In this episode of Soundbites, Amy Goldman speaks with Sue Rogers, Director of Support, Information and Research at Meningitis Now.

5 October marks World Meningitis Day, aimed at raising awareness and driving meaningful change to create a future free from meningitis. In this episode, Sue covers:

• The signs and symptoms of meningitis and what to do if you think you have meningitis.
• Meningitis Now’s awareness raising campaigns including ‘No plan B for Men B’ and their contribution to the World Health Organisation’s mission to eradicate bacterial meningitis by 2030.
• The meningitis vaccination programme.
• What support Meningitis Now offer to people who have been impacted by meningitis.
• Details of Meningitis Now’s volunteers and the benefit that volunteering can have for those impacted by meningitis.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In this episode of Stewarts Soundbites, Emma Lyons and Dan Herman, Head of Personal Injury at Stewarts, discuss stress experienced by claimants involved in the litigation process.

The claimants we represent are already coming to terms with life changing injuries and often find themselves having to juggle the usual demands of family life, ongoing intensive rehabilitation across a number of disciplines, and an unfamiliar and potentially frightening litigation process.

Of course, every individual’s circumstances are different, but managing these competing instances often leads to stress. This can make things difficult for the claimant, their family and all the professionals involved. Understanding the process and the pressure points of litigation can be crucial in providing successful support, which may ultimately have an impact upon engagement and outcomes.

In this episode, Dan explores the likely stressors in the litigation process, flagging key stages which are bound to lead to higher levels of stress than others. He will offer practical advice for claimants, families and professionals in helping to successfully navigate such times.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In this special extended edition of Soundbites, Emma Lyons has an extended conversation with Dan Metcalfe, also known across the internet as ‘wheelsdan’.

After sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2014, Dan filled his life with sports of all kinds, in particular handcycling. Leaving his job to become a full-time athlete, he also channelled his passion for sport into various challenges to raise money for charity.

In 2018, in the midst of a month-long 600 mile charity hand-cycling ride, Dan was struck from behind by a speeding car and sustained a second serious injury. It was at this time that Dan began to struggle with his mental health, with his head injury affecting his ability to handcycle and live his life as he wanted.

Friends encouraged Dan to return in particular to diving, and it was the meditative practice that came with diving which gave him a new lease on life. He now dives all over the world and holds three Guinness World Records for diving.

In this episode, Dan talks at length about his journey following both injuries and the connection between physical and mental health. He talks about what he’s learned from his active lifestyle after injury, and gives his advice about the importance of physical exercise and talking about your situation to the long-term recovery process. Dan recommends those who have sustained an injury should “adventure down every route you can, and find something you can look forward to.”

We hope you listen to this very special episode, to hear about Dan’s inspirational story.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm