Polly Crosby opens up about living with the life limiting condition cystic fibrosis.
As a newborn, she was the first person in the world to test positive for CF through a heel prick test.
Being diagnosed so early helped her mother manage her condition but many of her childhood friends died very young. And she’s been reflecting on that period in her latest novel, The Vulpine.Also in this episode, we hear complaints that maternity services don’t give equal care to wheelchair users.Plus, could comedy become available at the doctor’s? We explore.And we end with a tribute to our former colleague and GB Volleyball squad member, Kat Hawkins, who recently died. PRESENTER: Emma Tracey
PRODUCERS: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins
EDITORS: Beth Rose, Ben Mundy
SOUND RECORDING AND MIX: Dave O’Neill
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33:02
Disabled life in Ukraine after three years of war
To mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we catch-up with Oleksii and Raisa who previously spoke to Access All. Oleksii has learning disabilities and, after initially re-locating to Denmark, returned to his group home in Ukraine a few months ago. Raisa runs a nearby respite centre for disabled people.And we hear from Sara Cincurova, a human rights journalist, who has recently visited a specialist school in Ukraine for disabled children.This episode also shines a spotlight on teen actress Niamh Moriarty, who has cerebral palsy and was thrilled to break away from the stereotype of disabled characters and play a bully in her new film, September Says.Plus we hear how surf therapy is becoming a craze for the over 50s in Wales with mental health challenges.PRESENTER: Emma Tracey
PRODUCERS: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins
EDITORS: Beth Rose, Ben Mundy
SOUND RECORDING & MIX: Dave O’Neill
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31:21
Para-bobsleigh champ: ‘Rollercoasters have become boring’
Corie Mapp, a double leg amputee, is fresh from winning gold at the Para-bobsleigh World Championships in Switzerland.
Corie took up the sport after he was injured in Afghanistan and says “going down an ice chute in a bath tub” has given him a fresh perspective on disability and risk.
Also on this episode, a suicide charity which runs the UK’s only 24-hour phone line staffed by trained, paid, call handlers, says it’s desperately short of funding.
Emma Tracey talks to Francesca, a long-term user of Papyrus who credits the service with saving her life, and CEO Ged Flynn.
And Chantal Nasseri, the Access Coordinator for the Hollywood film Wicked, describes how she made every aspect of the production accessible, from transport to costumes.
Presenter: Emma Tracey
Producers: George Sharpe, Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins
Recorded and mixed: Dave O’ Neill
Editors: Beth Rose, Ben Mundy
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29:25
The teen who won a legal fight for a BSL interpreter in class
Niamdh Braid took her local council to a tribunal at the age of 16 (and won!) after they refused to provide her with a BSL interpreter in class.
She tells Emma Tracey how Fife Council had argued that she was able to access her education using hearing aids and lip reading.
But after an expert witness told the tribunal that Niamdh could only hear 70% of what her teachers were saying, it ruled in her favour.
Also on this episode, meet Alex Mitchell, the self-described queer, autistic, disabled comedian who found fame on Britain’s Got Talent.
Presenter: Emma Tracey
Producers: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins, George Sharpe
Recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill
Editors: Beth Rose and Ben Mundy
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27:44
‘Time is the enemy’ for actor playing Richard III
Actor Michael Patrick has just picked up an award for his unique portrayal of Shakespeare’s Richard III, which gives the play a fresh twist inspired by his own experience of living with motor neurone disease (MND).Michael is no stranger to MND. His father died from the condition and his sister is also living with it, although drug trials for the siblings have given them more hope for the future.Also on this episode, the charity Mencap says it fears for peoples lives after the NHS dropped annual health checks for people with learning disabilities from its priorities plan.We speak with Mencap CEO, Jon Sparkes, as well as Nigel and Rahima about their experiences of the Health MOTs.And we meet Japan’s Nobuyuki Tsujii, a blind pianist who’s played at concert venues around the world including the Sydney Opera House.Presented by: Emma Tracey
Produced by: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins and George Sharpe
Sound recording and design by: Dave O’Neill
Editors: Beth Rose and Ben Mundy
Brasil