In this episode, we talk to Jill, a  marketing consultant by trade who loves to swim, sing in two choirs and walk. 

Jill was born in Sheffield in 1971 with Developmental Dysplasia of the Hips (DDH). Jill's DDH journey was challenging from the very beginning. The ball at the top of her left hip was little more than a pin-head and the socket was just plain missing. Her knees and ankles were also impacted. 

Jill received her treatment at the Sheffield Hospital, one of the leading pediatric orthopaedic hospitals in the UK. She underwent several operations, including leg lengthening during her teenage years.  At the age of 32, she received a hip replacement and she is due to have a knee replacement in 2022. 

Jill has her own blog 'Jill's Walking Blog' where she shares her personal journey to understand herself, and how her different-ability has influenced who she is today. 

In this episode we talk to Matt and Gwen. Matt, although originally from the UK,  currently lives in Malta and is the proud father of Gwen.

Gwen is an inspirational Gozitan girl who loves dancing, reading, eating pizza and playing with her brother William. Gwen was diagnosed at birth with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency. It sounds very complicated but when you look at each word individually it is actually a very good description of the condition.

• Proximal – nearest the point of attachment or centre of the body
• Femoral – the thigh bone or femur
• Focal – a focus or starting point
• Deficiency – shorter or less than the normal amount

In other words, the end of the thigh bone closest to the hip is too short or not completely developed. In most cases, the hip joint is also not well developed.

Gwen currently wears a prosthetic leg which allows her to do pretty much everything she wants! 

Listen to this inspiration podcast where dad takes us through his journey of understanding the condition and Gwen clearly explains to all of us why we should be her friend! 

In this episode we talk to Rob, an IT director of a company in London. 

Rob was diagnosed with Perthes Disease at the age of 14. He had experienced pains in previous years but it was always dismissed as 'growing pains', until the day he thought he walked into a hole. Only to discover that there was no hole and that sensation he experienced was due to his hip slipping. 

He was later diagnosed with a deformed hip due to Perthes Disease. Doctors told him that there was nothing they were able to do as he had to wait for a hip replacement. 

Rob had to wait several years, going through a lot of pain until the day they agreed to perform the hip replacement. That day changed his life forever and he now runs Marathons!