Heart Of The Matter - A Health Humanities Podcast

Welcome to another enlightening episode of "Heart of the Matter." Join Dr. Claire Hansen from ANU, Dr. Brid Phillips from UWA, and Dr. Michael Stevens from UNSW as they sit down with the remarkable Professor Brendan McCormack, one of the world's most influential leaders in person-centered healthcare.Professor McCormack is Head of the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Sydney and the newly appointed Chair of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery. With over 600 publications and recognition among Thomson Reuters' 3000 most influential global researchers, Brendan brings a truly global perspective to healthcare transformation.In this captivating conversation, we explore Brendan's revolutionary approach to integrating critical creativity into healthcare practice and education. From his early days as a dancer to pioneering research methodologies that literally involve dancing on clifftops, Brendan shares how embodied learning and artistic expression can transform the way we understand and deliver person-centered care.This episode offers profound insights for healthcare professionals, educators, and anyone interested in the transformative potential of bringing creativity and artistry into traditionally clinical spaces.Guest Bio:Professor Brendan McCormack holds professorships and honorary appointments across Europe, Africa, and the UK, reflecting the international impact of his work in person-centered practice. He is a founding member of the Person-Centered Practice International Community of Practice and continues to pioneer innovative approaches to healthcare education and research.Links Referenced in This Episode:Professor Brendan McCormack's Wikipedia ProfileRevolutionising Healthcare - Wiley Inspiring Minds Film SeriesDancing the Mandalas of Critical Creativity in Nursing and Health CareFollow Heart of the Matter:Main Podcast PageHeart of the Matter Homepage

In this episode of The Heart of the Matter podcast, we dive into the cinematic portrayal of hearts in three selected films: 'Return to Me,' 'Heart Eyes,' and 'The Heart Knows.' We discuss the narrative connections between heart transplants and romantic relationships, exploring themes of love, memory, and identity. Join the conversation as the team navigates these heart-centric films, their symbolic significance, and ethical implications.

In this episode of 'Heart of the Matter,' hosts Claire Hansen, Brid Phillips and Michael Stevens discuss the latest in heart related research in 2025! The hosts cover a range of topics, starting with the latest research on the benefits of brisk walking for reducing heart rhythm problems. They also delve into the fascinating parallels between Shakespearean depictions of heartbreak and modern medical understandings of Takotsubo syndrome (or broken heart syndrome), drawing insights from their peer-reviewed research. Lastly, Michael shares an update on a groundbreaking artificial heart project in Australia.Tune in for a blend of historical and contemporary perspectives on heart health.Relevant LinksBrisk walking linked to lower risk of heart rhythm problems‘Wilt Break My Heart?’ Takotsubo Syndrome and Shakespeare’s Discourse of Heartbreak in Antony and Cleopatra and King Lear Australian becomes first in world discharged with durable artificial heart - ABC News

In this episode of "Heart of the Matter," we dive into the fascinating connections between health literacy and cardiovascular disease (CVD) with Dr. Bonnie Beasant, an early-career lecturer and researcher. Join us as we explore barriers to health literacy among underserved populations, the behavioral and clinical factors influencing CVD, and practical steps to enhance heart health education. With insights from Bonnie’s groundbreaking research and her work as Associate Lecturer in the Global Medicine Team at University of Western Australia, this episode bridges the gap between public health and clinical care to promote understanding and wellbeing.Australian CVD Risk Checker

In this episode, we sit down with Kirsty Freeman, Associate Professor at the Rural Clinical school of Western Australia. Kirsty shares her perspective on the heart and how we keep the heart going, the work of first responders, and the difficulties faced by rural and remote clinicians. Kirsty discusses her experiences working in remote communities as well as her work in the impact of imposter phenomenon (not imposter syndrome!) in healthcare simulation educators. In this episode Brid also shares a story about how her Uncle Hugh was physically revived by a passerby and then cared for by paramedics and hospital staff after he had a cardiac arrest in the community many years ago. He was forever grateful for the help he received and the way he was able to lead a full and fulfilling life after the event. Unfortunately, since this episode was recorded, Hughie passed away in his own home on a property he loved in the rural countryside of Western Australia. We want to dedicate this episode to him, all the first responders doing a magnificent job each and every day, and all those members of the community who upskill themselves and are willing to jump in and save a stranger.

Welcome to the next enlightening episode of "Heart of the Matter." Join Dr. Claire Hansen, Dr. Brid Phillips, and Dr. Michael Stevens, along with our special guest, Dr. Michelle Barrett, a revered GP from Canberra with a passion for storytelling and teaching. In this episode, we delve into Dr. Barrett's remarkable journey of using storytelling to enhance medical education and patient care. With over two decades of experience at Hughes Family Practice and a role as a Senior Lecturer and Co-ordinator of Phase 1 Clinical Skills at ANU, Dr. Barrett brings a wealth of insights into how storytelling can revolutionize the teaching of clinical history taking. Discover how Dr. Barrett's innovative methods have transformed the way medical students learn to diagnose and treat heart failure. From crafting compelling narratives to engage students to harnessing the power of storytelling to deepen patient understanding, Dr. Barrett's approach highlights the pivotal role of storytelling in medical education and practice. Join us as we uncover the art of storytelling in medicine and its profound impact on shaping the doctors of tomorrow and improving patient outcomes.

Welcome to another enlightening episode of "Heart of the Matter," where we delve into the intricate world of cardiology with your knowledgeable hosts, Dr. Claire Hansen from ANU, Dr. Brid Phillips from UWA, and Dr. Michael Stevens from UNSW. In this thought-provoking installment titled "The 'Normal' Heart," our expert trio navigates the complex terrain of what constitutes a "normal" heart. Unraveling the challenges associated with using such subjective terminology, our hosts shed light on the implications of labeling and its impact on understanding cardiac health. Join us as we explore the fascinating variations in "normal" hearts across different species, drawing intriguing comparisons and contrasts. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, this episode aims to broaden your perspective on the diversity within the beating core of living beings. Tune in to "Heart of the Matter" for an illuminating exploration of the intricacies, challenges, and wonders that lie within the realm of the 'normal' heart.

Welcome back to another episode of HOTM! Our regular hosts Brid and Claire sit down virtually with Dr Emma Trott from University of Leeds to discuss how the heart is represented in contemporary literature, film and culture. You can view Emma's research profile here.

In this episode, we sit down with Vicki Wade, First Nations Heart Health Lead with the Heart Foundation, and Associate Professor Glenn Pearson, Director First Nations Strategy and Leadership at the Telethon Kids Institute, to discuss the disproportionate impact of Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia. This episode was recorded on the 5th of September 2023, in the leadup to a key historical moment in Australia. On Saturday, 14 October 2023, Australians will have their say in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. This is an invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People for us all to listen, so that we can work together to address difficult but solvable problems like RHD. The team behind the Heart of the Matter are strongly in support of saying 'Yes' to an Indigenous voice, and we invite you to listen to this podcast to learn more about why this is such an important moment in Australian history. Join with us to learn more about: the heart in Noongar culture (Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia). the devastating impact of RHD (an entirely preventable disease) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia. the amazing work by Vicki and Glenn in trying to treat and eliminate RHD, through initiatives such as the Take Heart film series and Champions for Change. what our listeners can do to help. For more information on the topics covered in this episode, please see the links below (or visit the main podcast page here https://tinyurl.com/mtt9cstc):  ⁠Take Heart Film and Videos ⁠ ⁠The Voice ⁠to Parliament ⁠ ⁠Uluru Statement from the Heart⁠ ⁠Champions4Change⁠ ⁠End Rhematic Heart Disease Centre of Research Excellence (Telethon Kids Institute) ⁠ ⁠Deadly heart trek⁠ ⁠Closing the Gap⁠ ⁠APY lands⁠ ⁠Utopia⁠ (Aboriginal Australian homeland area in the Northern Territory). ⁠Report⁠ into preventable deaths from RHD at Domadgee Hospital.

Mummification! Pyramids! Book of the Dead! Ancient Egypt is such a fascinating period of history, and still so pervasive in our consciousness today. Fortunately for us, ancient Egyptians were also fascinated in the human heart! On this episode, we interview two brilliant academics: Dr Camillia Di Biase-Dyson and PhD Candidate Madeleine Jenkins from Maquarie University. We learn all about how ancient Egyptians perceived the heart in the context of the human body. Stay tuned to the end to hear when we delve into the accuracy of ancient Egyptian language in the Brendan Fraser Hollywood Blockbuster, "The Mummy".... Follow us on Twitter Claire Hansen Brid Phillips Michael Stevens Camillia Di Biase-Dyson⁠ Madeleine Jenkins

On this episode of our HOTM podcast, we sit down with Professor Anna Greenwood from the University of Nottingham, to discuss her role as the first Professor of Health History. Professor Greenwood was a visiting fellow at the Humanities Research Centre at The ANU in early 2023, which enabled us to sit down with this amazing academic for an interview about her work. She has an amazing track record in the history of health, which overlaps significantly with a our work at HOTM. She also provided us with some great tips on successful interdisciplinary collaborations for humanities studies. Apologies for the small amount of echo/reverb on the sound. We're trying out a few different techniques for recording via zoom, and I think we'll have it sorted for the next recording.

Welcome to our first episode for 2023! For this episode, we're dressed in our best post-apocalyptic clothing, taken stock of our non-perishable food supplies and kept someone on look-out as we dive into the 2013 zombie film "Warm Bodies".  We discuss the representation of hearts in this modern, zombie-filled, adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Join us for a fascinating analysis of how this film links hearts with life and humanity.  This episode draws on a recent film screening, which was part of the SCIENCE. ART. FILM. series presented by the National Film and Sound Archive, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science and ANU Humanities Research Centre. Our thanks to organiser Dr Anna-Sophie Jurgens (ANU, Popsicule) and panellists Dr Katharina Bonzel (ANU) and Dr Nicole Freene (University of Canberra, ACT Heart Foundation Local Advisory Board). If you want more information, you can find more information of our website, or reach out to us on Twitter: Claire Hansen Brid Phillips Michael Stevens

In this episode, the Heart of the Matter team sit down with Australian artist Vic McEwan. Vic is the founder of the CAD Factory and is an interdisciplinary artist working with sound, video, installation and performance with a particular interest in site-specific work.  We talk about Vic's work, Harmonic Oscillator, a collection of work developed during his placement as artist-in-residence at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, with a focus on his work The Longest Heartbeat. We strongly recommend checking out Vic's work before or after you listen to the show, we found it to be incredibly moving. Links The Longest Heartbeat The CAD Factory Harmonic Oscillator Textures of Absence  Orchestra of Tears

In this episode, the team sit down with philosopher Pat McConville from Monash University Bioethics Centre to discuss his research into using Phenomenology to help understand and articulate the lived experience of people living with an artificial heart.  Links to papers discussed in the podcast: McConville, P. Toward a phenomenology of congenital illness: a case of single-ventricle heart disease. Med Health Care and Philos 24, 587–595 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-021-10026-3  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11019-021-10026-3 Hansen C, Stevens MC. Be still, my beating heart: reading pulselessness from Shakespeare to the artificial heart. Medical Humanities 47:344-353 (2021). https://mh.bmj.com/content/47/3/344

In this episode, we are joined by Associate Professor Katie Barclay (University of Adelaide) and Dr Bronwyn Reddan (Deakin University) to talk about their book, The Feeling Heart in Medieval and Early Modern Europe: Meaning, Embodiment, and Making. Join us as we discuss the heart as battlefield, the porous heart, fairytales, and find out what a cardiotaph is...!

* Apologies for the distortion on the introduction music, some technical gremlins on this one! * In this episode, we discuss Nikki Stamp's book, "Can You Die of a Broken Heart?"   Find out more here: https://www.murdochbooks.com.au/browse/books/health-fitness/health-fitness-1/Can-You-Die-of-a-Broken-Heart-Dr-Nikki-Stamp-9781760631666.   Dr Stamp's website is available here: http://www.drnikkistamp.com/ .   Heart Foundation resources on women and heart disease: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/conditions/heart-conditions-in-women  Articles referenced in the podcast include:  Dawson, D. K. "Acute Stress-Induced (Takotsubo) Cardiomyopathy." Heart (British Cardiac Society) 104, no. 2 (2018): 96-102.   Kaptein, A.A., van der Meer, P.B., Florijn, B.W. et al. "Heart in art: cardiovascular diseases in novels, films, and paintings." Philos Ethics Humanit Med 15, 2 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-020-0086-3. https://peh-med.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13010-020-0086-3#Tab1    Sato, H., H. Tateishi, T. Uchida, K. Dote, M. Ishihara and K. Sasaki. “Takotsubo-Type Cardiomyopathy Due To Multivessel Spasm.” In Clinical Aspect of Myocardial Injury: From Ischemia to Heart Failure, edited by K. Kodama, K. Haze and M. Hon, 56-64. Tokyo, Japan: Kagakuhyouronsha, 1990.

This episode discusses a recent journal article which investigates patient names for their mechanical circulatory support devices, and what role emotion plays in the naming and identification process. You can find the article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34438307/.  Wrigley PC, Peel DS, Ko KKH, Straker DK. Patient names for mechanical circulatory support devices: Developing emotional insights. Heart Lung. 2021 Nov-Dec;50(6):953-967. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2021.08.003. Epub 2021 Aug 23. PMID: 34438307. 

In this episode, we discuss a paper from the Parra Lab, "Conscious processing of narrative stimuli synchronizes heart rate between individuals" by Perez et al. This paper highlights how conscious processing can synchronise heart range changes across individuals, and how patients with congnitive impairment do no exhibit the same synchronicity.  We also discuss zombies, electroencephalograms and the origins of this show's introduction music.  Link to Paper. Join Dr Claire Hansen, Dr Bríd Phillips and Dr Michael Stevens on this wonderful journey!

There's no better way to start a podcast series than blatant self promotion!  In this episode, Bríd interviews Claire and Michael about their recent publication, "Be still, my beating heart: reading pulselessness from Shakespeare to the artificial heart", published in BMJ Medical Humanities. Claire and Michael explain the links between left ventricular assist devices and Romeo and Juliet. 

Welcome to the Heart of The Matter podcast! In this mini-episode, we introduce ourselves and the purpose of this collaboration. Note: There are one or two microphone/echo issues that we can't remove unfortunately. We're learning as we go!