The Sunflower Conversations
Episodes
Cochlear implant with Steven Mifsud MBE
08 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Steven Mifsud, MBE, is profoundly deaf and joined us on the Sunflower Conversations to talk about his cochlear implant. This small, complex electronic...
Travel series – In the air with Shannon Wandmaker
24 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“And I saw that British Airways most recently became involved in the Sunflower program. And that to me makes a lot of sense”Shannon is an aviation...
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, FASD with Tristan Casson-Rennie and Jan Griffin
17 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, FASD with Tristan Casson-Rennie and Jan GriffinTristan is the founder of FASD Ireland, a not-for-profit charity that...
Autism diagnosis with Bec Street
10 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Autism diagnosis with Bec StreetBec works for charity Autism Spectrum Australia, as a Sunflower Advocate and is based in Sydney Australia. Since joini...
Long COVID and autism with Linda Dalton
03 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Long COVID and autism with Linda DaltonLinda contracted COVID in 2020 and has been left battling the effects of Long COVID, the healthcare service and...
Ménière's disease with Lorna Thomas
27 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meniere’s disease with Lorna ThomasLorna Thomas is a musician and has Meniere’s disease which is a long term, progressive condition affecting the ...
Kidney Disease with Ayesha Edmondson
20 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kidney Disease with Ayesha EdmondsonAyesha is a Peer Educator for Kidney Research UK, and she advocates for kidney donors from minority ethnic groups....
Endometriosis with Gemma and Aimee
13 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Endometriosis with Gemma Beswick and Aimee GillGemma is a Volunteer Leader for the charity Endometriosis UK. Because of her lived experience of endome...
Marc Powell, RNIB talks about NaviLens and Kellogg's
06 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Marc Powell, RNIB talks about NaviLens and Kellogg'sIf you have a visual impairment how do you know what you are buying, whether it is suitable f...
Crohns’ disease and Takayasu's with Artie Carden
27 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Crohns’ disease and Takayasu's with Artie CardenWe caught up with Artie who joined us in a Sunflower Conversation back 2020. Artie has hypermob...
Acquired brain injury with Brooke Simon
20 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Acquired brain injury with Brooke SimonTRIGGER WARNING, in this podcast we discuss domestic violence.Brooke acquired her brain injury at the hands of ...
Epilepsy and surgery with Hannah Wilson
13 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Epilepsy and surgery with Hannah Wilson Hannah has focal impaired awareness seizures and since we last spoke, 12 months ago, they have got progressiv...
Cerebral palsy, learning difficulties, and anxiety with Bryony Moss
06 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Cerebral palsy, learning difficulties, and anxiety with Bryony MossBryony has cerebral palsy and right hemiplegia, which is a paralysis of the right s...
Dyspraxia, dyslexia and dyscalculia with Fire Phoenix Rising
23 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dyspraxia, dyslexia and dyscalculia with Fire Phoenix Rising Fire Phoenix Rising is a poet and has dyspraxia, dyslexia and dyscalculia – or the t...
Cerebral Palsy with Peta Hooke
09 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Sunflower Conversations – Cerebral Palsy with Peta HookePeta has cerebral palsy which affects her mobility. Peta uses a wheelchair as she cannot...
Desmoid tumour with MaryBeth Eiler
12 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Desmoid tumour with MaryBeth EilerMaryBeth has a rare, aggressive tumour which is called a Desmoid Tumour. In this conversation we hear about the dif...
Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome with Erica Baldwin
05 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Sunflower Conversations podcast - Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome with Erica BaldwinErica has Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (VEDS) – a genet...
Bowel cancer, LARS syndrome and stoma with Amanda Strother
28 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bowel cancer, LARS syndrome and stoma with Amanda StrotherAmanda was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 31 years old. After a successful operation to remo...
Post Concussion Syndrome and Holly Tyrer
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Post-Concussion Syndrome Holly Tyrer lives in Hollywood, California and had her dream job as a Script Supervisor.She was diagnosed with Post Concussio...
PTSD with Danielle Allen
14 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Suddenly hit by PTSD with Danielle Allen Danielle Allen is a mum to three children. Her eldest son Louis was born with a congenital heart condition ca...
Radiation caused my hidden disability with Kellie La Follett
07 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Radiation caused my hidden disability with Kellie La FollettKellie La Follett was caught in an unexpected mass radiation incident at the school she wo...
Fibromyalgia with Sue McIntosh
31 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On the Road series - Living with Fibromyalgia Sue McIntosh developed fibromyalgia after being involved in a traffic collision. No longer able to con...
On the Road series - Older Drivers Forum
24 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Older Drivers ForumA national forum made up of a group of organisations that support the older motorist to drive safely for longer. They welcome drive...
