The Sunflower Conversations
Welcome to the Sunflower Conversations, the podcast where we explore the experiences of disabled people with non-visible disabilities through the lens of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
This is a space to hear authentic stories from disabled people navigating life with non-visible disabilities such as chronic illness, mental health conditions, neurodivergence, and more. While most episodes focus on lived experience, we also feature occasional insights from experts in healthcare, accessibility, and inclusion.
Whether you or someone you care about wears the Sunflower, our conversations aim to raise awareness, build understanding, and help create a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Empowering voices. Raising awareness. Challenging assumptions - one conversation at a time.
The Sunflower Conversations
Multiple invisible disabilities with Zoe Simmons - Australia and New Zealand
“...we really need more representation of this so we can smash these attitudes for all disabilities.”
Peta Hooke interviews Zoe, a disabled journalist, copyright, author and public speaker. Zoe is a passionate advocate fighting against ableism and removing the stigma. She discusses attitudinal barriers and how someone may have a disability that is not visible, but their reactions are, and we should pay attention to this.
Although Zoe is yet to receive appropriate support wearing the Sunflower, she believes it can benefit many people like her with greater public awareness.
If you are experiencing any issues discussed in this podcast, please contact your healthcare practitioner.
The Sunflower Conversations is a Podcast where we explore the experiences of people living with hidden disabilities and what the Sunflower means to them. It’s a space to share your experience and to empower and encourage more people to support invisible disabilities.
A big thank you to Peta Hooke for conducting the interviews with compassion and respect and to Sandee Facy for the beautiful Sunflower song. You can follow Peta's I can't stand podcast here and Sandee Facy's music here.
If you want to share your experience, get in touch with us by emailing us here.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review.
Find out more about the Sunflower by visiting the website hdsunflower.com