Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna

Purple House Cancer Support Centre is Ireland’s 1st Community based Cancer Support Centre, founded in 1990 by Veronica O'Leary after her own cancer experience made her realise that while she received excellent medical care, there wasn't much available by way of support for patients and their families to come to terms with the diagnosis and recovery. Clare went to Bray in Co. Wicklow to find out more about the work that they do. Breathwork expert and Wim Hof practitioner Neil O'Murchu has been a regular on this show and today he's back to talk about a personal journey involving his twin daughters which led him to retrain in breathwork for trauma and anxiety in children and teenagers And Niamh Malone had experienced social anxiety for as long as she can remember, when she found herself recovering from a stroke and faced with even more challenges she decided to set up an online platform to help people navigate common situations which can cause issue and urges family and friends to just listen.

Darren Kennedy is a TV presenter, columnist with the Sunday Independent and perhaps best known for his style and impeccable grooming. He spoke to Clare about what health and wellness means to him and a subject close to his heart, the Irish Cancer Society night nurses. Sinead Crowe runs Intuitive Eating Ireland with her sister Gillian and through their events and social media they spread the word of life away from diet culture and healing relationships with food and your body. She joined Clare to talk about how this can be applied to children, particularly when so many of them just constantly ask for snacks or treats – can you really introduce a life with no food rule? And Clare paid a visit to Drift Float Therapy and Salt Caves in Dublin for a few hours of bliss

As we start to get ready for back to school Clare meets a parent who's calling for a complete overhaul of how we treat neurodiversity as the current model isn't serving the teachers or the children. Michelle says her 9 year old said he didn't want to live as school caused so much anxiety and stress, she and educational psychologist Pauline Cogan will talk about how overwhelmed teachers and support assistants need to retrain to spot signs earlier and teaching methods will have to change to accommodate the now more diagnosed neurodiversity in each classroom. And Andrew Dunne is a healthcare professional who with this team help patients fight Arthritis, Atrial Fibrillation, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, Parkinson’s Disease and other conditions by prescribing exercise, not more pills.

Clare speaks to Aisling Drummond who has lodged a formal complaint as she says the BRCA community have been let down by hospital wait times, leaving them susceptible to developing cancer And Clare travels Off Grid in Wicklow to hear about the health benefits of sauna therapy.

Jenny Keane is a holistic sex educator who through her workshops online and in person is breaking down the barriers to having open and honest conversation about health and wellness in this very natural bodily function. She speaks to Clare about what true sexual wellness is, the definition of our sexuality and the many elements which hold us back. Denise Kenny Byrne is cofounder of The Headplan, a Life Coach and all round gem in the wellness world. Much of her work focuses on writing things down to make them happen. She speaks to Clare about financial wellness

Ian Ward was looking to make a few quid by taking part in a medical trail, a subsequent health check and MRI led to the discovery of a brain tumour and a life expectancy of around 5 years– this isn't an interview you're going to want to miss because you'll have an idea of what he'll have to say but the reality is a larger than life character on a mission to smash as many fundraising world records as he can or as he says - cure cancer or die trying. He joins Clare in Studio Also on the show is mindfulness educator and author Orlaith O'Sullivan. She is talking about her new book We Are All Flowers and the importance of introducing wellness tools to children.

Dr Hazel Wallace has been making a name for herself in the health and wellness industry as an NHS doctor, a registered nutritionist and online as The Food Medic. She joins Clare to talk about her third book The Female Factor and how she is using her voice to change up a male centric health model Clinical Psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy speaks to Clare about becoming your true self

Melissa Hemsley is a Cookery Writer, Chef and Sustainability Champion. She has written 5 cookbooks. She joins Clare to talk about her latest Feel Good and why her passion is promoting food that is nourishes our bodies, grows with the seasons where nothing is wasted and it of course tastes good. Yvonne O'Meara is a psychotherapist who works with people through all stages of cancer diagnosis and is a research coordinator at UCD. She talks Clare through the stages of a serious health diagnosis, the psychological impact and how to support it as well as her new project she's co founded looking to streamline cancer services. And an article in The Guardian this week sparked discussion on men in their midlife realising they are lonely and have little or no close friends. Has banter been the death of real connection?

Carly Keegan went on her first diet at the age of 12 and spent her life in a cycle of losing and gaining weight which ended with a poor relationship with food and her body, but she has now begun the process of healing. She tells her story. Clare takes a trip to Powerscourt Springs Health Farm to meet its owner and hear about its concept - that wellness is different for everyone. And Dr. Mark Rowe takes the time to talk through the basics of lifestyle medicine and how we can introduce it into our lives.

Prader Wili Syndrome – the condition where you never feel full and constantly seek food. We hear from a parent who wants the stigma to lift for her 9 year old son Henry. CEO of Breast Cancer Ireland Aisling Hurley discusses the latest advancements in treatments And performance nutritionist Sinead Bradbury gives her take on a holistic view of health and how you might not view yourself as an athlete but you should treat yourself like one