The Lost Love Stories
The Lost Love Stories is a sacred space for the real, raw, and remarkable stories of love—especially the ones we don’t often tell. Here, we honor the beauty and complexity of relationships, not just through the lens of romance, but in all its forms: from spouses and friends to siblings and children.
Each episode captures the full spectrum of love—its tenderness, its trials, and even its annoyances—while giving voice to the truths that are often left unsaid after loss. Because when someone dies, we tend to speak only in reverent whispers, forgetting the funny, frustrating, and deeply human moments that made them unforgettable.
This podcast is a chronicle of connection, a place to preserve memories, and a gentle guide on the journey back to joy after heartbreak. Whether you’re newly grieving or years into life after loss, The Lost Love Stories invites you to feel, to remember, and to heal—one story at a time.
The Lost Love Stories
The Lost Love Stories with Kate O'Donnell and Her Dad Joe: A Legacy That Lives On
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Some people leave behind memories.
Others leave behind movements.
In this heartfelt episode of The Lost Love Stories, Pam sits down with her friend Kate O'Donnell to share the remarkable story of her father, Joe O'Donnell—a beloved leader in the cystic fibrosis community whose impact continues to be felt long after his passing.
Joe's journey into advocacy began after his son Joey was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. What started as a father's determination to help his child evolved into a lifetime of service, fundraising, storytelling, and leadership that helped transform the future of CF care for countless families.
But this conversation is about far more than fundraising.
Kate shares what it was like growing up in a family shaped by both profound loss and extraordinary purpose. She reflects on losing the brother she never had the chance to know, watching her parents turn grief into action, and eventually stepping into her father's legacy after his death from pancreatic cancer in 2024.
Together, Pam and Kate explore the realities of anticipatory grief, caregiving, hospice, family traditions, and the ways we continue relationships with those we love after they're gone.
This episode is filled with laughter, tears, wisdom, and a powerful reminder that the people we love never truly leave us—they live on in the stories we tell, the lives they touched, and the work we continue in their honor.
In This Episode We Discuss:
- Growing up in the shadow and light of a sibling lost to cystic fibrosis
- How Joe O'Donnell became one of the most influential advocates in the CF community
- The power of storytelling to inspire change
- Turning grief into purpose and action
- The realities of pancreatic cancer and anticipatory grief
- Hospice, caregiving, and end-of-life experiences
- Continuing bonds with loved ones after loss
- Why talking about death helps us live more fully
- Carrying forward a loved one's legacy
About Kate O'Donnell
Kate O'Donnell is a passionate advocate, fundraiser, and leader within the cystic fibrosis community. Following in the footsteps of her father, Joe O'Donnell, she continues to support the mission of improving and extending the lives of people with CF while helping carry forward the extraordinary legacy her family has built over decades of service and advocacy.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Joe O'Donnell—a storyteller, fundraiser, leader, husband, father, grandfather, and friend whose impact continues to ripple through countless lives.
Follow Kate and her work with The Joey Fund on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thejoeyfund?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Watch this episode on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/7T_lc0-Fr0U
Email thelostlovestories@gmail.com with comments, questions or to be considered as a guest on show.