Glittering a Turd: Maren Sheldon on Parenting Through Grief and Celebrating Her Twin's Life

Glittering a Turd: Maren Sheldon on Parenting Through Grief and Celebrating Her Twin's Life

Author: Giovanna Fletcher September 22, 2026 Duration: 1:08:12

Trigger warning: this episode includes discussions around bereavement and cancer. If you feel this may be a difficult listen, please choose another episode x


Giovanna is joined this week by her good friend and CoppaFeel! co-founder Maren Sheldon.


Maren opens up about navigating first-time motherhood alongside her twin sister Kris's incurable breast cancer diagnosis. and shares the honest, sometimes heartbreaking, and often unexpectedly funny realities of parenting through grief.


The new edition of Kris Hallenga's memoir Glittering a Turd, featuring new material from Maren and a foreword by Dawn French, is out 24th September. 


Head to CoppaFeel! for more helpful information and resources xx


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Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby picks up the threads of her bestselling book, creating a space where the polished facade of parenting is gently set aside. Each episode unfolds through candid, comforting conversations with well-known mothers and fathers, though the focus is less on their fame and more on their shared, human experience. Giovanna, or Gi as she’s often known, guides these discussions through every facet of raising children-the unexpected joys, the exhausting lows, the personal challenges, and the quiet rewards. The core idea that resonates throughout this podcast is the liberating notion that perfection is a myth; everyone is simply navigating parenthood as best they can. Listening feels like being part of a supportive, honest chat among friends who understand that the journey is messy and beautiful in equal measure. You’ll hear real stories that validate your own, offering both solace and a much-needed laugh. It’s a warm, inclusive audio journal that celebrates the collective reality of family life, making it a deeply relatable listen for anyone in the thick of it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Happy Mum
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