Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Ouch favourites Mark Brown and Seaneen Molloy have dealt with mental health difficulties for a long time, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit, things changed. Seaneen felt liberated. After years of panic attacks she suddenly felt calm now a crisis had arrived and the rest of the world could finally see how scary the place could be.Mark felt unwell at the beginning and has had dilemmas to deal with. Most recently he met a stranger in the park who confided her mother had recently died and no one had been in touch. How do you offer comfort in a world of social distancing?There’s also a tonne of fun stuff in this episode too from escaped bras to Zoom personalities and talk of a zombie apocalypse. Produced by Emma Tracey Subscribe to Ouch on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

In a new mini-series, Meet The ‘Vulnerables’, Octavia Woodward sets out to find the real people dubbed “vulnerable”during the coronavirus pandemic, and turn the V-word on its head. First up is Baroness Jane Campbell - who ranks as “the most influential disabled person in Britain” according to the Shaw Trust. She is considered a legendary figure within the disabled community for her ongoing fight for disabled rights. Both Jane and Octavia have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a serious genetic condition that weakens muscles and can cause difficulty with breathing. Jane, who sits in the House of Lords, talks about her pushy parents, her brushes with the law during political protests, multiple marriages and how she struggled to like disabled people until she graduated from university. Presented by Octavia Woodward. Produced by Sam Judah.Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

After eight long weeks of isolation with wife Holly and three-year-old daughter Scout, Kate is finding her patience being tested. She has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and is gaining a little bit of weight thanks to comfort eating. It's putting a strain on her already inflamed joints but should she start being disciplined or stop feeling guilty as we are in a pandemic after all! Worst of all, Holly, who is on immunosuppressants - suddenly feels poorly. Is she showing Covid-19 symptoms? Produced by Amy Elizabeth - email amy.elizabeth@bbc.co.uk to get a message to Kate and Holly. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Robyn Steward and Jamie Knight, presenters of the podcast 1800 Seconds on Autism, join the Cabin Fever team to reveal what’s been going on in their lives during lockdown. From the pasta dish Jamie has eaten every day for five years no longer being available at the supermarket, through to Robyn’s solo trip to hospital, a notoriously noisy and discombobulating place.What do you do if you need a solid routine but everything has changed or stopped? Featuring Emma Tracey, and produced by Emma Tracey and Beth Rose.Subscribe to Ouch Cabin Fever on BBC Sounds, or say "ask the BBC for Ouch" to play the latest episode on your smart speaker.

Kate's Elhers-Danlos syndrome is causing her great pain this week, to the point she can't sleep or dress herself. Seven weeks in and she's finding her joints and mental health are suffering from the lack of movement due to isolating. Kate's wife Holly is on immunosuppressants and shielding for 12 weeks, but, together as a family, they make the decision to finally go for a social distanced walk. Was it the right choice? Produced by Amy Elizabeth - email amy.elizabeth@bbc.co.uk to get a message to Kate and Holly. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Hannah McDonald was sectioned before starting a nursing shift in 2008, with her uniform in her bag.Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, she believes she suppressed the grief she felt for three friends who died suddenly when she was a child.It caught up with her years later when she was working as a nurse - she stopped sleeping, eating, started to self -harm, and had suicidal thoughts. She spent nearly 10 years in acute mental health units and a therapeutic community. At times she felt she’d lost everything but Hannah always knew she wanted to return to nursing.Twelve years on she has successfully returned to work as a hospice nurse. But no one could have predicted her first day would be the day the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a global pandemic.It’s not just caring that Hannah has a talent for, as a keen embroiderer she also got a call-up to work on the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress. But when she revealed to a nurse what she’d been doing, they presumed she was delusional! Hannah speaks openly about the past 12 years and as such topics such as self-harm and suicide arise.Presented by Beth Rose.Subscribe on BBC Sounds or say “Ask the BBC for Ouch” to your smart speaker.

Kate has spent over six weeks in isolation and is trying to manage the symptoms of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and raise three-year-old daughter Scout. Her wife Holly is on immunosuppressants and has to shield for 12 weeks but is now going stir-crazy while Scout is becoming clingy and eating significantly less since lockdown started. Kate weighs up all their mental and physical needs. Produced by Amy Elizabeth - email amy.elizabeth@bbc.co.uk to get a message to Kate and Holly. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Swinbourne has plenty to keep him busy during lockdown as he develops storylines for deaf characters with EastEnders and Casualty.He reveals what it's like to be deaf at a time when everyone is social-distancing and where mouths are covered by masks, making lip-reading impossible.The writer and journalist also talks about the hashtag #WhereIsTheInterpreter which raised awareness of the fact sign language interpreters do not appear at the daily British government briefings. The hashtag has now morphed into a crowdfunding project to take the government to court using equality laws but Number 10 says it provides signers via the BBC News Channel.Beyond politics we head to soap-land to get the scoop on Charlie's TV projects and, if you're thinking of giving writing a try, he has some top tips to get you started and keep you going.Presented by Simon Minty and Beth Rose.Subscribe on BBC Sounds or say “Ask the BBC for Ouch” to your smart speaker.

Five weeks into isolation, Kate and Holly embark on something more daunting than tracking down a supermarket delivery slot - their first amateur home haircut. Kate's discomfort from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome intensifies due to her endometriosis, but any hope of alone time is impossible when isolating with a three-year-old. Holly is on immunosuppressants and admits she hasn't packed a hospital bag, as recommended by the NHS, for fear of 'tempting fate'. Can Kate persuade her otherwise? Produced by Amy Elizabeth. Email amy.elizabeth@bbc.co.uk to get a message to Kate and Holly. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Coronavirus is making itself known globally, so Cabin Fever thought it too would hot-foot it around the world to see how disabled people are managing.Lee Kumatat left the UK on 2 January for a brand new life in San Francisco, USA. Three months later we find her trying to live in lockdown in an unfamiliar city with a guide dog....and Pip, the cat she adopted a week ago. Holly Lane in Perth, Australia is doing her best not to touch anything but says that's surprisingly hard when she's "stumbling" about all day on the sticks she uses. Being a person with cerebral palsy, she has to hold onto things around her to keep her balance. She's also cashing in on newly-discovered energy stores after cutting out her three hour commute by working from home.Presented by Emma Tracey. Produced by Beth Rose.Subscribe on BBC Sounds or say “Ask the BBC for Ouch” to your smart speaker.