PODCAST: On the Marie Curie Couch with Dr Amir Khan
In the latest episode of On the Marie Curie Couch, Dr Amir Khan sits down with bereavement expert Jason Davidson.
This month, Jason is joined by Dr Amir Khan. Amir's a GP working in inner-city Bradford, and also a best-selling author. He's currently resident doctor for ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain. In this episode of the podcast, Amir talks to Jason about the death of his father, Farouk, and the Muslim cultural customs that happen when a loved one dies.
Content note: discussion of death and grief with reference to themes/topics that might be triggering or upsetting.
A different ball game
"[Dad] spent a lot of time at home, being unwell, because he went into heart failure. And anyone who knows heart failure knows it's got a really poor prognosis, but I didn't. You'd think I'd know it, but it's a bit weird when you're studying medicine. You don't apply what you learn to the people you know. You apply it to patients and get the diagnosis and the management plan, but when it comes to people you know, it's a whole different ball game."
Community support
"I'm a Muslim and we bury our dead within 24 hours. Because I'm the only boy out of six sisters, it was down to me to organise the funeral. I had no idea where to start. So I went into the room of uncles and was like, 'Right, help me out here. How do I sort out this funeral?' They took me everywhere, explained everything to me, all the religious side as well, which I didn't know anything about. It was helpful to have that community come together."
If you go to a Muslim graveyard, it's adorned with gorgeous plants and flowers... It's actually a really positive place, and there are lots of families there. It's not quiet at any point in the day."
Listen now
Tap the link near the top of this page to listen to Amir's chat with Jason. Alternatively, listen to or download it via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd prefer, you can read a full transcript of the episode. Be sure to like and subscribe so you know when we've uploaded a new episode – there are more conversations coming soon.
If you need support with bereavement or grief, call the Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309 or visit mariecurie.org.uk/support
