role of an end-of-life doula, a role that Rebecca Lyons embodies with passion and dedication. Rebecca shares her personal journey that led her into the funeral industry and eventually to her current role as a doula and independent funeral director.

Rebecca is the President of Australia's Natural Death Advocacy Network and Chair of the Australian Home Funeral Alliance. You will learn about the broad and diverse responsibilities of a doula, from practical logistics to the deeply emotional 'heart work'. Rebecca recalls her experiences and challenges whilst advocating for a more personalised and family-centric approach to death care.

I had the pleasure of reuniting with an old high school friend Libby Neesham, who shared her incredibly personal experiences with the death of her parents, her unique approach to motherhood, and her valuable insights on dealing with grief as someone with neurodiversity.

Hopefully, this gives you a feel for the personal stories and expert knowledge that we will share with you in our weekly podcast episodes of Don’t Be Caught Dead. Remember to follow us on your favourite podcast platform so you don’t miss an episode. We will be releasing every Thursday morning, just in time for your daily commute or dog walk.

We are gathering the last few resources for our national Guide: My loved one has died, what do I do now? that will step you through the tasks required in the first few hours, days and months after a loved one has died. Publishing on

Thursday 14 March, this guide will be able to be purchased for $29 on our Critical Info website and immediately downloaded for use.

Keep an eye out on socials as we will provide you with an exclusive limited-time offer on release.

Remember, you may not be ready to die, but at least you can be prepared.

Take care, Catherine x