Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Disability Diaries With Steven Vine

Send us Fan Mail

We are honored to have a very special guest with us today. Dr. Joel Gagnon has taken time out of his busy schedule to talk about his work as a Vascular Surgeon. You expect to have a unique relationship with your surgeon, sometimes you may only have one or two visits or encounters with them, but Steve has had multiple procedures done by Dr. Gagnon. He is very challenged by his field of surgery and is always researching new 'tricks & tips' to learn to make improvements in his procedures. Dr. Gagnon started out in General Surgery, but he liked the complexity and sense of urgency of vascular surgery. This is a very interesting conversation; Dr. Gagnon shares a lot of fascinating information. And who knew that Steve and Dr. Gagnon (and Albert Einstein) would have something else in common, in their shared interest and curiosity in history! Thank you, Dr. Gagnon. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, the patient is someone who was referred to by a Doctor as a 'Ticking Time Bomb'. In other words, you may have another medical emergency, without warning, but it has been suggested that you just get on with your life and good luck. When you have had a previous medical emergency, it's probably a good idea to have screening and appointments done on a predetermined basis to make sure your health is still in check and not deteriorating. The patient usually knows their own body and state of health, and to be aware of signs that medical attention may be necessary. Sometimes it may also be a good idea to get a second or third opinion; especially if you question the medical advice that you have been given. This episode is a personal journey of one person and is not meant to give advice or to use someone else's medical opinion for your own situation. 

Send us Fan Mail

Just because a person has a disability, doesn't mean that they don't think about sex. 'Sex is something that you do, sexuality is who you are'. Join us as we delve into a conversation with sexologist Kate McBride.  Kate is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Sexual Health Rehabilitation program with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority; the only kind of recognized comprehensive program that exists in Canada. Kate got into this field because she was interested in helping people with sexual health, particularly when they have spinal cord injuries, but other disabilities are also counselled. The client can learn and consult at their own pace, the support is given and is available when they are ready to discuss and process it. The client may be going through a bit of a grief process, and if there may be a partner involved; it's a matter of communication and patience. Some stigmas may still be prevalent, because the disabled person may not be perceived as having sexual needs.

Services and resources | Vancouver Coastal Health

Home Sexual Health & STI Information in BC | SmartSexResource

Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability | Book by Miriam Kaufman, Cory Silverberg, Fran Odette | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

Send us Fan Mail

Michelle Kam is 39 years old, she has multiple sclerosis (MS) and she lives in a long term care facility. She has to have a shower and go to bed when the schedule permits. Most days, she has to stay in bed until 10 am. She maintains a positive attitude about living in a care home, even though she is one of the youngest residents' there. Michelle has to rely on nursing staff to assist her, she needs to use a lift, and she is at the mercy of their work schedules and rules that are out of Michelle's control. Michelle tries to be independent and runs a couple of businesses from her suite. She refers to herself as a 'social beast', and she feels fortunate that she has friends in the facility, and she has many visitors. She was diagnosed with MS at 31 years old and she had to move out of her family basement apartment; she has a child also. Her mom also has MS, but she had reassured her daughter that MS wasn't hereditary. She relishes the idea of a more independent living situation but is tentative of the unknown and what might happen to her.

Send us Fan Mail

The team presents the story of Rich who is married to Iris, as she suddenly loses all her vision, which makes Rich see things in a different light. Married almost 30 years, Iris lost her vision gradually about 20 years ago, until it took her remaining vision very quickly. (in about a months' time). Rich talks about Iris very proudly, how she adapted to her blindness, remains active and does volunteer work and is active in the low and vision loss community. They have 2 children, which they did not want Iris's blindness to affect them too much. Iris and Rich do a lot of activities, travelling, going to concerts, cooking, and spending time together. But Steve wanted Rich to address how he feels about being the spouse of a person who is blind. It may present some challenges, but overall - Rich takes into account the accessibility for Iris, but more importantly how they can adapt together. Be supportive and be patient is the message from Rich.

