The Sunflower Conversations
The Sunflower Conversations are where we explore hidden disabilities through the prism of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
In a world where it can be hard to feel like your story matters, we want to give you a space to share your experience. Whether you or someone you care about wears the Sunflower lanyard, we hope that by giving voice to these experiences, we can empower others and encourage more people to support people with invisible disabilities.
Episodes
109 episodes since 2021
Employment - Empowering Disabled Freelancers with Lydia Wilkins
Unlock the secrets to thriving as a self-employed individual with disabilities in our latest episode featuring Lydia Wilkins, a freelance journalist and editor at Disability Review magazine. Hear Lydia's compelling personal journey as she navig...
September 07, 2024
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39:06
Pompe Disease with Hele Borup - Australia and New Zealand
“People judge before they stand back and think, you know, there might be another reason for, for a person behaving the way that they do.”Peta Hooke interviews Helle about Pome disease and some of the everyday challenges H...
August 31, 2024
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13:48
Cushing's Syndrome with Gretchen Jordan
Discover the vital role of the pituitary gland and its impact on our health with Gretchen Jordan, Associate Director of the Cushing Support and Research Foundation. Gretchen shares her compelling personal journey with Cushing's disease from dia...
August 03, 2024
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40:55
Autism and ADHD with Isabella Fantastia - Australia and New Zealand
“My brain is having to put in a lot of coping mechanisms to be able to just be in that space or in that place.”Peta Hooke interviews Isabella about intersectionality in youth, disability and mental health. Isabella (Belle...
July 31, 2024
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11:24
Tourette's Syndrome with Leighton, Uncle Tics - Australia and New Zealand
Language warning: Strong language used in this podcast.Content Warning: Please be advised that this episode contains strong language and discusses suicide. Tourette Syndrome (Tourette's) is a neurological conditi...
July 29, 2024
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18:46
Schizoaffective disorder with Alana - Australia and New Zealand
This month, our Sunflower Conversations Podcaster in Australia and New Zealand, Peta Hooke, interviews Alana talking about schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Alana discusses her experience with halluc...
June 29, 2024
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13:16
Acromegaly with Martin Cornally
Martin Cornally shares his experience of the rare pituitary disease called acromegaly. Hear firsthand how a pituitary tumour led to excessive production of growth hormone, causing severe physical changes, including osteoarthritis. Despite under...
June 22, 2024
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38:44
PTSD and CPTSD with Rachel Bilksi, PTSD UK
Our guest is Rachel Bilski from the charity PTSD UK. PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and is typically associated with veterans. However, it isn't only veterans who can develop it – And Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, CPTS...
June 15, 2024
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56:25
ADHD and Autism with Althea Rice - Australia and New Zealand
This month, our Sunflower Conversations Podcaster, Peta Hooke, interviews Althea, talking about ADHD and Autism.The Sunflower Conversations is a Podcast where we explore the experiences of people living with hidden disabilities and what...
June 07, 2024
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9:31
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with Amy Kelly, Crohn's & Colitis Ireland
Our guest is Amy Kelly, Head of Communications and Fundraising at Crohn's & Colitis Ireland. Amy was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when she was 27 and shares her lived experiences and the impacts and adjustments she has made to her life.
May 20, 2024
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1:02:31
PMDD with Anna Cooper and Dr Rebecca Tomlinson, Menstrual Health Project
This podcast was recorded as an Instagram Live.CONTENT WARNING. The terms suicide and eating disorders are referenced. Please visit your healthcare provider if you are concerned about any issues relating to this topic.
May 01, 2024
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49:01
PMDD with Amani Omejer
CONTENT WARNING. We touch upon suicide, eating disorders and self-harm. Our guest will talk about her lived experiences, and signposting to charities for support. Please visit your healthcare provider if you are concerned about any issues relat...
April 20, 2024
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37:34
Parkinsons with Eve Jensch
Eve Jensch is 37 and was diagnosed with Parkinson's two years ago. Eve lives in Ireland with her three children and her husband and joins us to talk about her lived experience with Parkinson's. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condit...
April 13, 2024
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44:13
Autism and ADHD with Clare and Matilda Kemp
Clare and her daughter, Matilda, join us to discuss Matilda's school experiences. Matilda is nine years old and in year five at primary school; she is autistic and has ADHD.Friendships can be challenging because Matilda is autistic and ...
March 30, 2024
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49:36
Optic Nerve Glioma with Michelle Culbert and Karina Smith
Our guests are Karina Smith and Michelle Culbert, from South Florida, who both have Optic Nerve Glioma, a rare eye condition affecting sight that typically affects young children. It is a slow-growing brain tumour in or around the optic nerve, ...
March 16, 2024
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39:29
Eating Disorders, Autism and ADHD with Adam Fare
CONTENT WARNING. The topic is eating disorders, and throughout the podcast, our guest will talk about their lived experiences, as well as signposting to charities for support. Please visit your healthcare provider if you are concerned about any...
March 02, 2024
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53:53
Learning Disabilities with Dorothy Watson and Marcus Tanner, The Sunnybank Trust
Our guests are Marcus Tanner and Dorothy Watson, CEO of The Sunnybank Trust.“The Sunnybank Trust supports adults with a learning disability across North East Surrey to have confidence, opportunities and control over their own lives and t...
February 24, 2024
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32:45
Eating Disorders with Zoe Summers, BEAT UK
CONTENT WARNING. The topic is eating disorders, and throughout the podcast, our guest will talk about their lived experiences, as well as signposting to charities for support. Please visit your healthcare provider if you are concerned about any...
February 10, 2024
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53:12
Stroke with Jo Aurora, Different Strokes, and Hayette Wilkinson
Jo joined us from the charity Different Strokes to answer Sunflower wearers' questions and to explain what a stroke is, the signs to look out for, and what action to take, as well as advice about the support available to patients.Hayette...
January 27, 2024
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42:16
Stroke and Hayette Wilkinson
This podcast was recorded as an Instagram Live.Hayette is a mother, wife and stroke survivor. Aged 32 Hayette experienced a severe stroke called a subarachnoid haemorrhage, followed by an ischaemic stroke a few days later. ...
December 16, 2023
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29:35
Autism and the Sunflower with William Vanderpuye
William Vanderpuye is a social worker and is autistic. In this conversation, William shares what the Sunflower means to him and the confidence and support it has given him while in education at university and now in employment.William's...
December 09, 2023
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17:52
Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr Louise Newson
Dr Louise Newson is a GP & Menopause Specialist and joined us to share her knowledge and expertise. Dr Newson and her team at Newson Health are at the forefront of advocating for women to get the appropriate treatment to support their hormo...
December 02, 2023
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53:08
Autism with Maddie White
This podcast was recorded as an Instagram Live.Maddie shared her lived experience of being wrongly diagnosed with mixed anxiety, depression and panic disorder before eventually being diagnosed with autism when at university aged 21. In ...
October 28, 2023
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35:22
Perimenopause and Menopause with Fay Durrant
Fay Durrant is a Wellbeing and Menopause coach and joined us to discuss perimenopause and menopause as well as her own lived experience with perimenopause.The conversation allows our hosts, Chantal and Paul, to speak about their experie...
October 14, 2023
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55:35