Nancy Treaster and Sue Ryan join Anitha to talk about their podcast, The Caregivers Journey.
Both Nancy and Sue share their personal stories of caring for someone with dementia and how that not only brought them together but inspired them to create a platform for others who are facing the difficult and often lonely ordeal of being a caregiver. Their goal is to help folks who feel overwhelmed caring for a loved one to feel supported on their caregiving journey.
An episode full of insight and incredibly helpful suggestions on caring for yourself so you can support loved ones in the best possible way.
To learn more about The Caregivers Journey, check out their website full of helpful information:
Humanitarian and CNN Hero of the Year, Maggie Doyne joins Anitha to talk about the incredible initiative she co-founded called BlinkNow Foundation.
MaggieCo-founders: Tope Malla & Maggie Doyne
What started as a gap year for 19-year-old Maggie grew into a love story between her and the children of Nepal. In the past 20 years, she has helped build a children’s home, a school, and a women’s centre.
The Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Surkhet, Nepal, September 17, 2022. (photo by Allison Shelley)The Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Surkhet, Nepal, September 17, 2022. (photo by Allison Shelley)The Kopila Valley School in Surkhet, Nepal, September 17, 2022. (photo by Allison Shelley)The Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Surkhet, Nepal, September 15, 2022. (photo by Allison Shelley)
Maggie shares the many joys from seeing children she helped raise go off to University, find careers and live amazing lives. She also talks about the tragedy of losing her beloved baby Ravi and how she got through the worst time in her life. But most of the conversation is about the power of love and community and the incredible things that grow from it.
Steve Jenkins, often known as one of Esther the Wonder Pig’s dad’s, joins Anitha to talk about his life with Esther, grieving her passing and creating a legacy in her name.
Steve talks about being back at the farm where he lived with Esther and so many other beautiful individuals. He gives a fun update about the animals he currently shares his home with, both inside and outside the house, AND he talks about Operation Angels, his new initiative to help other farm sanctuaries.
An emotional and uplifting conversation with one of the kindest humans.
To follow Steve and learn more about his continuing efforts to help animals, check out the following links:
As a thank you to Steve for sharing his story, Anitha donated to Ralphy’s Retreat Animal Sanctuary. Their mission is to provide a safe haven for abandoned, neglected, and abused pot-bellied pigs, as well as those piggies that can no longer stay with their families. The sanctuary is also home to alpacas, horses, donkeys, cats, feathered friends, goats and sheep. To learn more about them, check out their website:
Mariah Madigan, the founder of Frankie’s World joins Anitha to talk about her journey to creating a sanctuary for rats.
Mariah first fell in love with rats when an adorable rat named Frankie came into her life. Frankie was such a great companion for Mariah and when Frankie passed, Mariah decided to create a sanctuary to honour her soulmate.
Mariah realizes that most folks have negative preconceptions about rats but she also knows that once folks meet a rat their opinions quickly change. Folks realize how smart and clean and affectionate rats truly are. Sadly, rats have been treated very badly in society. From being subjected to cruel experiments and medical testing, to being depicted as dirty and basically maligned. But once you actually learn the truth about rats, you realize they are clean, smart, very affectionate and make great companions.
This is such heartwarming episode to get us into the holiday spirit of love and compassion for all beings.
To find out more about Mariah and the incredible sanctuary she has created, check out these sites:
Kim Benson wears many hats—teacher, human rights advocates, animal activist, climate activist and all-around kind human. She joins Anitha to talk about Teachers for Future Turtle Island, a group working to dismantle systems of colonialism, capitalism, patriarchy and white supremacy. Kim talks about how these systems have caused and continue to cause ecological collapse, war, genocide & the suffering of all beings, human and non-human alike. Kim believes it is important to teach children about these issues in an age-appropriate manner.
Kim also shares the meaning behind the name of the group. Turtle Island is the Indigenous name for the continent of North America. This name represents the Indigenous community’s deep connection to the land and appreciation for nature. Something we can all learn from.
To find out more about Teachers For Future Turtle Island, check out their Instagram account:
As a thank you to Kim for sharing his story, Anitha donated to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). As the largest animal liberation organization in the world, PETA focuses their efforts on helping animals who suffer in laboratories, the food industry, the clothing trade and the entertainment business. To learn more about PETA, check out their website:
Pam Ahern, the founder of Edgar’s Mission, a farm sanctuary in Australia, joins Anitha to talk about her journey to help animals.
Pam talks about meeting Edgar for the first time and how a one-time photo shoot to raise awareness about the plight of farmed animals, turned into a lifelong adventure to rescue pigs, chickens, cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, alpacas, turkeys and others who were once part of the meat and dairy industry.
Pam & Edgar
Pam shares stories of some of the individuals she has had the privilege of knowing. From Edgar, who inspired Pam to start the sanctuary to a cow named Clarabelle who was pregnant when she came to Edgar’s Mission. Clarabelle, like all dairy cows, was impregnated over and over to produce milk for human consumption. And her babies? They were always ripped away from her soon after birth. But safe in sanctuary, Clarabelle finally had a baby she could keep forever. Pam shares more heartwarming stories of other residents, too!
Clarabelle & baby ValentineClarabelle & ValentinePam & Miss ClementinePam & Crocodile Rock & Rocket ManPam & Red BaronPam & Ruby
Despite knowing all she knows and seeing all she has, Pam believes there is kindness in the world. Her voice is full of hope when she talks about the sanctuary and all the humans who have helped it become what it is today—a safe and loving home for rescued farmed animals.
An episode full of resilience and hope and love.
To learn more about the kind folks at Edgar’s Mission and the wonderful beings they care for, check out these links:
As a thank you to Pam for sharing her story, Anitha donated to The Open Sanctuary Project. This organization provides free and accessible digital resources for anyone wanting to responsibly create or manage an animal sanctuary and/or provide the best possible care for animals so they can live long and healthy lives. To learn more about this organization, check out their website:
Travelling to faraway places can create lovely memories but does it come at the expense of wildlife?
Connie Needham joins Anitha to talk about ways to enjoy your holiday without causing harm to animals.
The two chat about experiences such as elephant rides and photo-ops with wildlife and the harm these activities inflict on the animal and most likely their family and habitat.
Connie shares things we can all do to have fun on our holiday while increasing the likelihood that our actions don’t cause harm to another being.
A great episode for those who love to travel and love animals.
To learn more about ethical wildlife tourism you can follow Connie here:
As a thank you to Connie for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary, a registered charity founded in 1964. This charity is committed to protecting primates and habitats all over the world. To learn more about the work they do, check out their website:
Anitha Rao-Robinson 