In the fall of 2022, David Illiatovitch-Owen, a Toronto-based entrepreneur and chef battling pancreatic cancer, suggested to his sister, Sarah Illiatovitch-Goldman, that they start a podcast. Though initially met with surprise—Illiatovitch-Goldman had never produced a podcast—the idea led to the creation of “My Brother David,” a 13-part series scheduled to debut on November 5 through iHeartPodcasts.
David, 47 at the time, had recently learned that his cancer treatment was no longer effective and faced a prognosis of roughly one year to live. The recordings that form the podcast began shortly thereafter, capturing candid conversations between the siblings as they worked through David’s diagnosis, treatment, and reflections on his legacy for his wife and two children. The series draws from hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over more than a year in David’s home in Toronto—a space doubling as his office and yoga room.
The podcast offers an intimate perspective on end-of-life planning and family reconciliation. It also sheds light on the complicated relationship between Sarah and David, who had drifted apart over the years. Eleven years her senior and from their mother’s previous marriage, David owned a Scotch bar and a chain of gourmet seafood stores, while Sarah built a career as a playwright and grief camp director. Their ideological differences—David described as moderate, Sarah as a “communist, hippie, lefty”—and a history of personal grievances, including unaddressed slights and divergent life paths, had kept them distant.
Following David’s diagnosis, however, the siblings reconnected. Sarah relocated her family from Chicago to Toronto to be closer to David, who had moved next door to their parents. This proximity allowed the families to join forces in supporting David’s care. The podcast chronicles not only David’s journey with cancer but also the evolving bond between brother and sister as they navigated old wounds and newfound openness. Despite moments of tension and unresolved issues, the two grew to better understand each other, with David acknowledging the significance of their renewed connection.
After David’s death in 2023, Illiatovitch-Goldman devoted herself to shaping their extensive archive of recordings into a coherent narrative. She consulted with experienced podcasters, including producers from the acclaimed series “Serial,” and collaborated with executive producer Julie Shapiro, known for her work on “Ear Hustle.” The resulting series preserves David’s complex humanity—at times eloquent, at times frustrated or vulnerable—without sanitizing their reality.
Sarah emphasized the importance of presenting an honest portrayal, even when it meant resisting the temptation to soften challenging moments. For her, the project offers a way to honor her brother’s memory and provide a meaningful resource for others affected by cancer.
While “My Brother David” captures a year of profound conversations, Illiatovitch-Goldman acknowledges that the personal grieving process continues. She described the podcast’s release as both a closure and a beginning, anticipating that a fuller reckoning with her loss lies ahead. The series, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival earlier this year, stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in confronting mortality and family complexities.