Send us Fan Mail

Disability doesn't have to stop you. No need to be a superhero to Rise Disabled, you just need to give yourself a chance, everyday! Etienne was born with Cerebral Palsy. He had 3 careers in his adulthood; firstly - a computer programmer for the Canadian Government, secondly - a United Church Minister, and currently as a disability Life Coach. Etienne had a lot of challenges in his life, but he persevered and found the resources to live to his full potential. When he was younger, he didn't think that he was any different from the other kids, until someone pointed it out. He asked his doctors when they were going to cure him. He found his calling to be a minister but found the accessibility difficult in traditional older churches! He found a need in the disability community for coaching, counselling and helping with resources - so he developed the coaching career to help other disabled people. He started out as a Peer Mentor but eventually preferred to be a Coach. His core values are joy, compassion and growth, expressing these values gives Etienne energy. If you decided to work with Etienne as a coach, he would create a specific program for you, depending on the stage that you are in with your disability.

Rising Disabled - Disability Coaching to rebuild purpose

Send us Fan Mail

When Josh was 2 years old, he was caught in and run over by a riding lawnmower. His right leg below the knee was severely damaged and had to be rebuilt. He adapted and dealt with those challenges pretty well through the years, but then when he was in his 30's he started to have heart problems - he had a few heart attacks, had stents put in and had a few strokes. He developed some issues in his right arm and is slowly losing the use of this arm. His doctors were baffled by his arm issue and that's why he attributes this to bad luck. He has bouts of chronic and debilitating pain which drains his energy and makes it hard for him to cope on some days. He fights through the pain on an almost daily basis with medication (34 pills a day) staying active and getting outside and walking his dogs. The pain in his right arm started in the late 2000's, he was losing muscle mass and finally decided to go to the Mayo Clinic in the US, a world-renowned specialized hospital. The doctors there had never seen a case like Josh's, so it could not be defined or properly diagnosed. Josh reflects with Steve on everything he has gone through with a surprisingly straightforward outlook and attitude.

Send us Fan Mail

Imagine this scenario: You are 27 years old, you've been in severe pain for years, you have eye surgery and then you wake up and you are permanently blind. This is what happened to Lynn Jensen. Her doctors told her that she may regain her sight in about 6 months time, but after 5 months she had a feeling that she would not regain her vision, which she did not. Her sight loss was due to an earlier brain injury. However, Lynn made it her mission to become a 'good' blind person. She became empowered when she started to learn some new skills as a blind person. She was later employed at a vision rehabilitation center, helping other people with vision loss, including: independent living, running workshops, and working as an independent consultant. Lynn was asked to write a short list of tips for travelling as a blind person. Once she started writing, the ideas just flowed and she had a lot of good info to share. The book took on a whole other life, and is now available to purchase. Lynn feels that low or no vision should not be an impairment to enjoying a travel experience. 

 Guide Dog Handler Lynn Jensen Launches New Travel Book for People with Sight Loss - BC & Alberta Guide Dogs 

 Home - Blind Travel Tips 

Send us Fan Mail

Independence: Something very valuable that the disabled person does not want to lose. In this episode Steve and Chris discuss the topic of independence, and how Steve adapts being a disabled person. While Steve does live on his own, his independence is a little unique; because he is 100% blind and, in a wheelchair, he cannot necessarily leave his apartment on his own for his own safety. In the earlier time after Steve had the medical emergency that rendered him disabled, Steve had to relearn a lot of the day-to-day activities he used to perform as an abled bodied person. His self-esteem was quite affected, because he became reliant on other people to do just about anything. However, it is important to set up systems in place to assist a disabled person, depending on what their needs and limitations are. Steve has also benefitted from having the CSIL program (Choices in Supports for Independent Living). The technology that Steve uses also gives him independence - from Alexa, Siri, You Tube, audiobooks, and podcasts. 

