PhD research: life storytelling in palliative care
In 2020 I received a joint industry scholarship from La Trobe Uni and Eastern Palliative Care Inc. (EPC) to research EPC's highly successful Biography Program. In mid 2023 I submitted my thesis and in early 2024 my PhD was conferred. My thesis is titled Witnessing the Theatre of Life: The EPC Biography Program and Storytelling in Palliative Care and the link directs you to a page where you can download the thesis.
As this was an industry scholarship, one of my key aims was for the information from this research to be easily available for those involved at EPC and in the various disciplines this research touches on. I have been developing a series of resources about my research which can be watched or listened to which can be located via the links below. They include presentations I've given (some live, some recorded), podcasts I've co-hosted, and those I've been a guest on.
Find out more:
Watch: A playlist of various presentations about 'Karly's PhD Research' on YouTube.
Listen: A limited podcast season I co-hosted about my research, the 'Once Upon A Story' Podcast.
Below is some specialised information about a special bonus Once Upon A Story episode, titled "Bonus Episode, Karly Reading Extracts of Research Poetry & Quotes from PhD Thesis".
There is a Bonus Episode of the podcast, of Karly reading selected excerpts of research poetry ( I & They Poems) and interview quotes included in my PhD Thesis titled Witnessing the Theatre of Life: The EPC Biography Program and Storytelling in Palliative Care.
Please note, these quotes included in the thesis for a variety of reasons and do not necessarily represent the totality of the Biography Program or my thesis. I've included them as examples of the research poetry forms & to demonstrate how sections of the thesis may be performed.
Act One
Time: 0.0 - Interview Excerpt from Storyteller Flossy: The Biography Program Bringing Me Back to Who I Am
Time: 0.30 - I Poem Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Greg: Facilitating Conversation
Time: 1.25 - I Poem Excerpt from Storyteller Dorothy: Diagnosis
Time: 2.00 - Interview Excerpt from Carer Patricia: The Biography Program as Spiritual Connection
Time: 3.00 - Interview Excerpt from Carer Mark: A Difficult Death
Time: 3.45 - Interview Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Lauren: Stories of Illness
Time: 4.20 - Interview Excerpt from Staff Member Lucy: Listening
Time: 4.50 - Interview Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Bernard: How We Speak
Act Two
Time: 5.30 - I Poem Excerpt from Storyteller Chris: What it Means to Tell My Story
Time: 7.38 - I Poem Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Greg: Facilitating the Biography Program Process
Time: 8.56 - Interview Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Kevin: Why Volunteer
Act Three
Time: 9.28 - Interview Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Bernard: The Storyteller’s Voice
Time:12.18 - I Poem Excerpt from Carer Diane (Version Two)
Time: 12.36 - They Poem Excerpt from Carer Diane (Version Two)
Time: 13.06 - I Poem Diane: Carer to her husband, William
Time: 16.36 - They Poem Carer Diane: William/He/Him
Time: 19.00 - I Poem Excerpt from Storyteller Peggy: Friendship
Time: 19.30 - Interview Excerpt from Volunteer Biographer Bernard: Storyteller Transformation