The Pathologist

51 Si t t ing Down Wi t h  What inspired you to pursue pathology in the context of mortuary science? Biology intrigued me from a really young age. I was always interested in how things work – bodies, flowers, animals, everything. When I was around seven, my granddad died from a stroke in front of me. I was obviously slightly traumatized, but I was also fascinated by how someone goes from a walking, talking person to a dead one. I think I wanted to reclaim some of the trauma. I was reading a lot of Agatha Christie at the time, so I understood what forensics were and how they applied to crimes. That was all it took. I knew I wanted to work in pathology, but I honestly didn’t want to work with live patients – I wanted to learn about death processes. What title do you use? There are so many different words that could describe my work. For me, it depends on the conversation. I might say “mortician,” because people understand that it means I work with the dead. Conversely, most people at a cocktail party don’t know what an anatomical pathology technologist is – although the Association of Anatomical Pathology Technology is making great strides in awareness. What was your favorite part of mortuary work? My favorite part was coming in each morning and going through the cases. I’ve worked in several different mortuaries and, in the last one, we had community deaths as well as hospital deaths. Every morning, I’d come in and have a look at the names, weigh, measure, and check the bodies. It was interesting because you might see a patient who had died of complications in the operating room and then a person who had died on the street with completely different pathologies. I don’t want to make it sound like opening Christmas presents, but the anticipation of seeing an interesting variety of cases was exciting. Autopsy can be a controversial subject – what are your thoughts on its place? I support consented autopsies, which obviously happen a lot at hospitals. You might be surprised at the cases that happen, though. For example, you might imagine that a mother who had lost a baby would decline an autopsy – but they often say yes, because they appreciate the possibility of answering questions like: could it happen again? Was it something genetic? Is it something that could be treated in another child? I’ve learned not to guess what people will say and I have always been on the side of education. Many people associate pathology with death, which can lead to negative stereotypes. How do you counter such misconceptions? My opinion can only be based on my specialty, which is autopsies. But, since leaving my role as a senior APT, I’ve tried to do some good public relations for the career. I think pathology is considered a bit more glamorous these days. It’s actually mortuary work where people really do think you are in the basement – and, to be fair, you are! I just want people to understand the reality of death and how mortuaries work, so I’ve sort of turned into death’s PR champion (which gets me into trouble sometimes!). How do you feel knowing you challenge stereotypes of what people in forensics look like? When I entered the field, I just went to the mortuary down the road and asked to volunteer. The embalmer I worked with was a woman. Then, at my first full-time job, I would work with a woman one morning and then all men the next. We all had different interests, but it was death that brought us together. I find that I actually experience more friction now, 20 years later. In the light of a global pandemic, do you find it more difficult to advocate for “death positivity?” People are looking for life affirmation and I can’t blame them. Everyone is a little bit sombered after the arrival of COVID-19. Exactly the same thing happened after the first and second world wars. As far as I’m concerned, I’m an ambassador of death understanding, preparation, and knowledge. Those are a bit different to “death positivity.” And, in the context of a pandemic, that’s a difficult brand to sell, isn’t it? How would you describe a healthy relationship with death? All I can say about death is that the pain and fear you feel is because you’ve loved somebody so hard. It’s inevitable and sometimes it comes too soon, but there’s nothing to gain from wishing it away. It’s not Frankenstein; we can’t eradicate death, no matter how much people would like to. I think acceptance and understanding of death is just a part of love. It’s not very scientific, but it’s the best I can do. “I was always interested in how things work – bodies, flowers, plants, animals, everything.”