Send us Fan Mail

Steve interviews Brian Bell, who is a quadriplegic and lives in British Columbia. Brian was 38 when his life changed forever. He was living and working in a regional park doing numerous jobs and maintaining the park. He really enjoyed living there with his family and working on improving the home that came with the position. On an ordinary day, Brian decided to ride an all-terrain vehicle down an embankment. Brian hit the sand, flew forward with the vehicle, and landed on his head in between 2 large rocks, heard a 'pop' and a 'squish' in his head/neck area. Naturally, Brian was disoriented and couldn't move. He was eventually found by a couple of hikers, as he was lying on the ground - but couldn't yell for help. He assumed that he had broken his neck. He spent time in the hospital and was eventually transferred to GF Strong (a rehabilitation hospital in Vancouver). He came to the realization that he was mainly paralyzed from the neck down - no one had to tell Brian this. However, Brian can use his hands and arms to some degree. Brian has recorded 28 episodes of a podcast: QuadLife, talking with other quadriplegics. Listen to Brian's honest account as he maintains a remarkably positive attitude. QuadLife Podcast - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Send us Fan Mail

Steve, Chris and Michelle Hewitt talk about the 10th anniversary of when Steve had his triple A medical emergency, his life changed forever, and he became a multi disabled person. Michelle does a great job of interviewing Steve; including asking him how he learned how to become a disabled person, how he overcame the anger and adjustment and bounced back to get on with his life, and how he came to do his podcast. You can tell that Steve really enjoys doing the podcast, and the sense of accomplishment he has in recording more than 60 episodes to date now - all of them are very unique and eclectic. He wants to continue to find interesting guests with great stores to tell. The other project that Steve accomplished is writing his book, Beyond Green Eyes: The Day I Died, The Life I Began (available on Amazon)   HOME | Stevenvine

Send us Fan Mail

Jaime was born 3 months premature and diagnosed at an early age with Cerebral Palsy. The doctors told his parents not to expect too much (a discouraging statement from the medical community). Jaime wanted to be like everyone else, so he was determined to prove this statement wrong. He didn't want to be the 'underdog', he wanted to fight for what he believed in - himself. He struggled in school and was told by his parents not to get his hopes up. But he was determined to try - for example: learning to ski, swim, scuba dive, skateboard, drive a car, or ride a motorcycle. He accomplished all of these goals, because he fought for the right to try. Fast forward to this year, and Jaime wrote a book entitled: 'Staggering to Success; the Body resisted, but the Will didn't'  He resisted the idea at first of writing a book, but he ended the book on a positive note - Jaime is grateful for his disability, what he has and what he can do. He writes about the highs and lows of his life, and he hopes that his readers can relate to his challenges and see themselves in his story. Jamie-Lange

Send us Fan Mail

We all know that as a disabled person, we have many mountains to climb. In Robert Hill's case, this is not just a metaphor - he is the real deal as a mountain climber with an Ostomy. Robert was diagnosed with Crohn's and Colitis when he was 23 years old. He led a very adventurous life and this diagnosis devasted Rob. He found meditation very helpful, as suggested by his brother. Once he got his Ostomy, he went into Ostomy supply sales. He realized that most people were not even that aware how a person with an Ostomy functions, nor do they notice as much as the person themselves do - in other words, it is not something to be self conscious about, and who cares (as Rob says). Rob climbed 7 mountain summits - a feat impressive in itself, but more challenging with an Ostomy, There are also some advantages to having an Ostomy pouch and mountain climbing - Rob explains this in a candid manner. We feel that this episode we have put together is very interesting and inspiring, whether you have an ostomy or not. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Albert Ruel from British Columbia. Albert started to lose his vision in his early 20's; and then lost it completely by the time he was 34. He devoted the rest of his career to the disability, non-profit sector; previously he was in Forestry. Albert was inherently afraid of the dark, and he feared the day when his sight would be completely gone - but he actually felt a sense of relief, which he didn't expect. There was no more adjustment for him. Albert has lots of words of wisdom, not only if you are newly blind, but good advice for any of us. Albert worked for the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) in different capacities, as well as the CCB (Canadian Council for the Blind), and various other non-profits, from fundraising to technical. Albert currently lives in Parksville, BC where he is happily retired, but remains busy in his community doing volunteer work and enjoying his life staying active and engaged.

