News from the Room
At Room Eleven, we view resilience as a cornerstone of growth. The work we do—raising awareness about stillbirth, creating meaningful resources like the Still Billie box, and advocating for change—is rooted in facing resistance.
Whether it’s the uphill battle of breaking the silence around grief or the challenge of securing support for our initiatives, each step teaches us to adapt, innovate, and persist. Resistance is not a barrier; it’s a force that sharpens our resolve and strengthens our mission. Through this lens, every obstacle becomes an opportunity to grow stronger, both as individuals and as a community dedicated to making an impact.
The 411
This Week at Room Eleven
The Final Run for Stillbirth - Making the Agenda
I’m incredibly humbled and grateful to share that Councillor Samantha Byrne and the Moonee Valley City Council included my final 6 km run for stillbirth awareness in their most recent meeting agenda. Knowing that my campaign is not only reaching people but also inspiring broader conversations and actions is deeply rewarding.
Stillbirth is a topic that’s often shrouded in silence, but together, we’re starting to break through that barrier. If this campaign can help even one family feel seen, heard, or supported, then every step of this journey has been worth it.
Thank you to the Council and especially Samantha who’s supported this initiative—it’s a testament to what can happen when communities come together to spark change. Let’s keep the momentum going!
Big News: A Step Forward for Stillbirth Advocacy
I’m excited to share some personal news: I’ve been invited to be a Cochrane member! For those unfamiliar, Cochrane is a global leader in evidence-based health research.
So, what does this mean for our work in stillbirth awareness and support? It’s a big step towards ensuring that everything we do is backed by the best possible research. Being part of this community gives me access to world-class resources, collaboration opportunities with leading experts, and the chance to contribute to research that genuinely shapes healthcare practices.
This membership isn’t just about research; it’s about bringing credibility and evidence into our advocacy, making sure we’re always pushing for meaningful change in the most effective way possible.
Thanks for being here and supporting this journey. Together, we’re moving the needle—one evidence-backed initiative at a time.
Weekly Musings
Quote I’m Pondering: “So many of us choose our paths out of fear disguised as practicality”
I come across this quote every so often and it always sticks with me: “So many choose our paths out of fear disguised as practicality.” It hit me hard, because I’ve realised how often we make choices based on what feels “safe” or “practical,” when really, it’s fear driving the decision.
How many times have I—or anyone for that matter—chosen something because it seemed like the responsible, sensible path, even though it didn’t truly light us up? The thing is, when we dig a little deeper, we often find that what we’re calling practicality is actually just a fear of the unknown, of failure, or of stepping into something bigger.
This idea really ties into what I’m doing with Room Eleven. Creating work around grief, growth, and resilience isn’t always easy, and there are moments where I wonder if I should be focused on more “practical” things. But Room Eleven is about leaning into the hard stuff, not avoiding it. It’s about showing up for something bigger than comfort.
So, next time you're facing a big decision, ask yourself—are you choosing it out of courage, or is it fear dressed up as practicality?
Anguish: Confronting Trauma Through Art
It’s rare that a painting lingers with me long after I’ve seen it. However, this week, I stumbled upon Anguish by August Friedrich Schenck, and it’s stayed with me ever since. The ewe standing over her lifeless lamb—her pain—is a pain I know. I recognised it instantly.
The ewe’s standing alone in the barren, wintry backdrop speak volumes without words. The crows circling around her and the baby deepen the isolation, a stark reminder of how grief can make the world feel too full and unbearably empty all at once.
Anguish captures something deeply personal yet as we all know too well, the loss of a baby is a universal feeling for millions.
I’m grateful to have seen it. I’ve also learnt that it currently resides at the NGV in Melbourne. So I will need to visit it in person in the new year.
Growth: The 90-Minute Coffee Rule - A Smarter Way to Start Your Day
If you love coffee as much as I do, the idea of waiting for it might sound crazy. But after diving into Andrew Huberman’s podcast and research, I’ve been actively changing my routine—and the results have been pretty good.
