Our first live show was recorded at the Parcel Yard, London Kings Cross in April 2024. The event was jointly hosted by Hibi and the F**King Normal Podcast. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the love, warmth and connection in the room. Thank you so much to everyone who was able to join us. For those who weren’t, you can share in the experience with this episode and we hope to have news of more events for the community to join very soon.

During this live event, the incredible Polly Hazelwood stepped in at the last minute to host a Q&A with Lauren and Rina. Audience members also had their chance to both answer and ask questions of the panel. The conversation was honest, emotional, supportive and often f**king joyous.

Content Warnings

Strong Language

Diagnosis

Life limiting conditions

A huge thank you to……

Sam and all at Hibi Health for partnering with us and sponsoring this live event.

The incredible Melanie Dimmitt, who coordinated the live event with us.

Polly Hazlewood (@polldoll) for stepping in at the last minute to compere the Q&A on the night.

Photographer Matt Macpake

Videographer Elamai (@elamaiscamera)

The venue and the wonderful staff at The Parcel Yard in Kings Cross.

Genevieve Porritt & Victoria Wason, for putting the event together.

Clare Wright, Helen Gamble Shields, Sharon King-Chai and Gemma Sherlock for their support and efforts on the night.

Thank you to the following organisations for their generous donations to our goodie bags:

MahaDevi Yoga Centre

Coraline Skincare

London Heathrow assistance and accessibility team.

Sharon King-Chai

Beauty Boutique Hampstead

Sherlock London

Resources (and those who donated books for the resource table & prizes on the night):

Find your local Parent Carer Forum at Contact.org

Penny Wincer: ‘Tender: the imperfect art of caring’

Jess Moxham: The Cracks that Let the Light In

Melanie Dimmitt - ‘Special’

Sharon King-Chai

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, Rina and Lauren sat down with dad Kevin Troy to talk about his journey to fatherhood. Having previously worked in fast paced, male dominated environments, centred around the ‘work hard, play hard’ philosophy, Kevin’s world has slowed down significantly since his daughter Coraline was born in 2018. Diagnosed with Downs Syndrome, Coraline not only made Kevin a dad, but inspired him to create an organic skincare brand named after her.

The conversation is funny, light hearted but deeply personal. Kevin openly shares his struggles with his own wellbeing and how eating well, exercise and mediation have allowed him to become the best version of himself, for both Coraline and his wife Liz.

Content Warnings:

Strong Language

Diagnosis

Mental Health

Guest Biography:

Kevin Troy lives in Devon with his wife Liz and daughter Coraline, who is almost 7 years old. Coraline has Downs Syndrome and potentially Autism too. Passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle, Kevin has always been interested in food. During his late teens and early adulthood he worked as a chef in London, France and Australia. After the birth of his daughter in 2018, Kevin noticed that her skin began to react to baby shampoos the family were using. Upset by the ingredients he read on the packaging, Kevin used his chef know-how and vast knowledge in food combinations to create an organic, natural and vegan skincare brand, launching Coraline Skincare in 2020.

Resources:

https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

https://smallsteps.org.uk/

The Untethered Soul: A journey beyond yourself, Michael A Singer

The Surrender Experiment, Michael A Singer

Tapping with Brad Yates on Youtube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rina and Lauren talk with Julia Marsan about her experience in supporting her disabled daughter Nicole in the transition to adulthood outside of her parents care and into supported living. In this thoughtful discussion, Julia shares her story of parenting two children with different additional needs, as well as some of the valuable lessons she has learnt along the way. They discuss Nicole's pathway through education and, later into supported living where she now lives "the best life, in her own way".

Julia shares with us how she fought to find the right solutions to both enable Nicole to live as independently as possible outside of the care of her parents, as well as the way to maintain balance in her and her husband's own lives. This episode also contains some great tips from Julia in terms of practical issues such as court appointed deputyships and ensuring for the right financial and health and welfare decisions are made with and for Nicole.

Content Warnings

Strong Language warning

Traumatic Birth

Child loss

Guest Biography

Julia Marsan is a mother, successfully had a long career as HR Director in many different sectors and although now retired, she is currently a trustee for a charity based in Oxfordshire that provides supported living, day opportunities and work placements for people with disabilities and autism.

Julia was inaugurated into the special needs space after her daughter Nicole was born in 1995 and diagnosed with Mowat-Wilson Syndrome. Her son Tom came three years later and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Julia lives in Oxfordshire with her husband David, and along with charity work and visits and activities with their children, they both enjoy travelling the world in their retirement! David is currently undertaking a sailing adventure in the Pacific, raising money for Style Acre, the charity that supports Nicole.

Resource Links

Style Acre: www.styleacre.org.uk

Round the World Bear (David's Pacific Adventure): www.roundtheworldbear.com

Mowat-Wilson Syndrome Foundation: www.mowat-Wilson.org

Newman Trust: www.newmantrust.org

Useful List of Colleges for disabled 16+: https://natspec.org.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.