Send us Fan Mail

Steve and Chris talk with Amanda Lockitch. Amanda has a background in theatre, film, teaching and public speaking. She is currently the Research and Outreach Manager for the non-profit organization Disability without Poverty. They are a rather small but collaborative group, based all over Canada, comprised mainly of individuals with their own disabilities. Disability Without Poverty (DWP) was established when activists across the country united to combat poverty related to disabilities. The main goal is to get the word out about the Canada Disability Benefit. Individuals with disabilities in Canda are roughly 27% of the population, and we will all likely be in that group in the future due to aging or other unforeseen circumstances.  Amanda has some chronic health conditions herself but does not fit the disability category (as she defines it). She has a son on the autism spectrum, who was diagnosed at the age of 2. 

Disability Without Poverty

Send us Fan Mail

Marie LeBlanc is a Canadian artist (photographer, performance, video) and an advocate for environmental sensitivities. Marie lives with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and Lyme disease. Her MCS makes her extremely sensitive to various exposures including: cleaning products, perfumes, electrical devices and the most devasting - mold. Her disability has forced her to live unconventionally in a van to protect Marie from the exposure to chemicals found in conventional housing. Marie has made it her life's work to advocate for herself and others by bringing attention to this rare disorder. She has collaborated with people and groups to raise awareness about MCS through her art. 

Marie LeBlanc - Arts AccessAbility Network Manitoba

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with John Cooper from Columbus, Georgia, who is a Physical Therapist Assistant working with the lower limb loss community. John has a particular passion for the work that he does and continues to practice his passion for the last 18 years. John talks about his grandfather, and how his recovery from brain surgery fueled John's passion to help others in rehabilitation. John tells the story about travelling with a below the knee amputee to a conference in Las Vegas, and what he learned from that trip. John also talks about support and how mental rehabilitation can be just as helpful as physical rehabilitation. He enjoys motivating his clients by giving them high fives, fist bumps and sharing the joy and satisfaction in their accomplishments. 

Send us Fan Mail

Steve interviews Lisa Gausman, a fellow ostomate, and an amazing human being. Lisa noticed she may have had an illness in her teenaged years. Her mother decided to pursue intervention for Lisa, and she was immediately diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She had 15 abdominal surgeries after that diagnosis. She was put on some serious medication at the age of 16. Things started to get worse, and she had 17 more surgeries - leading to getting the ileostomy, and then a serious medical incident - leading to the removal of 17 feet of her GI (gastrointestinal) tract. Lisa shares a lot of personal stories of how her condition, her chronic pain, and prescription medication affected her life and her relationships. Fast forward some years later, and Lisa decided to do some advocating for Ostomy, and became the editor of Ostomy Canada magazine. (which is currently experiencing an uncertain future) She also did some work for the Ostomy Canada youth camp; this was truly her passion for 19 summers - that one week every summer fueled Lisa's internal gas tank!

Send us Fan Mail

Steve and Chris talk with Dr. Marla Inducil, the Director of Medical Research at BC Diabetes in Vancouver. Marla's work focuses on diabetes research, but the three of us talk about various topics including: Type 1 vs. Type 2, eating, shopping and portion control. Exercise, fasting and making good choices at the grocery store. (We previous talked about this topic with Tristan Elliott in Episode 23). The bottom line is: we are all responsible for our own health and making sensible choices to ward off Diabetes, and some of the current medication available to assist the patient. This may be a very serious topic, but we have a bit of a casual light hearted talk while still giving solid information.

BCDiabetes - British Columbia Diabetes Care, Research, and Education

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Monica Gartner and Walt Lawrence about Faith, Spirituality and God. This discussion is far from preachy - but rather offering some personal perspectives on how people can find their own ways to cope with disabilities; whether it is within their own hearts, in a church, or in their own community. You may recognize Monica from a previous episode - as the Dynamo in a Wheelchair. Monica offers a thoughtful perspective from her own personal experiences. Walt also speaks to his open mindedness as he works as a counsellor at GF Strong to newly disabled individuals. We hope that you will listen to this episode with an open mind and an open heart.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Mike Bolland, who has his own podcast entitled: 'We're not Stumped'. Mike's podcast serves as motivation to share survival stories, recovery journeys, and real-life success stories from the limb loss and disability community. Mike is a one handed cancer survivor and the first person with limb loss to compete on the PBA Tour (Pro Bowling Association), Mike is also a speaker and stand up comedian, using humour and real life experiences to challenge the perceptions around disability. We're not stumped. Not by limb loss. Not by fear. Not by anything life throws our way. We’re Not Stumped | Motivational Podcast Featuring Survival Stories, Recovery Journeys & Disability Stories - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Send us Fan Mail

