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Heartland Ep. 11: Processing Death

Rachel Otwell
(L) Zach Savich reads from his book; Sarah Turner and her son Ben look on as a tree is planted to honor the memories of the dead

On this episode of Heartland, we take on the topics of death and coping with the grief it often brings. 

You'll hear about a support group for kids. Sarah Turner unexpectedly lost her husband when her newborn boy was just five weeks old. Ben is now seven, and for the second year he's attended the Kids Good Grief Camp, sponsored by Staab Funeral Homes and Counseling Associates of Springfield. 

We also hear from the Peoria Three. An Imam, Rabbi, and Evangelical Christian Pastor who have befriended each other tell us about how their different faith bases handle death. (Check out what they're up to otherwise - including a book and documentary.)

Credit rescuepress.co

Lastly, a conversation with Zach Savich. He was diagnosed with cancer at age 30, just months after his father passed from the same disease.  He's now had three occurrences of stage IV cancer. Savich is a professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He's an accomplished writer and his poetic memoir, Diving Makes the Water Deep, provides insight into the ways Savich has turned to friendship and poetry for fulfillment. Together we'll enthusiastically explore the unknown. Tune in!

Music for this episode come from Mary Lattimore and her recent release, Collected Pieces. We spoke with her for a previous episode, check it out.

Rachel Otwell of the Illinois Times is a former NPR Illinois reporter.
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