Narcolepsy Cataplexy Dyslexia with Marcus Morgan-Valentine
26 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s talk about intersectional support with Marcus Morgan-ValentineMarcus Morgan-Valentine has dyslexia, narcolepsy, cataplexy, osteomalacia, chron...
Ehler Danlos Syndrome with Mik Lenth
08 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ehler Danlos Syndrome with Mik LenthMik Lenth is 19 and lives in the MidWest in the US and has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) which affects her connecti...
Supporting families with additional needs
01 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Supporting families with additional needs Benedict Symcox is CEO of charity, Family Voice Surrey, which is a parent carer forum.We learn how they enga...
Neurodivergent and Tourette Syndrome with Kez Symcox
25 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Neurodiverse and Tourette Syndrome Kez Symcox is neurodiverse, and has comorbidities, including: autism spectrum disorder, Tourette Syndrome, generali...
Aphasia and Epilepsy with Tom Ryan
11 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Aphasia and Epilepsy with Tom RyanTom Ryan-Elliott has epilepsy and aphasia because of a brain injury he received while on holiday in Las Vegas. He ha...
Mitral heart valve replacement and asthma with Paul Shriever
04 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Open heart surgery and asthma with Paul ShrieverIn this podcast we talk to Hidden Disability Sunflower team member - Paul Shriever. Paul chats about h...
Autism, ADHD, Anxiety and PCOS with Saxon Boone
27 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Autism, ADHD, Anxiety and PCOS with Saxon BooneSaxon Boone lives in Canada. Saxon finally received her diagnosis of autism after teachers thought ...
Anxiety and Depression with Maddie White
20 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Anxiety and Depression with Maddie WhiteMaddie White has anxiety and depression which sometimes makes it difficult for her to navigate daily life, esp...
Fibromyalgia, depression and borderline personality disorder with Paul Pengelly
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Either Off or On - living with Fibromyalgia with Paul PengellyIn this Sunflower Conversation, Paul Pengelly discusses how fibromyalgia impacts his phy...
PTSD and brain injury with Darren Carew
06 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
PTSD with Darren CarewDarren Carew was a career solider in the Army until an accident occurred which would change his life forever. In this conversati...
Autism and Alcohol with Matthew Tinsley
30 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Autism and Alcohol with Matthew TinsleyMatthew Tinsley has a degree in Modern Languages and had a long career as a bookseller in independent bookshops...
Autistic, Dyspraxic and Microdeletion on a chromosome with Lorina
23 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Autistic, Dyspraxic and Microdeletion on a chromosome with LorinaLorina is 18 years old is autistic and dyspraxic, and also has a rare condition calle...
Inclusive shopping experience at The Trafford Centre
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Inclusive shopping experience at The Trafford CentreZoe Inman, the Centre Director at one the UK’s largest shopping centres, The Trafford Centre, ta...
ADHD, Epilepsy, PTSD and Autism with Mark Charlesworth
02 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
ADHD, Epilepsy, PTSD and Autism with Mark CharlesworthMark Charlesworth has a multitude of health conditions including, autism, ADHD, epilepsy and PTS...
Dyspraxia, ADHD, Dyscalculia and Damp with Bailey
25 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dyspraxia, ADHD, Dyscalculia and Damp with BaileyBailey is in a mainstream secondary school and has the following health conditions, dyspraxia, attent...
The Brighton COVID NHS Mass Vaccination Centre
18 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Brighton COVID NHS Mass Vaccination Centre, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust With up to 3,000 vaccines administered a day, The Brighton Vacc...
Autistic Spectrum Disorder family support with Sarah Hughes
11 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How does the Sunflower help families with autisitc spectrum disorder? with Sarah HughesIn her final dissertation for a Master of Science in Psychology...
The Autism Employment Gap
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Not every autistic person is the same, everyone is different, as are the variety of occupations available to all of us. So, we ask “why is the emplo...
Autism and comordities with Maria Cook
28 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Autism and comordities with Maria CookMaria Cook is very candid about the multitude of hidden disabilities that her son, Ryan, has. They include autis...
Understanding, acceptance, and empowerment with Mark Isherwood Elected Regional Member of the Senedd
07 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Isherwood, Elected Regional Member of the Senedd, (Welsh Parliament), explains how the pandemic has affected people of all ages, in particular pe...
FASD with Mick Jewell
28 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nurtured children with hidden pasts and FASD with Mick JewellMick Jewell shares his personal journey of changing career to become a foster parent with...
The events industry and the pandemic
21 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the events industry. With Covid Rangers at markets to marshalling at testing centr...
Epilepsy with Hannah Wilson
14 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Epilepsy with Hannah WilsonEpilepsy can affect people in different ways. Hannah Wilson shares her personal experiences of growing up with the condit...
The Sunflower Conversations
07 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Sunflower Conversations deliver a deeper understanding of the Sunflower's role in supporting people with hidden disabilities. The topics are ...