In this episode, Rosie speaks to guest host Orla Blackburn—a self-proclaimed “feckless” adult whose life veered sharply off course after losing her partner, Andy, to cancer. What follows is a no-holds-barred conversation packed with bruising honesty, dry humour, and the kind of emotional realness that defines Widowed AF.

Orla doesn’t sugar-coat a thing—from cheap wine in foreign campsites to the relentless slog of diagnoses, impossible medical decisions, and the numbing admin of death. She lays bare the daily grind of solo parenting a neurodivergent son, the silence that follows undelivered casseroles, and the deep loneliness that creeps in once the world moves on.

Together, Rosie and Orla navigate the mess of grief: a care system that fumbles the dying, the emotional landmines of funerals and family rifts, and the jaw-clenching terror of financial freefall. But amid the chaos, there’s also resilience—and even absurdity. Orla shares how tear-streaked yoga classes became her unlikely sanctuary, and how new routines, messy reinvention, and a raw, unfiltered widowed community helped her start to rebuild.

There’s hope in here too—fierce, practical optimism for anyone parenting through loss.

If this episode resonates, you’re not alone. Subscribe, share it with someone in the trenches, or just take a breath. We’re all muddling through—one step, one form, one funeral at a time.

In this episode, Rosie sits down with Kelly Orme for an achingly honest conversation about surviving sudden loss, parenting through heartbreak, and building a new life from the ashes. Kelly found herself widowed in 2021 after her husband Nick died unexpectedly from an undiagnosed heart condition. With her trademark warmth, Rosie lets Kelly take the lead, sharing how she and Nick met as teenagers, built a life together in Sheffield, and weathered years of ups and downs—including other family tragedies—before everything changed overnight.

Kelly details the wrenching day her daughter Holly found Nick and how grief ricocheted through their small family. The episode wrestles with the shock waves of sudden death, the messy admin and practical hurdles that come with it (spoiler: there's nothing fair about frozen bank accounts and endless forms), and how grief seeps into the daily grind—school runs, food shops, and negotiating new routines.

Rosie and Kelly don’t shy away from the tough stuff. They get into the guilt and the “what-ifs,” how trauma rewires your brain, and the way friendships and community can either buoy you or fall away. Parenting when your own world has collapsed is front and centre, with real talk about supporting a grieving teenager through unreliable mental health services and the weight of unanswered questions. Kelly shares how genetic testing has added complexity, and how both she and Holly have struggled—and grown—through it all.

But it’s not all bleak. There’s plenty of dry humour, a few wobbly laughs, and real hope: from Holly’s small triumphs to forging new traditions together and daring to take holidays again. Kelly’s story is a raw, relatable mix of pain, resilience, and the kind of fierce love that refuses to give up. Whether you’re newly grieving or finding your way years in, you’ll find solidarity, understanding, and maybe a bit of comfort in these honest moments.

If you felt seen by today’s episode, you’re not alone. Keep on keeping on—one slow step at a time.

In this episode, Rosie Gill-Moss speaks with Colleen Clarke, a widow from Australia who shares her deeply personal story of losing her husband Steve to motor neurone disease (MND). Through a candid and honest conversation, they explore the realities of caregiving, the emotional toll of terminal illness, and the resilience required to parent a young child while facing unimaginable loss. This powerful episode touches on motor neurone disease, grief, widowhood, parenting through terminal illness, and the long arc of healing.

Colleen and Steve met as teenagers and spent over three decades together. Their love story, which began with a pub dance and grew through years of shared life, took a devastating turn when Steve was diagnosed with MND—also known as ALS. Colleen recounts how the illness slowly robbed Steve of his ability to speak and move, and how she shifted from being his partner to his primary carer. She explains the uncertainty that surrounds MND diagnosis, the slow progression of symptoms, and how the family held on to normality for their daughter, Sarah, for as long as possible.

Listeners hear how Sarah was conceived after years of IVF and a surprising encounter with Brazilian jungle herbs—an unexpected yet joyful part of Colleen’s story. But the joy of becoming a mother was followed just five years later by the slow, cruel advance of MND. Colleen explains the emotional and logistical challenges that came with managing a terminal illness at home: palliative care planning, home adaptations, medical equipment, and navigating grief in real-time. Her experience highlights just how fragmented the support system can be, but also shows the difference strong community networks and dedicated carers can make.

As Steve’s health declined over three years, Colleen found strength in peer support, online communities, and palliative care teams who helped maintain his comfort and dignity. She also reflects on the communication barriers that emerged as Steve lost his ability to speak and how they found new ways to stay emotionally connected—including using an alphabet board and pre-recorded messages. Her story underscores the emotional complexity of being both wife and caregiver and the internal conflict that arises when love and duty become indistinguishable.

Colleen also shares the impact Steve’s death had on Sarah, who was just eight at the time. They discuss the delicate balance of protecting a child while being honest, and how Sarah eventually returned to education after years of disengagement. Now 18, Sarah is pursuing a degree in film and media—testament to her strength and the care her mother put into helping her navigate grief on her own terms.

This conversation offers rare insight into life with MND and the long road of widowhood that follows. Colleen’s story is a vivid account of emotional survival, practical adaptation, and the enduring strength of mother-daughter connection. Her openness about depression, the challenges of solo parenting, and her cautious optimism for the future provides real-world understanding for anyone dealing with terminal illness, bereavement, or solo motherhood.

Key takeaways from this episode include the unpredictable progression of motor neurone disease, the importance of early palliative care involvement, the hidden toll on carers, and how children experience grief differently. It’s also a testament to how human connection—through peer support groups, counselling, and shared experience—can anchor someone through the darkest seasons of life.

Whether you’re supporting someone through illness, grieving a partner, or parenting alone, Colleen’s story will stay with you long after the episode ends.