In this special episode, Steven welcomes Dr. Michelle Hewitt and Dr. Ricky Manhas to talk about MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying). Michelle gives her perspective as the spouse of a patient who used MAID last year. Michelle is also the Chair of the Disability without Poverty non-profit organization. Dr. Manhas gives his perspective as a Family Doctor who has guided patients who have made this request, and he's also Steve's GP.  It's a very thought provoking episode with a thoughtful discussion outlining the guidelines for MAID, Track 1 vs. Track 2, the compassionate vs. medical aspects of this decision and how it affects patients and their families. We would be interested in hearing your thoughts if this controversial topic has touched you or your family in some way. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this special 50th episode of the podcast, Steve talks about the writing of his new book: 'Beyond Green Eyes: The Day I Died, the Life I Began'. The episode starts out with Chris reading the Prologue of the book. If you're interested in hearing more from the book - it is available to purchase on Amazon. (Hardcover, softcover or Kindle)  Beyond Green Eyes: The Day I Died, The Life I Began: Vine, Steven: 9781997730835: Books - Amazon.ca

Steve would like to thank Life Sized Publishing for publishing this book. As a blind person, 'writing' the book was a challenge - but Umer and his team guided Steve along the way and even supported him while he unexpectantly landed in the hospital for 2 months in the middle of this process. Book Publishing Services for Authors | Life Sized Publishing

HOME | Stevenvine

Send us Fan Mail

Steve talks with Thomas Exler from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, who was born with a very rare congenital birth defect known as bladder exstrophy. As Tom describes it, his bladder was like a balloon on the outside of his body. He had to have this removed at the age of 4. His mother created the first ostomy group in the world for caregivers of children with this condition. Bladder exstrophy brought Tom numerous challenges, including multiple surgeries and long hospital stays as a child. Yet, it also offered him countless blessings—chief among them, the opportunity to become a lifelong advocate for others living with similar conditions. In 2010, Tom established Courage to Shine™, a patient-centered initiative that honors individuals born with genitourinary birth defects who have grown to become outstanding role models. The project also serves as a platform for motivational presentations and global outreach.

Bladder Exstrophy, Resilience, and Global Advocacy: The Journey of Thomas Exler – Courage to Shine™

Send us Fan Mail

Steve interviews Jared Taylor, from Washington state. In his younger days, Jared's life consisted mainly of construction and skiing. He decided to buckle down and pursue a career as an EMS, working as an emergency medical technician and firefighter. In 2012 he sustained an injury as a trail runner, as he loved the outdoors. While running one day, he experienced a misstep which led to a life changing injury. He required a below the knee amputation in 2015. While going through the process of adjusting to the amputation, Jared found that there was limited support in his area. He went through a difficult time of pain, surgeries, referrals and wheelchair use before he finally got the amputation. In 2024, he decided to start his own podcast: 'Amputee for Life'. His podcast focuses on testimonials from amputees, family members, and professionals in the limb loss community. Steve and Jared talked about their shared commonalities - besides the amputation, pain, medication, and they were both avid runners. If you are an amputee or have some involvement in this topic, please feel free to contact Steve or Jared for support. 

Amputee For Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Dr. Ghobadi about medical screening. He has experience working in emergency medicine, medical clinics, as well as screening, diagnosing and patient care. He did his schooling and training in his home country of Iran but moved to Canada a few years ago and is continuing to pursue medicine. Steve wanted to talk about this topic, because he feels if he had more screening done for himself, it may have lessened the severity of some of his disabilities. Screening is a great tool to determine if preventative treatment would be useful and helpful.  Dr. Ghobadi describes some of the most important medical screening procedures, when and why they should be performed. Always consult with your family doctor, a medical clinic or a hospital as to what is right for you, as these are guidelines only.

