This Is Strong

Nia's role at the hospital focuses on keeping her area running smoothly on a day to day basis. Then we learnt that a virus was coming. Suddenly everything changed. How do you manage a hospital department in the face of such uncertainty? How can you prepare? ​Whilst many of us stayed home and managed our life from our houses, homeschooling and working. Nia had to keep going into the hospital. Working tirelessly to ensure as many people as possible could be treated safely.  Nia had to face enormous uncertainty at work, and then she had to worry about bringing the virus home. This is Nia. This is Strong.  www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong ​

An intelligent, independent successful woman used to solo travel decided on a business trip to take a hike. Something that Winnie had done many times before. It was the middle of the afternoon. She was prepared.  Later she would ask so many questions... What if I'd left 5 minutes earlier? What if it had rained? What if I had decided not to go at all. You only ask yourself these questions when something goes wrong. That day Winnie's paths crossed with a violent teenager and from that moment her life would never be the same again.  ​ Being a rape survivor. Winnie had to rebuild her life. She is now an advocate for survivors of sexual assault, and has written a book based on her experience, even writing an imagined history of her attacker. This is Winnie... This Is Strong.  www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong ​

How and why did This Is Strong start? Emma decided it was time that producer and presenter, Nicky was interviewed to find out a little bit more about her and also to hear about the inspiration and drive behind This Is Strong. This is Emma interviewing Nicky. This is Strong. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong ​

At the age of just 30 Chandra's doctor told her she had MS, and her life would never be the same. Living with a progressive disease has tested Chandra's resilience. She lives with never knowing fully what is coming next.  Five years on she explains how she is coping and what she does to keep herself positive.  One day she was walking and saw her reflection in a shop window and she didn't like what she saw. A line of poetry popped in her head about her MS. She went home and wrote a poem. Told very few people about it. During lockdown she found the time to put that poem to images and shared it online. Her secret was out and she was finally ready to talk publicly about her illness. This is Chandra. This is Strong. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong ​

I've known Tanya for many years and I have always admired her strength. She has managed tp carve out  successful career in a very difficult industry. Just over a year ago she decided to run the London Marathon to raise money for Alzeheimers Disease having never run before. This year she is doing it again. We catch up to talk running, how she's staying sane in lockdown and how positivity is now her driving force. This is Tanya. This Is Strong. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

This time I revisit Kate from Episode 3. This Is Kate. Last time Kate spoke about her multiple early stage miscarriages. This time I chat to Kate about what its like to be living in California during the lockdown whilst being 8 months pregnant with her third child. This is Kate Revisited. This is Strong. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Recorded whilst she was in Sydney on a working holiday India discusses what it was like living with her father's long term illness and subsequent death when she was at university. How does a young woman cope with her father's early death and where does she find her strength to move on with her own life? www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Mary was brought up as a strict Catholic so when she got married "in sickness and in health" meant an awful lot to her. Little did she know that she was in for years of cruelty and abuse. Her husband was a schizophrenic, and his condition meant that Mary never knew what was coming next. As she tried to manage the mounting debts that her husband inflicted on her she found herself working day and night to keep her and her children safe. This meant often leaving her children at home with their dad whilst she went to work.  ​ It was only years later that she discovered that she wasn't the only one who had suffered abuse.  ​ Mary is Cat's mum from the episode This Is Cat. She tells her own side of the story, and explains that whilst you can try and always do the right thing - sometimes it all turns out wrong anyway.  ​ Mary tells her story in the hope that if anyone stuck in an abusive relationship hears her story and finds strength from it - then it was worthwhile telling. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong ​ ​

