Content warning: This podcast episode discusses female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), including its physical, emotional, and psychological impacts. Some listeners may find this content distressing. Listener discretion is advised. If you have been affected by the issues discussed, please consider seeking support from a healthcare professional.

In this episode, Huda Mohammed, who is an FGM Specialist and Pelvic Health Midwife from the charity Vavengers, discusses the Impact of FGM on Women's Health.

Women who have undergone FGM often face a myriad of health complications that can affect them throughout their lives. We discuss:

• Physical Pain: Chronic pain and discomfort during intercourse, menstrual cycles, and childbirth.
• Psychological Trauma: Many women report feelings of trauma, anxiety, and depression related to their experiences with FGM.
• Infections and Complications: Increased risk of urinary tract infections, complications during childbirth, and infertility issues.

For support:

• Vavengers - UK
• Action to End FGM/C - Global

Hosted by Chantal Boyle, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review.
Find out more about the Sunflower by visiting the website hdsunflower.com
Music by © Sandee Facy / Michael Saleta www.sandeefacy.com.au

Content warning: This podcast episode discusses female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), including its physical, emotional, and psychological impacts. Some listeners may find this content distressing. Listener discretion is advised. If you have been affected by the issues discussed, please consider seeking support from a healthcare professional.

We talk with Sema Gornell, the charity Vavenger's CEO, about one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding FGM/C: that it is a medical necessity. In reality, there are no health benefits to the practice; rather, it can lead to severe physical and psychological harm. Sema points out that the female genitalia is one of the most sensitive areas of the body, containing over 10,000 nerve endings. The removal or alteration of this area can result in lifelong complications, including chronic pain, reproductive issues, and mental health struggles.

We also challenge the myths that stop progress. FGM is not “just culture”, and it is not a private issue that communities are comfortable with. Sema explains how demand and misogynistic norms shape expectations of women’s bodies, and why men and boys must be champions if we want prevention to work.

For support:

• Vavengers - UK
• Action to End FGM/C - Global

Hosted by Chantal Boyle, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review.
Find out more about the Sunflower by visiting the website hdsunflower.com
Music by © Sandee Facy / Michael Saleta www.sandeefacy.com.au

In this episode of Sunflower Conversations, James Dunn speaks with Yvette O'Dowd, who first showed symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) at 32 years old and has now been living with the condition for over 30 years. An advocate and author of the children's book Granny Has Wobbly Legs, Yvette shares her experience of living with MS, exploring fatigue, brain fog, stigma, and the practical adjustments, including the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, that help make everyday life more accessible.

• Early MS signs, diagnosis and living with uncertainty
• Hidden symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, numbness and heat sensitivity
• Managing energy through pacing and spoon theory
• The emotional impact of invisible disability and being misunderstood
• Treatment decisions, lifestyle changes and daily coping strategies
• Explaining MS to children through Granny Has Wobbly Legs
• Simple accessibility changes that make a meaningful difference
• How the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower supports understanding and confidence

Visit our website, Facebook, or Instagram for more resources.

In this episode of Sunflower Conversations, James Dunn speaks with Vikesh Anand, TEDx speaker and founder of STUTTA (Australian Stuttering Association), about living with a stutter and advocating for greater awareness and acceptance.

 • What stuttering is, including different types of speech blocks and covert vs overt stuttering
 • The mental load of masking speech, including anxiety, shame and constant self-monitoring
 • Finding community at 28 through a stuttering support group, shifting towards acceptance
 • Moving into advocacy and creating spaces like “Speak Freely” through STUTTA
 • The importance of patience and not finishing sentences for people who stutter
 • How the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower supports confidence and awareness in daily life

Visit our website, Facebook, or Instagram for more resources.

We talk about motor neurone disease (MND), also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), with Pauline from the MND Association and Joff, who shares what diagnosis and day-to-day life really look like. We explore how symptoms show up, why support and research urgency matter, and how small acts of understanding can make public spaces safer and kinder. 

• What MND is and why symptoms vary so much 
• The long process of ruling out other conditions 
• Prevalence 
• Resilience and adapting to change
• The helpful role of the Sunflower in preventing being misjudged

If you are concerned about any of the subjects discussed in the podcast, please follow up with your healthcare practitioner for support.

For support

• MND Association UK
• Irish Motor Neurone Disease
• The ALS Association USA
• ALS Canada

Hosted by Chantal Boyle, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review.
 
