logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
27m 17s

Losing a loved one to suicide

Bbc World Service
About this episode

This programme contains discussion of suicide and suicide attempts. If you feel affected by this topic, you could speak to a health professional or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at: www.befrienders.org Datshiane Navanayagam meets two women who use their own personal experience of love and loss to help others heal. Raashi Thakran is a mental health advocate from India. After losing her 18-year-old brother Raghav to suicide, Raashi campaigned to create the country’s first 24/7 helpline, which launched in September 2020. Charlotte Maya is a lawyer and writer form the US. Charlotte was 39 when her husband Sam took his own life. Her memoir, Sushi Tuesdays, is a frank and ultimately hopeful account of how she tried to make sense of this loss for herself as well as for her two young children.

Produced by Alice Gioia

(Image: (L) Raashi Thakran, courtesy of Raashi Thakran. (R) Charlotte Maya, credit Karen Ray Photography.)

Up next
Nov 24
Weavers reviving an ancient technology
<p>Across continents and generations, the art of weaving has connected humans for thousands of years. But it’s dying out. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women from The Netherlands and Turkey about their passion for preserving the traditional craft.</p><p>Turkish social entrepreneu ... Show More
26m 28s
Nov 19
Women at the forefront of medical research
<p>After the discovery of a new gene therapy for Huntington's, a devastating brain disease, Datshiane Navanayagam talks to one of the women in the UK who worked on it and a biologist from India who's made recent discoveries that could improve treatment for TB, which still kills o ... Show More
26m 29s
Nov 10
Behind the smiles of artistic swimming
Artistic swimmers are known for making perfect synchronicity look effortless. Datshiane Navanaygam talks to athletes from Spain and Slovakia to reveal why the sport is far tougher than it appears. Silvia Solymosyová from Slovakia was the first artistic swimmer to reach 1 million ... Show More
26m 29s
Recommended Episodes
May 2022
The Land Of Smiles (Live from Denver)
<p>A native Texan opens up to Geth about leaving everything behind after her mom's death and moving to Thailand. She shares a crazy story about the time she got robbed then moved in with a Muay Thai fighter. She also talks about the complicated relationship she had with her mom i ... Show More
1h 4m
Feb 2021
Are You Feeling Suicidal?
Season 2 Finale! We started this season on a bridge but told you not to get caught up in the romantic notion of saviors and last minute interventions. Suicide isn’t about one moment in time. But if you or someone you love is suicidal, a single moment can be the difference between ... Show More
1h 1m
Apr 2021
A cruel disease
Reporting on suicide is complicated. In trying to tell the story of someone who’s no longer here, which parts do you tell, which parts do you keep private? After a young woman dies by suicide, Reema sets out to understand why money was on her mind shortly before her death. Just a ... Show More
35m 27s
Apr 2019
Introducing Life After Suicide with Dr. Jennifer Ashton
ABC News' Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton draws from her own tragic experience to explore the aftermath of suicide and sudden loss and, similar to her book, "Life After Suicide," this eight-part series serves a roadmap to survival and offers inspiring insight on h ... Show More
2m 28s
Jan 2024
Committed Suicide in Front of Family
Gillian delves into the complex emotions surrounding the loss of her brother to suicide. She bravely shares her personal journey, shedding light on the unique challenges and struggles that accompany this type of loss. By sharing these stories, we hope to break the silence surroun ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 2020
We Don't Want to See Our Parents Unhappy
They don’t get a lot of attention, but seniors are the most at risk to die by suicide. In 2014, Marguerite Reynolds lost her fiercely independent mother to suicide after a cornea injury left her feeling burdensome and debilitated. This week, we hear her story and are joined by pr ... Show More
1h 1m
May 2019
Overcoming Stigma and Anger: Melissa Rivers
Melissa Rivers is an actress and TV producer who, at just 18 years old, lost her TV producer father Edgar Rosenberg to suicide. Years later, she suffered another sudden loss, when her famous mother Joan Rivers died during a routine medical procedure. Melissa opens up about the st ... Show More
42m 24s
Apr 2019
Dr. Jennifer Ashton on Life after Suicide
Dr. Jennifer Ashton, the chief medical correspondent for ABC News and a prominent physician with a private practice, has made a career of explaining difficult medical issues to her patients and viewers. Now, she has written a book about a trauma in her own life and the lives of 4 ... Show More
33m 53s
Oct 2020
Is Suicide Contagious?
The term “suicide contagion” gets thrown around a lot in academic papers and media headlines, but what does it actually mean? The term suggests that suicidal ideation is something you can catch, but the reality is much more complicated. This week, we navigate the complexities of ... Show More
1h 2m
Feb 2021
My Friend Took Their Own Life
A young woman opens up about her best friend's suicide and the emotional toll it's taken on her. If you're thinking about suicide, are worried about a loved one, or just need emotional support, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. 
1h 8m