Caroline cares for her elderly mother full time. Her mother is now 85% blind and on various medications. Caroline is on-call nearly 24/7. It's a truly difficult task, but Caroline manages to do it with enormous positivity. Not out of any sense of duty but because she wants to.  ​ She credits her husband and his amazing support, but she also credits love. The power that love can bring and how you can derive strength through it. Despite her own health struggles Caroline is determined that her mother will never be cared for by strangers.  This chat gave me chills and I'm sure you will feel the same. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Emma's story is full of love, family and success. All great until the love of her life was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Through living with his treatment and his passing, Emma has had to be strong for her children and learn how to navigate her own grief. She shares her story of how she has coped with the year following his death. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Jacq was living a great life. Following some issues in her menopause Jacq was advised to have a hysterectomy. It should have been a fairly routine operation. What followed was a string of surgeries, leaving Jacq with terrible results. How she has handled her trials of ill health with humour and strength is nothing short of miraculous. She is now working to educate health care professionals and patients so that others are spared some of the trauma that she has endured. This is Jacq. This is Strong. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Being born with profound hearing and sight impairment, Alexandra had obvious struggles in her life. With her amazingly supportive family and her own quiet strength and courage (and a hint of stubbornness) she has managed to fill her 25 years with enormous achievements.  ​ She's travelled the world independently and became a successful swimmer and skier. Unfortunately bouts of ill health forced her to rethink her path. Her next choice surprised everyone... She decided to become a doctor.  ​ From patient to doctor - Alexandra brings empathy and caring to everything she does. Her disabilities have never stopped her - and now they are only making her stronger. www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Following a difficult and at times traumatic childhood  Leanne spiralled out of control until one day she found the gym. Using excercise to find a path out of her destructive behaviours Leanne found she could manage her anxiety and depression through her commitment to the gym. Slowly she recovered and is now a qualified personal trainer helping others to reach their goals.  ​ She has a wealth of knowledge about all things exercise but particularly strength training and the benefits of lifting weights especially for women reaching a certain age - the benefits are countless.  ​ See you in the gym... www.this-is-strong.com Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Following the death of her mother from ovarian cancer Karen decided something had to be done. She set up a support group in Australia and her path in cancer research and support had begun.  Then suddenly tragedy struck again, this time it was her husband and farther to her two children. He had months to live. But Karen still didn't give up her fight.  She works tirelessly supporting cancer research to this day and is now looking towards prevention. She has a wealth of knowledge of female cancers and even some tips on prevention.  Its people like Karen that make us all a bit safer in this ongoing battle. Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

If you saw a person or animal in distress, how far would you go to help? Liz has dedicated her life to helping Rhinos who are only 10 years away from extinction.  ​ She is a naturally caring person - so when she hears of a desperate family who she hardly knows who are trying to find a kidney match for their very ill daughter. Liz offers to go for the test.  ​ It's a miracle - she's a match. ​ Would you have the courage to face major surgery to help someone else? ​ Liz does. Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

Pregnancy is rarely easy even when it runs smoothly, but what happens when things go wrong? Kate shares her story of multiple miscarriage in her own brave and frank way. She is now working to break the silence surrounding miscarriage in order to help others. This is Kate. This is Strong. Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

What would you do if your world suddenly crumbled and you had to start again? After finding the courage to confront her traumatic past Cat set out to rebuild her future, only for tragedy to strike again. In the most heartbreaking of circumstances Cat was thrust into a new life with new responsibilities and had no choice but to grow up quickly . Using grit determination and her never failing positivity Cat not only found light in the darkness, but she used that light to help show other people the way. Cat now works in safeguarding children in her local community and is an assistant principle at a large Senior School where she is head of mental health and well being. This is a truly inspiring story from a truly amazing woman. Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong

This is Fizzy. Soon to start her training for her 20th (yes 20th!!) London Marathon, Fizzy is a constant force of energy. She tirelessly accepts challenges, breaks world records (amazing stories- links soon) and raises money for various charities as she goes. Oh and did I mention she's done all this whilst raising 3 children? This is Fizzy. This is Strong. Facebook @thisisstrongpodcast Instagram @this.is.strong Twitter @this_strong