A Wheelie Good Chat

Doctors told Flic Manning she was a burden. As a child, she absorbed those words until she began to question her own worth. This conversation is about what happens when someone finally listens, and how feeling seen, heard and valued can change a life.

Flic takes me through her journey with chronic illness and disability, from finding identity and purpose through dance to entrepreneurship, writing, public speaking and disability advocacy. We talk about the assumptions she’s faced, invisible and fluctuating disabilities, accessibility, representation, and sharing your story without turning disability into inspiration porn.

Flic also shares the story behind her book Living Human, how she builds self-care into everyday life, and why vulnerability can be such a powerful way of connecting with others.

Content note: This episode includes open discussion of mental health, suicide and suicidal thoughts. Please take care while listening and skip this episode if you need to.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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Two stories. Two completely different situations. One underlying assumption.

Through voice recordings from two of my beautiful friends, Anya and Asha,  revisit moments we’ve experienced together that reveal how disability is often viewed through assumptions rather than reality. From people speaking to someone else instead of me, to assuming friendship is an act of charity, we unpack what these moments really say and why the assumptions underneath them matter far more than the comments themselves.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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Some conversations are polite. This one is useful.

I’m joined by Josef Bandera, a Perth-based author and disability advocate, to talk about what inclusion and disability rights actually look like in real life. Josef shares why he’s proud of his disability, how stigma still boxes people in, and why having a voice isn’t a bonus, it’s a basic right.

We get into the reality of support work, what makes a good support worker, what happens when workers are under-trained, and why consent matters, especially when social media comes into play.

We also talk participant choice, asking better questions when hiring support, and why support should align with the person, not the worker’s preferences.

And we don’t ignore accessibility, from footpath gradients to “accessible” spaces that miss the mark.

If you care about disability inclusion, the NDIS, or understanding what respectful support actually looks like, this conversation gives you something to take away.

Check out Josef’s work: Book | Instagram

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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I reflect on a tragic event that occurred in Western Australia earlier this year, and the way stories like this are reported.

This isn’t about speculation or assigning blame. Instead, it’s a conversation about language, media framing, and why autonomy and dignity still matter in the way we speak about people, even after they’re gone.

I also share my own initial reaction to the reporting, and what it made me reflect on.

A thoughtful and important conversation about whose voices are centred, and whose are missing.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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The new year can sparkle and still hurt. In this episode, I talk about loneliness during festive disruption, moving to person-led support, and unlearning internalised ableism shaped by growing up with a disability in a world that expects you to be “low maintenance.”

I share my intentions for 2026 and why taking up space, asking for help, and not apologising for existing matters.

If you’ve ever felt invisible in a season that promises connection, you’re not alone.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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This final episode of the year is a reflective conversation about consent and why it matters in everyday life.

I talk about how physical touch, especially hugging, is often automatic and well intentioned, but not always comfortable for everyone. From my own perspective, I share why consent is about more than just intention. It’s about pausing, checking in and allowing people the space to choose.

This episode looks at consent through a broader lens, beyond disability alone. Everyone has different boundaries, comfort levels and experiences, and those can change over time. Respecting that doesn’t make things awkward, it makes people feel seen.

I also take a moment to reflect on the year that’s been for the podcast. From returning to solo episodes to reaching Episode 40, it’s been a year of learning, growth and finding my voice.

Thank you for listening and being part of this space. Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I’ll be back in 2026 with more honest conversations.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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What if the problem isn’t you, but the job description you’re trying to squeeze into? In this episode, I open up about what happens when we stop forcing ourselves to fit rigid roles and start shaping work around our strengths instead. Job carving has completely changed the way I see my own career, and I think it could change yours too.

I share the honest side of navigating work with a disability, from naming support needs to dealing with stigma, and why it can be so exhausting trying to “prove” yourself in systems that were never designed with you in mind. But I also talk about the moment things clicked for me and how reframing my strengths helped me imagine a role I could actually thrive in.

This episode is about more than job design. It is about confidence, self-worth and giving yourself permission to ask for work that aligns with who you are. You will walk away with practical ideas, but also a reminder that your value is not defined by a checklist in a job ad. If you have ever felt like you are the wrong shape for the role in front of you, this might be the perspective shift you need.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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Ever cheered loudly for someone else’s milestone and then wondered why your own path feels slow? In this catch-up, I open up about taking a pause after three emotional episodes with my mum, celebrating my brother’s wedding, and navigating the mix of joy and comparison that followed. I talk about feeling stuck, naming pressure, and rebuilding momentum without forcing a sprint.

I also dive into the difference between curiosity and connection around disability, and why better questions build real understanding. Plus, a bit of grounding from my gym progress, proof that small reps count. If you’re easing back after a break, this one’s your reminder that slow growth still moves you forward.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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In the final part of this three-part series, Mum and I reflect on our 24-year journey navigating disability, independence, and the future ahead. What began with a health scare that pushed us to accept outside help has grown into a new balance of care, freedom, and resilience.

We open up about how smart home technology changed my independence, the reality of facing employment discrimination, and the tough but necessary conversations about ageing and what comes next.

It’s a raw, honest chat about disability, and redefining what support really looks like. A special mention to my mum for being so open and willing to share her side of the journey.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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Moving from a small country town to a massive Perth high school was life-changing for me, but not in a good way. I went from being “Sam” to “just the chick in the wheelchair,” and the isolation hit hard. I had no friends, no independence, and my mental health spiralled.

In this second conversation with Mum, we revisit those volatile teenage years, the suicidal thoughts, and the heartbreak of Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, something I believed would change my life for the better but instead left me worse off.

We also talk about the prejudice I faced outside of accessibility, tertiary institutions saying they “couldn’t accommodate someone like me,” providers misunderstanding my needs, and people speaking to Mum instead of me.

But through therapy, resilience, and a lot of difficult conversations, our relationship came out stronger. We found our way through the darkness and into something better.

If this episode has raised difficult feelings for you, please remember support is available. You can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24/7 confidential support.

Thanks so much for listening to A Wheelie Good Chat! Your support means the world.

Follow along on Instagram: @awheeliegoodchat | @sam.bamalama 

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