A Love Note to Courageous Children: Dr. Bob Macauley on Grief, Faith, and Ethics in Pediatric Palliative Care

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Solving For Joy

Chrissie Ott, MD

64 episodes

5 days ago

Through in depth conversations with a wide range of guests, Solving for Joy explores the idea that we are always trying to solve life's equation for maximal joy. We'll discover what constants are actually variables we can change and have a lot of laughs along the way. Dr. Chrissie Ott brings a coaching lens, experience in healthcare, entrepreneurship and creativity to the table. We hope this podcast is a tool for many to reclaim delight in their own personal and professional lives!

All content for Solving For Joy is the property of Chrissie Ott, MD and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

A Love Note to Courageous Children: Dr. Bob Macauley on Grief, Faith, and Ethics in Pediatric Palliative Care

Solving For Joy

52 minutes

2 months ago

A Love Note to Courageous Children: Dr. Bob Macauley on Grief, Faith, and Ethics in Pediatric Palliative Care

Content note: This episode includes mention of childhood sexual abuse (non-graphic). Please listen with care.

When loss feels unbearable—or when caring for others leaves us searching for answers—we may wonder if joy can still be found.

Pediatric palliative care physician, Episcopal priest, and author Dr. Bob Macauley (Because I Knew You) joins Chrissie to explore how children and families facing serious illness teach us about courage, gratitude, and the surprising ways joy shows up—even in the midst of grief. With honesty, humor, and tenderness, Bob shares stories of resilience, silence, and presence that reframe what it means to love and to care.

In this heartfelt conversation, we explore the search for the “least-bad” option, how suffering can be transformed into compassion, and why his memoir is, at its heart, a thank-you note to courageous kids and their families.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why stories of children in palliative care can be both heartbreaking and life-giving
How redefining joy means looking beyond the “number one” wish and finding hope in what’s still possible
The power of silence—and why sometimes the best support is simply not saying the next thing
What two blank pages in Bob’s book teach us about loss, faith, and unanswered questions
How pop-culture touchstones (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Princess Bride, Top Gun, Wicked) show up in the most unexpected places
Why gratitude is at the center of Because I Knew You—and how thank-you notes reframe caregiving
The balance between selflessness and the “selfishness” of doing work that sustains you
How children’s resilience and families’ courage reveal new ways to hold meaning in impossible situations

If you’ve ever found yourself holding both deep love and deep loss—and wondered what joy could look like there—this episode is for you.

Subscribe for real talk, relational tools, and the spark to reconnect with your joy—new episodes every Tuesday.

A gentle note: I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. This podcast is for education and connection only and isn’t medical advice. Please talk with your own clinician about your specific situation.