This work is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
LGBTQ+ stories of death-related grief
Now recruiting.
Are you grieving the death of someone important to you? Do you identify as LGBTQ+?
If so, you are eligible to participate in a study that aims to examine the grief experiences of people of all genders, who identify as LGBTQ+, and who are grieving any death-related loss.
Your participation involves an interview of approximately 1 hour via video (e.g., Zoom). You will be asked to tell us about the person who died, and what your experience of grieving that person has been like. You may bring a memento (e.g., a photo) with you to the interview.
Our Team
David Kenneth Wright (he/him) is a Professor of Nursing at the University of Ottawa. His best friend Andrea was one of the first people he came out to as gay, when they were both teenagers. Her life, and her death, greatly influence David’s practice, both as a palliative care nurse, and as a grief researcher. When he is not working, David is likely playing pickleball, or cuddling with his 2-year-old labradoodle, Alphie.
Susan Cadell, PhD, RSW (she/her) is a social work researcher and Professor in the School of Social Work at Renison University College, which is affiliated with University of Waterloo. Susan’s research concerns grief, grief literacy and tattoos. She is also the co-founder, along with Mary Ellen Macdonald, of Grief Matters, a national organization to promote grief literacy. With several trans family members, Susan identifies as cisgender and queer adjacent, a term gifted to her by an Indiqueer friend and colleague.
Steph Levac (she/they) is a registered social worker and research coordinator at both University of Ottawa and University of Waterloo. Steph completed her Master’s of Social Work at University of Waterloo in 2024. She completed her field practicum in qualitative research with Susan Cadell and was hired onto the team at University of Waterloo. This led to the opportunity to work as a research coordinator on this project with David Wright. Steph also works as a hospice social worker at Bethell Hospice, in Inglewood Ontario. Sam and Steph were thick as thieves in high school, after meeting at their local queer youth group, Open Closet. Sam embodied what it meant to be proudly out as a queer person and gave Steph strength to come out and own her queer identity as well. Sam’s sudden death in his senior year of high school and the lack of appropriate support Steph received afterward is a driving reason for her choice to work in palliative care and grief research. When Steph is not working, she enjoys playing tennis in the summer, skiing in the winter, and taking long hikes with her dog, Millie, all year around.
Amalissa Hum (She/They) is a Master’s student at the University of Ottawa, entering the PhD program in Nursing in September. Her master’s thesis is currently exploring non-binary gender and different relationship structures within her personal life and relationships. Jacques was an influential part of Amalissa’s life for a number of years, and his accidental death while Amalissa was in nursing school led her to palliative care nursing. In her spare time, Amalissa enjoys cooking and hosting food and dinner parties. She particularly enjoys communal food making activities with friends, most recently she hosted kimchi and dumpling making days.
Cin Lam (they/them) is as Master of Social Work Student at Renison University College affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Their interest is within grief that is unexplored, undervalued, and hidden behind closed doors. They are also interested in and have personal experience in grieving those who are still alive, through the shifts of relationships and life stages. Here pictured, is art from a young person Cin has worked with that launched their journey into grief research. When not engaged in research, Cin is often trying out new art activities, experimenting with new recipes, or exploring the outdoors with their dogs.
Shannon Maguire (she/her) is studying her Master of Social Work at Renison University College, affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Her interest in studying queerness, grief, and the ways they intersect stems from navigating the complexities within familial relationships from having come out later in life
Liana Bailey (she/her) is a Registered Nurse and PhD student at the University of Ottawa. She is passionate about all things grief, relational ethics, and children’s palliative care. She currently holds a research role at a children’s hospice and teaches academically. She largely dedicates her life and work to her brother, Caleb, who died suddenly at the age of fifteen. His kindness, playfulness, and thoughtfulness inspire her everyday. Outside of work and school, she loves to spend time cooking, painting, gardening, and spending time with her two dogs, Cacao and Chanel.
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