Huberman suggests waiting 90–120 minutes after waking before drinking coffee. Why? It all comes down to how caffeine interacts with adenosine, the “sleep molecule.”
Here’s the science
Adenosine builds up overnight: While you sleep, adenosine accumulates in your brain, making you feel groggy when you wake. Your body naturally clears it in the first hour or two after waking.
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors: If you drink coffee too soon, caffeine prevents adenosine from clearing away properly. You feel awake temporarily, but the grogginess continues or rebounds later.
Waiting enhances caffeine’s power: By delaying coffee, you allow adenosine to clear naturally, making caffeine far more effective when you do have it.
This small change can also help reduce overall caffeine dependence, improve energy levels, and even make mornings feel a bit smoother.
Instead of coffee first thing, my morning starts with water, electrolytes, and now I’ve added super greens and reds supplement powder with creatine into the mix. This combo not only gives me an energy boost but also helps sustain my daily 6 km runs this year (especially at the tail end when my body is feeling stretched). I spend the morning getting my kids and family ready for the day, and I typically enjoy my coffee after starting work.
It’s a small adjustment that’s made a big impact on my energy and focus. Want to give it a try? Let me know how it goes for you!
What I’m Testing: Google’s NotebookLM for Audio Content
I’ve been diving into Google’s new platform, NotebookLM, to see how its audio overview feature works. I uploaded the framework of the book I’m currently working on, and was pleasantly surprised by how well the AI podcast hosts brought it to life.
It’s a quick and easy way to generate audio clips, which I think will be a game-changer for creating content around stillbirth awareness. Whether it’s summarising key insights or offering bite-sized snippets, this tool could be a powerful way to reach people with meaningful audio content.
I’m excited to keep testing it and see how it evolves—stay tuned for more updates!
Here’s the podcast it generated for the Grief, Growth & Resilience book I’m working on. Let me know what you think!
What I’m Listening To: The Ricky Gervais Show Podcast
Available on Audible - https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Ricky-Gervais-Show-Audiobook/B00FO1489E
If there’s one podcast I keep coming back to, it’s the Ricky Gervais podcast. Arguably the show that cemented podcasts as a mainstream form of media, it captured lightning in a bottle with the trio of Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and the uniquely brilliant Karl Pilkington.
I’ve been listening to their original podcast, along with their XFM shows, for over ten years now. It’s become a comfort listen for me—one of those shows where, even though I know it inside out, I still find myself giggling at the same moments. There’s something about the chemistry between them that never gets old. It’s like revisiting old friends, and no matter how many times I’ve heard the jokes, they still hit just as hard.
To Sum Up
As this week comes to a close, I’m reflecting on the progress and challenges ahead. Writing the book on grief, growth, and resilience is a journey that’s both fulfilling and difficult, but it’s moving forward, much like my 6km-a-day run for stillbirth awareness, which wraps up in just 10 days!
The support from Councilor Samantha Byrne & the Moonee Valley Council mention is a highlight, and with a new awareness campaign for 2025 on the horizon, I’m looking forward to exploring vulnerability and sparking conversations around grief. Joining Cochrane is another exciting step, enabling me to bring research-backed credibility to our work and continue pushing for change.
I’ve also been thinking about how many of us choose their trajectory based on false sense of security and practicality. This idea strikes a chord with Room Eleven—embracing the difficult, uncomfortable aspects of grief and resilience, instead of taking the safer route. There’s no easy way forward, but through persistence and vulnerability, we’re creating something that matters.
Between the comfort of the Ricky Gervais podcast and the work ahead, this week has reminded me of the importance of balancing hard work with moments of reflection, comfort and grounding.
Wishing everyone a fantastic festive season!
Giving Back
With Christmas around the corner, let’s spread some kindness
Donate a Still Billie Box
Our care packages for families who’ve lost their baby, named after our baby daughter Billie. Offering comfort during what should be a joyful season. Your donation can make a real difference in allowing us to provide free Still Billie Boxes to hospitals across Australia.
Room Eleven is a social enterprise business and does not qualify for DGR status.