Send us Fan Mail

Linda Siegel is a retired professor from the University of British Columbia, who taught educational psychology. In this episode, Linda talks with Steve about dyslexia because she feels this is a very important condition to talk about. Her quote is from a 10 year old boy with dyslexia, which Linda elaborates more in her conversation with Steven. Linda did a lot of research about children and how they struggled with reading, and she also worked in schools trying to help children with their dyslexia. She did her research over 45 years ago, but she finds there can still be improvements even to this current day in helping people to manage their dyslexia by getting the right tools at an early age.

Dyslexia Canada

Send us Fan Mail

Steven interviews Evan Starnes who was born totally blind. Evan lives in the Denver, Colorado area, works for the non-profit organization 'Aftersight' and produces and hosts a technology podcast called Blind Level Tech. (And he doesn't mind being called Nerdy Evan). He had a white cane in his hand by the time that he was 3 years old. When you listen to the episode, you will likely think that Evan sounds like he was a scrappy kid with a good attitude. Fast forward a few years later, and he started working with Aftersight; which started out producing audio newspapers and magazines for the blind and low vision community - they eventually starting producing podcasts. Evan wants people to understand and not be afraid of the technology and bring knowledge to everybody's level without being overly complicated. (Plus they talk on his podcast about sandwiches) 

Blind Level Tech - Aftersight

Send us Fan Mail

Erez is an amputee; right leg below the knee - by choice.  Instead of asking himself - Why me or Why did this happen; Erez found a beautiful gift wrapped up in some terrible circumstances. A former elite commando and survivor of three near-death experiences, including a car crash, a heart attack, and a life-changing medical decision to amputate his leg- Erez’s journey from survival to thriving is not just inspirational; it’s instructional. He experienced much pain, adversity and challenges - which eventually led him to his current profession in public speaking, workshops and coaching.

https://erezavramov.com/

Send us Fan Mail

Steve and Chris talk with Emily and David. Emily Price is the Program Coordinator at CVS (Community Ventures Society) a non-profit organization in Port Moody, British Columbia. The mission of CVS is as follows (from their website): 'To open doors to opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families so that they live the life they choose. We are committed to enhancing the quality of our services through advocacy, innovation and collaboration. We strive to inspire the community to join us in creating positive social change.' 

David is a day program attendee of CVS. He is non-verbal, has cerebral palsy, and he uses AAC (augmentative communication device), which is an ipad with special picture keys and a keyboard that provides the voiceover for what David types into the device. We hope that you can take the time to listen to this episode and appreciate the work that both Emily and David do in the community. Home - Community Ventures Society

Send us Fan Mail

Jeff Tiessen is a 45+ years double-arm amputee, Canadian Paralympic gold medalist and world record holder. He is the publisher of 'Thrive' magazine - Living Well with Limb Loss, an award winning journalist with over 1,000 published features to his credit, and multiple recipient of numerous disability related and sports awards. He's an educator, advocate and sought after public speaker. He also hosts a monthly podcast - 'Life and Limb', all about living well with limb loss, sharing lived experiences and practical advice. 

Life & Limb - A monthly podcast about Living Well with Limb Loss

Send us Fan Mail

Kent was born with poor vision. He was active in sports as a young person, in spite of his vision issues. As time went on, his vision continually lessened. He had to change career paths a few times because of his vision. He was considered legally blind by the time he was in his 30's. He eventually started to work for the CNIB (Canadian Institute for the Blind) and started a peer support group. Once he went totally blind, he started up his own business which he still manages today. 'Magnify' supplies low vision equipment and serves the needs of anyone experiencing vision loss utilizing Kent's experience, knowledge, and expertise. Through empathy and understanding and by providing physical and education tools, the barriers of vision loss can be conquered.

Kent keeps active in Kelowna, British Columbia with Dragon Boating, Curling and Outdoor hiking. 

MagnifyMe! | We help you conquer the barriers of vision loss.

