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

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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"

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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.

We talk with Alex Manners, an autistic speaker and author. In this episode, Alex explains what autism feels like for him, from literal language and sensory stress to special interests, like football, that genuinely help him cope. We also explore how improved communication and practical inclusion tools, such as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, can make everyday life more accessible.

In this episode, we cover a lot from school to employment. Below are just some of the topics we cover:

• Why Alex still uses the term Asperger's
• Special interests and how football and the football programmes support Alex's emotional regulation
• Why sarcasm, idioms, and vague questions cause real barriers
• Sensory sensitivities like labels, sock seams, and ticking sounds
• What autistic meltdowns are, how masking contributes, and what recovery feels like
• The importance of routine
  
  

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, 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