Find out more about the Sunflower by visiting the website hdsunflower.com

Music by © Sandee Facy / Michael Saleta www.sandeefacy.com.au

In this episode of Sunflower Conversations, James Dunn speaks with Nicole Trimboli about surviving two cancers, living with a permanent stoma and ostomy bag, and rebuilding confidence when your body and life change fast. 

• Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a young mum and the mental scars that can linger 
• Daily life with an ostomy bag, diet planning and body image. 
• Writing What a Shit Show as a guide, a story and a form of therapy 
• Travelling with a hidden disability, airport security, toilets and the Sunflower lanyard 
• The harm of judging who uses accessible toilets and why visibility is not proof

Purchase a copy of Nicole's book "What a Shit Show"  

Visit our website, Facebook, or Instagram for more resources.

The topic for this episode is mental health and schizophrenia. If you are affected by anything we discuss, please follow up with your healthcare provider. 

We talk with Alex Phillips from Mind in Camden about schizophrenia and hearing voices, focusing on lived experience rather than frightening labels. We explore how people can recover, how families can offer support, and how everyday compassion reduces stigma. 

• Hearing voices as an umbrella for different sensory experiences 
• Why some experiences can feel positive or meaningful 
• Living well and recovery without forcing voices to disappear 
• Stigma in society and responding with a compassionate human approach 
• How the Hidden Disability Sunflower can signal a need for patience 

If you are concerned about any of the subjects discussed in the podcast, please follow up with your healthcare practitioner for support.

For support

• Intervoice - International
• National Hearing Voices Network - UK

Hosted by Chantal Boyle, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review.
 
Find out more about the Sunflower by visiting the website hdsunflower.com

Music by © Sandee Facy / Michael Saleta www.sandeefacy.com.au

We talk with Jay Reinstein about his early-onset Alzheimer's diagnosis, from the first confusing moments at work to the fear, stigma, and family impact that followed. We also dig into what helps day-to-day, how advocacy restores purpose, and why practical support like the Sunflower lanyard can change a journey from panic to confidence. 

• Noticing early cognitive changes in a high-responsibility job and seeking assessment 
• Emotional shock of diagnosis, including anxiety, depression, and worry about being a burden 
• Rebuilding purpose through boards, projects, and staying socially connected 
• Daily adjustments 
• Hidden Disability Sunflower lanyard and how it improves airport support for non-visible disabilities 
  
  

For support

• VOA Foundation - USA
• Alzheimer's Society UK
• Alzheimer's Society Ireland
• Alzheimer's Society Canada

If you are concerned about any of the subjects discussed in the podcast, please follow up with your healthcare practitioner for support.

Hosted by Chantal Boyle and Lynn Smith, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review.
 
Find out more about the Sunflower by visiting the website hdsunflower.com

Music by "The Emerald Ruby" Emerald Ruby Bandcamp and Emerald Ruby website

In this episode of Sunflower Conversations, James Dunn speaks with Mel Ogden about profound hearing loss alongside endometriosis, Hashimoto’s disease, and breast cancer, and how it's shaped her identity, work, and self-advocacy. 

Mel shares her journey from childhood through to adulthood, navigating communication, disclosure, and shifting access needs across different environments.

• Communication in daily life, including lip reading and the importance of captions
• Learning to disclose access needs, moving from masking to self-advocacy, and why confidence isn’t always linear
• The impact of chronic illness and cancer on identity, energy, and day-to-day life
• Challenging assumptions like “you don’t sound deaf” and how these moments shape the experience of non-visible disability

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In this first episode of Season 3, James Dunn returns as our new host, bringing thoughtful and engaging conversations to the forefront. He is joined by Fiona, an organisational design and HR leader with over 18 years’ experience, who shares her experience of living with vitelliform macular dystrophy (VMD), also known as Best disease, and how it has shaped her perspective on identity, accessibility, and inclusion.

• Growing up with a childhood diagnosis and navigating the evolving impact of progressive vision loss
• What progressive vision loss can look like in real life, why corrective lenses often cannot “fix” low vision, and the quiet internal question so many people carry: am I disabled enough to ask for help?
• Why experimenting with free technology can be a powerful first step towards inclusion. Practical workplace accessibility tools, including screen readers, magnifiers, and read-aloud features
• Creating more inclusive workplaces through awareness, flexibility, and thoughtful design

Visit our website, Facebook, or Instagram for more resources.