Send us Fan Mail

Steve and Chris talk with Kari Krogh, PhD Psychology and the founder of Eco Wisdom. Kari's quote from meditation teacher, Tara Brach, has a special meaning for people with disabilities who experience social and systemic barriers (outside the personal body) that shape our experience of living with disability. Within the EcoWisdom Community where accessibility in forest bathing/ shinrin yoku is promoted, we find that nature reminds us that our disabled body/minds are simply a natural expression of biodiversity. As part of Kari’s journey of living with a fluctuating, complex chronic illness disability, she has become certified as a mindfulness meditation teacher, interfaith spiritual director and forest therapy guide. We hope that you enjoy this episode.

ecowisdom forest preserve

Send us Fan Mail

Prior to having ostomy surgery, Janet spent more time in the hospital than out of it. Crohn’s disease had been ravaging her entire digestive system and had necessitated multiple bowel resections. It finally reached a point in 1996 when Janet was in her early twenties and 31 weeks pregnant that the doctors declared that she had reached a point where ostomy surgery was her only option, and it was imperative that they deliver her daughter immediately and give her a jejunostomy. (When you listen, Janet gives great medical explanations). Janet and Steve also discuss invisible disabilities, as well as illness and gender bias in the medical community.

She eventually turned to Ostomy Hamilton for support, a local non-profit group based out of her hometown. Both Janet and her partner Mike are proud to serve as co-presidents of Ostomy Hamilton and are pleased to be able to facilitate a safe space where new ostomates and their families can learn to better understand their ostomy and express their feelings, good or bad in a supportive environment.

About — Ostomy Hamilton     HOME - Ostomy Canada Society   Mrs. Janet Elaine Paquet | The Governor General of Canada

Send us Fan Mail

Steve interviews former mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan, in an open discussion that gets quite candid. Sam talks about his former political life and his current life with his foundation: The Disability Foundation.  

Sam broke his neck in a 1978 skiing accident, aged 19. He found himself tetraplegic, unable to dress or feed himself, let alone continue playing active sports or making music. Or so it seemed at the time.

Over an intensive 20-year period, Sam built a succession of non-profit groups offering opportunities to people with physical disabilities in Vancouver and across Canada. As much as anything, he formed the groups because of his years of depression – to send a message of hope to people in despair.

Sam’s Story - Disability Foundation

Send us Fan Mail

Chantal was born with no vision, grew up in Quebec, and moved to British Columbia as a child and she learned how to live with her disability. Chantal loves her involvement and responsibility as she engages with the CCB (Canadian Council of the Blind) BC/Yukon Division. The Canadian Council for the Blind (CCB) is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals who are blind, deaf-blind, or living with low vision through advocacy, support, and community engagement.  Email: ccb@ccbnational.net Toll-Free: 1 877-304-0968

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, the last guest on our show (Walter Lawrence from GF Strong), interviews Steve! Walt asks Steve some very intimate questions about Steve's recovery, outlook, goals and his future. Walt's experience as a mentor and counsellor at GF Strong, makes him a very curious and straightforward interviewer. Steve shows his vulnerability as he reflects on his life post his accident. We hope that you enjoy listening to this special episode during the holiday season. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Walt Lawrence from GF Strong rehabilitation hospital. When he was 17 years old, he took a dive in shallow water off a seawall, hit the bottom and broke his neck. Walt instantly because a quadriplegic. In the hospital in Kelowna, he was hooked up to a ventilator, and he could not speak. He remained positive that he was going to get through this. Walt wondered how his parents coped with his injuries; but he just knew that he could count on them. An educator by nature, he would engage with people and started to adjust to his vulnerability, and he eventually allowed people to help him. While doing rehabilitation at GF Strong, he was asked to help other injured clients with consulting, counselling and support, which he's done for the past 36 years. Walt is the epitome of a guru/mentor for others. 

G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre | Vancouver Coastal Health

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Zafira Nanji who is a caregiver on many different levels. Besides her son who is neurodivergent, which can be an exploding controversy in some circles; Zafira has also had challenges with her parents' health, their passing, and her own grief. She is a doula, a human resources manager and an author of children's books. Her motto is 'Have Fun' (inspired by her father) and 'Never alone' (inspired by her mother). These phrases are indelible to Zafira as permanent tattoos on her arm in her parent's own handwriting using tattoo technology. 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve talks with Agust who lives in Iceland. Our guest has had 2 serious conditions: Ostomy care and bouts of manic episodes. He's had a very challenging life as he was affected with manic episodes when he was 19 years old. He also dealt with colitis and cancer, which led to the removal of his colon and getting an ostomy. He is an avid mountaineer and leads an active outdoor lifestyle. The news of his health challenges was very difficult. To help in his healing process, he started to move and get back to the outdoors - which turned out to be a very positive motivation for him. He found a supportive network in the ostomy community which gave him life and opportunities. His manic condition at 19 manifested itself in bizarre beliefs of something powerful. He struggled with institutions and medication, but he finally found positive care and was ready to heal and become whole again. He is very open about his struggles, which he wrote a book about based on his own life. His story is his strength.

