Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Starting University can be incredibly exciting but also daunting – especially given the current Covid-19 restrictions. And what if you have a disability to manage too? Are you worried it might hold you back from enjoying the full experience? – Pippa and Matt don’t think it will! Taking soon-to-be fresher Tom* under their wings, Pippa Stacey - author of University and Chronic Illness: A Survival Guide - and recent Durham graduate Matthew Prudham share their experiences and top tips. Pippa became a pro at pacing herself to manage her M.E while studying and enjoying the student life at York and Matt, who has epilepsy, has some sound advice on tactfully asking housemates to keep the noise down (and keeping anxious parents off your back!). From Taylor Swift to Bradley Walsh we explore what really happens when you move away from home, and how, even with lockdown, you can still have loads of fun! Produced by Amy Elizabeth. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or ask 'Ask the BBC for Ouch' to your smart speaker

As working from home becomes the new normal, is it really all its cracked up to be? Or could it actually be making the situation worse for disabled staff?Simon Minty chats with Nana Marfo who lives with a permanent tracheostomy tube and has been working from home since March. He misses catching up with colleagues, but on the plus side; no commute means a lie-in!Lilu Wheeler has found working from home to be a mixed blessing – staying at home accommodates her auditory processing difficulties and ulcerative colitis – but she can feel out of the loop and misses those watercooler conversations.The government has said it will give financial support to disabled staff who want to work from home in the long term, by extending Access to Work. That's great for those who enjoy it, but could it also prompt some employers to be less accommodating and encourage their disabled staff to stay away from the office permanently? Produced by Kirstie Brewer. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or ask 'Ask the BBC for Ouch' to your smart speaker.

Kate Monaghan has been isolating with her wife Holly and daughter Scout since March.Kate has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and endometriosis and Holly is the recipient of a kidney transplant and falls within the 'high risk' category. They shielded during lockdown and kept an audio diary for BBC Ouch.In this highlights episode, we hear why they suddenly disappeared from your podcast feeds, (Spoiler: It's good news!) and recall some of the best bits.And remember back in April when the supermarket shelves were empty and everyone was stockpiling toilet roll? Or the fear and confusion of that dreaded government text advising strict shielding for 12 weeks?Kate and Holly have been refreshingly honest throughout and many have found this podcast both comforting and laugh out loud funny.Produced and Presented by Amy Elizabeth.Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or ask 'Ask the BBC for Ouch' to your smart speaker.

Some people recovering from Covid-19 are experiencing chronic fatigue symptoms and struggling to manage their limited energy. Jade Gray-Christie tells her story and gets tips from two women who have lived with chronic conditions for years.Jade worked two jobs and attended the gym several times a week, yet after contracting coronavirus in March her life changed. The 32-year-old now sleeps up to 16 hours a day and is exhausted after doing one household task. Presenter Natasha Lipman, who has managed a variety of chronic illness symptoms throughout her adult life, introduces Jade to Jo Southall, an occupational therapist who has Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. From pacing yourself at work to hosting friends in your pyjamas, Jo and Natasha share the strategies which help them manage long-term pain, fatigue and poor mobility.Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Nathalie McGloin is the world's only female tetraplegic racing driver.But as a teenager she had no interest in cars or racing and had plans to become a lawyer.Then, two weeks into her A levels, a car crash changed everything. She broke her neck and lost the full use of her arms and legs.Nathalie spent 11 months in hospital, which she describes as similar to 2020's lockdown. Although it was far from easy, she says the time enabled her to figure out her passions and what she really wanted to do which eventually led her to a professional racing career.If you, or someone you know, has received exam results or is about to make big life decisions, this is the perfect podcast to listen to with plenty of tips on managing a future when plans are turned upside down.Presented by Beth Rose.Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Keiligh Baker was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia three years ago and became single just before the pandemic hit - now she's decided to give internet dating a go, but how does that work when cancer's involved? Emily Frost and Kirsty Hopgood join her from their childhood bedrooms to discuss the anxieties around treatment and how that has changed their appearance, the surprising messages they’ve received and whether to upload pictures to dating apps with or without hair.Neil MacVictor was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 25 and, after experiencing low confidence as a result, started taking dating classes with Shine Cancer Support. He found them so useful he now teaches the workshops himself.Produced by Amy Elizabeth. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Married couple Kiruna Stamell and Gareth Berliner haven’t been further than the local chemist since early March. That won’t change, they say, unless masks become mandatory in all public places or Gareth’s hospital deems it safe for him to attend appointments. Gareth’s nutrition has been delivered via a line in his chest for 20 years due to short gut syndrome. It keeps him alive but infections have led to numerous bouts of sepsis. Covid-19 would be more dangerous for him than most, so wife Kiruna also stays home to avoid coronavirus.Making Pirate and Parrot TV, a YouTube series for kids, has kept the comedian with Crohn’s and the actor with dwarfism busy during 18 weeks at home.Presented by Simon Minty. Produced by Emma TraceySubscribe to Ouch on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Face coverings are compulsory in shops and on public transport at the moment (with a few exemptions) – but how will it impact your day-to-day lives? Maddie Molloy lip-reads so sometimes needs people to remove their mask while Drew Miller Hyndman is autistic and rule-breaking makes him anxious. He wants everyone to wear face coverings wherever possible. Emma Tracey is blind and has discovered that wearing a mask changes the way she perceives her surroundings. How are you finding it? You can share your experiences by emailing ouch@bbc.co.uk Subscribe to Ouch's podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Only last year, 28-year-old Ben Robinson's alcohol dependency was so severe he was days away from death. Following a stint in rehab and months of hard work rebuilding his life, he felt his recovery had gone backwards when the world went into lockdown. With limited access to his support network and temptation growing by the day, Ben describes the mental and physical challenges he’s faced over the past three months and why he created his blog, Beyond the Bottle. Produced and presented by Amy Elizabeth. Subscribe to Ouch's podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Alex Brooker was born with impairments in all four limbs and has been cracking jokes about it on Channel Four’s The Last Leg since 2012. But becoming a dad and losing his own father has prompted Alex to take a more serious direction, and to ask some hard questions about his disability in a BBC Two documentary. How did his parents react when he was born with multiple limb impairments? Do his children mind having a disabled father? And should he really have quit going to hospital appointments as soon as he reached 18? Alex tells Emma Tracey how his kids capitalise on his need to don a prosthetic, about the surgery that went wrong, and the extremely competitive streak which recently got him in trouble at home. Alex Brooker: Disability and Me is available on BBC iPlayer. Presented and produced by Emma Tracey. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" on your smart speaker.