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Christopher MacLellan The Bow Tie Guy

You Might Know Me As The Bow Tie Guy - "Wearing a bow tie is like wearing two smiles."

When people ask me, "why did you create the Whole Care Network"... I always come back to our caregiving experience and how fortunate I was to find resources that helped me and my partner Richard Schiffer manage our caregiving journey. Every Caregiver has a story; through our stories, we find validation, resources, and respite to help manage our caregiving day.

We were fortunate to have our story chronicled in a 2015 Pulitzer Prize-nominated 3-part story, “In Sickness and In Health: A Couple’s Final Journey,” which told our journey of caregiving. The story told of the challenges LGBT partners have in dealing with the medical and legal system, but it also told of the love and joy my partner Richard's last years had on our relationship.

Our story has been read by over 500,000 people worldwide since it was published in April of 2014. One of the reasons our story was so successful was because readers could place themselves in our shoes, dealing with the health care system, the legal system, balancing work and life while facing the reality our time together was short. It was an afterthought that the story just happened to be about two men.

When it comes to caregiving, there are no economic boundaries, no racial boundaries, no gender boundaries, and no orientation boundaries. Caregiving impacts everyone, and it is through story sharing where diversity meets the road to collaborate on a common cause. And our common cause is to support caregivers before, during, and after caregiving has ended.

Recent Content

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Sam Timbrook: Helping Caregivers Heal &Raquo; Healing Ties
Sam Timbrook: Helping Caregivers Heal

Having served as a Pastor and public school special educator, my life changed when I became a Caregiver for his wife and child. Holding a Master's degree in counseling, and a Dr. of Ministry, Sam wa…

Having served as a P…

Having served as a Pastor and public school special educator, my life changed when I became a Caregiver for his wife and child. Holding a Master's degree in counseling, and a Dr. of Ministry, Sam was not prepared for this life-changing responsibility. Now, as a Board Certified Master Mental Health Life Coach, Sam has created a 501(c3) program focusing on caregivers and Grief. Listen in and learn how Sam is creating Healing Ties all around us! To learn more about SamTimbrook's non-profit visit Sam Timbrook

Listen · 53:04
Claire Sachs: My Path To Patient Advocacy &Raquo; Claire Sachs My Path To Patient Advocacy
Claire Sachs: My Path to Patient Advocacy

38 years ago, Claire Sachs' healthcare journey began with a near-fatal illness that put her in a wheelchair for 18 months. This experience evolved into a life that includes balancing 13 chronic and re…

38 years ago, Claire…

38 years ago, Claire Sachs' healthcare journey began with a near-fatal illness that put her in a wheelchair for 18 months. This experience evolved into a life that includes balancing 13 chronic and recurring conditions followed by caregiving for her mom. Angry, combative, and frustrated for a long time, Claire didn't want to talk about her personal health story, but that all changed when she was invited to speak about her experience and found her voice and path to Patient Advocacy. Listen in and learn how Claire Sachs is creating Healing Ties all around us!

Listen · 44:12
No One Without Song &Raquo; No One Without Song
No One Without Song

Through her marvelous book: "The Courage to Care: Being Fully Present with the Dying" Rev. Linda Bryce's mission is to pass on her understandings and show us how to be there at the bedside, fully pre…

Through her marvelou…

Through her marvelous book: "The Courage to Care: Being Fully Present with the Dying" Rev. Linda Bryce's mission is to pass on her understandings and show us how to be there at the bedside, fully present with anyone who is dying, and sharing in the mystery and wonder of death—and after.  When there is someone at our side, challenging times become more bearable. Whether it is an unexpected life-ending diagnosis, loss of employment or even of the ability to go places and see people, the presence of another alongside us offers reassurance and a confirmation of our value and membership in a c…

Listen · 48:44
Caregivers: The Journey Begins With You! &Raquo; Caregivers The Journey Begins With You 1
Caregivers: The Journey Begins with You!

For more than thirty-five years, Author Susan Ryan has been in roles of non-professional (unpaid) caregiving support for family and loved ones. Through her experience as a family Caregiver, (currentl…

For more than thirty…

For more than thirty-five years, Author Susan Ryan has been in roles of non-professional (unpaid) caregiving support for family and loved ones. Through her experience as a family Caregiver, (currently navigating her husband’s care with his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease), Susan has moved from feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and yes - sometimes frightened, to confident and balanced navigating the transitions being care receiver, those who support us, and I are on in our journey. As a dynamic and international speaker, Sue's free caregiving tips are a must-have no matter where you are o…

Listen · 46:57
Learn About The Lgbtq Caregiver Center &Raquo; Learn About The Lgbtq Caregiver Center
Learn About the LGBTQ Caregiver Center

Zander Keig, MS, MSW, LCSW, and Jennifer Henius, LCSW are caregivers and social workers embarking an ambitious and much-needed project to launch the LGBTQ Caregiver Center as a new online resource hub…

Zander Keig, MS, MSW…

Zander Keig, MS, MSW, LCSW, and Jennifer Henius, LCSW are caregivers and social workers embarking an ambitious and much-needed project to launch the LGBTQ Caregiver Center as a new online resource hub as part of the Caregiver Wellness Collective Inc, a new nonprofit startup based in greater Tampa Bay, Florida. The LGBTQ Caregiver Center aims to raise awareness of the unique challenges faced by #LGBTQCaregivers and those who care for #LGBTQ individuals, empower LGBTQ Caregivers to live with #pride and #dignity, and serve as a conduit for education, wellness, training, and research. The Cent…

Listen · 49:59