Weekend Woman's Hour: Miscarriage, Maggie O'Farrell on stammering, Women and alcohol-related liver disease

Nov 30, 2024

Maggie O'Farrell, an award-winning author, discusses her journey with stammering and its impact on her life, as well as her children’s book that celebrates resilience. Sarah Owen, Labour MP and Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, addresses the critical lack of bereavement leave for those experiencing miscarriage in the UK. The conversation also highlights the alarming rise in alcohol-related liver disease among young women, featuring personal accounts and expert insights on this growing crisis.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Addressing Miscarriage in the Workplace

01:35 • 11min

Embracing the Challenge: A Journey with Stammering

12:12 • 9min

Voices of Empathy and Creativity

21:28 • 6min

From TikTok to Musical Stardom

27:10 • 5min

Rising Risks: Alcohol and Young Women's Health

32:04 • 14min

Closing the Chapter: A Personal Reflections

45:42 • 5min

From Education to Jazz: A Musical Journey

50:43 • 4min

Losing a baby in the early stages of pregnancy can be an extremely painful experience. Having to explain to your employer why you can’t come to work only adds to the difficulty. In the UK, there’s currently no entitlement to time off for miscarriage within the first six months of pregnancy. The Women and Equalities Select Committee is hearing evidence on extending the right to bereavement leave to cover losses up to 24 weeks. Sarah Owen MP, Chair of the Committee and someone who has experienced baby loss, joined Nuala McGovern to discuss. When the Stammer Came to Stay is award-winning author Maggie O’Farrell’s third children’s book. Based on her experience of living with a stammer, it celebrates differences and explores children’s resilience in facing new challenges. She talks to Anita Rani about the book and how her stammer has shaped her life. Why are more young women dying from alcohol-related liver disease than ever before? BBC journalist Hazel Martin, diagnosed with the condition in her early 30s, has been investigating how her social drinking habits put her life at risk. Hazel joined Nuala along with Professor Debbie Shawcross, Consultant Hepatologist at King’s College Hospital, to explore the growing crisis and its causes. After writing her Spinal Column for The Times since 2010 —beginning just two weeks after breaking her neck and back in a riding accident—Melanie Reid has decided it’s time to stop. She joined Nuala to discuss why she’s stepping away, her reflections on the journey, and her plans for the future. Song-writing partnership Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are making history by becoming the youngest and first female songwriting duo to compose for a Disney feature film in Moana 2. The Grammy Award-winning pair joined Nula to discuss their musical partnership. Kim Cypher, a saxophonist, composer, and vocalist, is a regular on the London and UK jazz circuit. She recently launched her third album, Catching Moments, and joined Anita in the Woman’s Hour studio and performed live.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor