Woman's Hour

Alison Lapper, Greek Refugee Camps, Weaning


Listen Later

You’ll probably know Alison Lapper. There used to be a huge marble statue of her in Trafalgar Square and it showed her 8 months pregnant, with no arms and short legs. That’s because Alison has a condition called phocomelia. This summer her son, Parys, died. He was 19, and had been struggling with mental health problems and drugs. Alison is an artist and she has an exhibition on right now. One of her pictures is of her son, but that wasn't the intention, she says, when she was painting it.

It's International Human Rights Day. We're focusing on the women and girls in migrant camps in Greece, where conditions are dangerous and risky. Sexual harassment and gender-based violence are problems as well as food and water shortages and poor sanitation. Hillary Margolis of Human Rights Watch has been there recently.

Poet and novelist Helen Mort has written a story called Weaning. It's part of an anthology called The Book of Sheffield. It's about a mother who stops breastfeeding and the impact it has on her mental health. It's also about feeling disconnected from the city of Sheffield as well as herself. Helen tells Jane how her own experience of weaning has inspired the story.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Woman's HourBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

269 ratings


More shows like Woman's Hour

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,952 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,996 Listeners

Happy Place by Fearne Cotton

Happy Place

1,101 Listeners

Death in Ice Valley by BBC World Service

Death in Ice Valley

2,734 Listeners

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware by Jessie Ware

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

1,679 Listeners

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

1,228 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

Postcards From Midlife by Lorraine Candy & Trish Halpin

Postcards From Midlife

128 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan by Gabby Logan

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan

232 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

68 Listeners

Comfort Eating with Grace Dent by The Guardian

Comfort Eating with Grace Dent

118 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

47 Listeners

Off Air with Jane & Fi by The Times

Off Air with Jane & Fi

188 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

529 Listeners

Begin Again with Davina McCall by Begin Again

Begin Again with Davina McCall

613 Listeners

What's Up Docs? by BBC Radio 4

What's Up Docs?

105 Listeners

Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball by Persephonica

Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball

192 Listeners

Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett by BBC Sounds

Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett

31 Listeners