Off Script

It’s how they found hope out of tragedy. It's been nearly five years since a horrible tragedy in Calgary’s community of Brentwood took the lives of five young people. Now their families are inspiring healing with the city's first dedicated musical garden. A reflective space in honor of their kids and a gift back to Calgarians who helped them through their darkest days.

It’s how they found hope out of tragedy. It's been nearly five years since a horrible tragedy in Calgary’s community of Brentwood took the lives of five young people. Now their families are inspiring healing with the city's first dedicated musical garden. A reflective space in honor of their kids and a gift back to Calgarians who helped them through their darkest days. Listen to "Thank You" on podcast on Friday, April 5, or tune into Off Script on 770 CHQR on Saturday, April 6 at 5 a.m. and Sunday April 7 at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.

It’s a blood sport, a fight to the death. Dogs pitted against each other in a makeshift torture arena while spectators gamble on which breed will triumph. It’s an underground crime that rescue organizations say the public needs to know about. It’s brutal, uncomfortable and disturbing, but those on the front lines say it’s time to lift the veil on this well-kept secret.

We're off this week, but we wanted to bring you a favourite episode from the archives with an update -- stay tuned to the end of the episode. Those living on the streets of Calgary are dying decades earlier than the life expectancy for the average person. Often they are alone, without a family to support them in the final days. They are sometimes judged for how they’ve lived but a dedicated medical team is ensuring dignity in the way they’re dying. They tirelessly devote themselves to providing end of life care to the homeless. We follow this mobile palliative care team as they treat the terminally ill. "Remember Me," episode 21, originally aired August 10, 2018.

More Albertans than ever before are choosing medically-assisted death. Among them, a former nun who wasn’t waiting for God to decide when she died. She wanted to make that decision all on her own. In this episode we explore the controversy and conflict between religion and medically assisted death, and uncover a beautiful and friendship between faithful friends and how they helped their terminally diagnosed friend in her final journey of life -- fulfilling her final wishes.

Experts have studied the evolution of human conditioning and found that because of technology, real connection is absent from our daily lives. There can be deprivation of the human touch. Single. Married, young and old… the need is universal. And professional cuddlers have found a way to restore and nurture therapeutic touch. It’s a form of therapy growing in popularity.

This is a story about all the stars aligning. Some even calling it a miracle. Every thing and every one working together perfectly when seconds count. This is the story about how an 11 year old girls’ life was saved by her school principal and teachers. They went above and beyond. Just one month after being trained in first aid, their grade 6 student collapsed on the schoolyard, her heart stopped and she wasn’t breathing. Knowing what to do allowed them to become heroes…rescuing their student from a tragedy.

A Calgary woman who created a meetup group for women who are big in size and abundant in personality has created a movement. She’s defied all the stereotypes and has a refreshing outlook in this world where people often don’t think they’re good enough. This fearless group of women are embracing body positivity.

It’s a lifeline for some vulnerable youth. A very unique program designed specifically for young Indigenous girls. Stardale brings together these female teenagers who share a common experience. Many come from broken homes, suffered abuse, exposed to addiction, struggle with suicidal thoughts….but in this one space once a week they can be as vulnerable as they want to be. The program gives them confidence and empowerment.

An unusual change to the criminal code has been sitting dormant for over a decade. It’s a law designed to be applied when there’s negligence on a job site. But when a worker dies in this country because safety is ignored, it’s rare anybody is held to account. Nate and Jill uncover how one police jurisdiction is paving the way for the rest of Canada to ensure people go home at the end of their shift.

It’s a rarely talked about part of the journey of breast cancer. But a national organization is creating a unique and intimate experience that allows women to see real-life surgical results and gain a better understanding from women who have undergone breast surgery. Reconstruction options are often only talked about in doctor’s and surgeon’s offices. We bring the audience the 'Show and Tell' lounge. It’s a brave, compelling, heartfelt and emotional experience.

Over the last decade, a selfless contingent of people volunteer hours of their time to erect a symbolic cemetery in Calgary. A 5-acre grassy field along Memorial Drive is transformed into "The Field of Crosses." Every Remembrance Day, 3400 crosses grace this vast space honoring the southern Albertans who died on the battlefields of war. But there’s an especially unique brigade of bikers -- veterans -- who spend exhausting days implanting the metal bases for the crosses to stand proud. These people are the foundation for a humbling sight, It gives thousands the chance to pay their respects to the soldiers who never made it home.

Do you believe in ghosts? It’s a fascinating question that attracted Nate and Jill to a heritage home in Drumheller. The original owner lost his life inside the home, but appears to have never left. The man who now lives in this century-old character home doesn’t mind sharing his space with the spirit of Dr. Bob. We went in with open minds to take a tour of this haunted home in the days leading up to Halloween.

A unique medical clinic is the first of its kind in Alberta. After having navigated the intimidating health care system herself, the mother of a transgender teen created a non-profit foundation designed specifically for transgender youth. Skipping Stone is saving lives and making a profound difference in the community. From humble beginnings it’s now become a critical service for trans youth and their families.

For nearly 140 years it stood as an historical landmark, but in May 2017, the McDougall Memorial United Church was reduced to rubble. Jill and Nate returned to the destruction one year later. Among the charred wood and ashes there is an effort to take the scorched remains and rebuild it to its former glory.

A Calgary family is striking the right chord with their rock and roll band. Their musical roots run deep, bonded by blood. They’ve come together to form a family band, Lightning Ant. Their music is bringing them together to take to the stage for their debut gig. Nate and Jill are there in the front row to witness the true harmony between this family of 8.

They are often abandoned and disconnected from relatives. When someone from the homeless community passes away there is rarely a location for their “street family” to go to mourn the loss. Often they don’t know where the gravesite is for their homeless companions. But on this episode off 'Off Script' Nate and Jill profile a group behind a project to create a permanent place of remembrance.

Those living on the streets of Calgary are dying decades earlier than the life expectancy for the average person. Often they are alone, without a family to support them in the final days. They are sometimes judged for how they’ve lived but a dedicated medical team is ensuring dignity in the way they’re dying. They tirelessly devote themselves to providing end of life care to the homeless. We follow this mobile palliative care team as they treat the terminally ill. In this bonus story, hear the compelling story of how nurse Rachael Edwards found her calling to help the vulnerable and homeless populations navigate terminal illness.  Episode 22 of Off Script, part 2 of "Remember Me," comes out Saturday, August 24 on podcast and airs live on 770 CHQR on Sunday, August 25.

Those living on the streets of Calgary are dying decades earlier than the life expectancy for the average person. Often they are alone, without a family to support them in the final days. They are sometimes judged for how they’ve lived but a dedicated medical team is ensuring dignity in the way they’re dying. They tirelessly devote themselves to providing end of life care to the homeless. We follow this mobile palliative care team as they treat the terminally ill.

There’s something about a suit and how it commands respect and power. Being dressed for success can make a world of difference. It’s that sentiment that moved a Calgary police officer to go beyond the call of duty and collect hundreds of gently used suits from his policing colleagues. The suits are destined for men who have overcome homelessness and addictions and they’re also being gifted to newcomers, men who come to this country with very little.