His Book: "Nights of Nonsense: an Icelandic memoir of healing and hope"

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Steve interviews Deborah James Sabo - a student of Therapeutic Recreation, which is therapy designed to improve the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of the individual seeking help with cognitive challenges. Debra has a diverse background, but found her interest to be in the emerging field of therapeutic recreation. She is working mostly with older adults with dementia; but the other areas that she also works with are children, youth, mental health and workplace wellness. She enjoys helping other people and seeing their quality of life improving, with the additional domain of spiritual fitness and wellness coaching.

Adult Cognitive Wellness CentreWe Focus on Ability | Langley

Send us Fan Mail

As a younger man, Marty was into sports big time. He eventually worked in the tech industry as a technician for Apple.  He slowly lost his vision completely. Marty eventually applied his technical experience into 2 Podcasts entitled 'Unmute' and 'Code Orange' (on the Aftersight Network). Unmute is a podcast focused on technology for blind and visually impaired users. Code Orange is the disability inclusive guide to emergency preparedness for the blind and low-vision community. No hype - just what to do before, during and after a crisis.  You think your life is tiring? Try being a blind person - it takes a lot of energy to compensate for the lack of sight. 

Unmute Podcast Network - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Code Orange - Podcast - Apple Podcast

Stream Podcasts - Aftersight

Send us Fan Mail

Steven talks with Seaver Stafford, a representative from the Neil Squire Society, a Canadian national not-for-profit organization that helps Canadians with disabilities through advocacy, computer-based, assistive technology, research and development, and various employment programs. There are four locations across Canada. Seaver also hosts a podcast on Spotify "We have solutions"

Send us Fan Mail

Unedited, uncensored, and raw. Please join Steven and Chris as we warmly reflect the project’s first year, including memories of: unforeseen challenges, memorable episodes, and other anecdotal stories. All said with a sense of humor and candor over a bottle of bubbly. Don’t miss the announcement at the end (before the abrupt ending)

Send us Fan Mail

Steve has a candid discussion with Andy Manson, a recently retired Ostomy nurse about the crappy and not so crappy sides of having and caring for an Ostomy You will find topics that you can slide right into, it's a slippery slope - but Steve and Andy think you won't find anything stinky about this episode. After all, as Andy reminds us: it's just poop. HOME - Ostomy Canada Society

Send us Fan Mail

Steve has an ever so interesting conversation with Brian Mackie; representative of Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada about the challenges of teaching the visually impaired technology and other tasks. Collectively, Steve and Brian cover the use of iphones, smart speakers, computers, braille, and other tasks around the house that might be of use to help clients living a higher quality of life with their disability. Brian is extremely focused and passionate about what he teaches, as Brian is also blind himself. If you know someone who is new to vison loss and needs support with learning how to adapt to blindness, contact Home | Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada.

Send us Fan Mail

Steve and Chris talk to Dr. Alyssa Hodgson, a pain specialist doctor at CPRI (Canadian Pain & Regenerative Institute); a multidisciplinary clinic in Vancouver and New Westminster. Steve has a personal connection with Dr. Hodgson, as she has been treating Steve for his chronic pain for over a year now, as he continues to see her and other doctors in the pain clinic. Pain management can be very complicated and different for each person – but Dr. Hodgson suggests that if you have chronic pain, you start with PainBC.ca   Even though this is a very serious topic, as pain can be a debilitating disability – we managed to share some laughs in this episode. 

Send us Fan Mail

Steve talks with Mark Stockbrocks, who is a triplegic  (meaning he only has the use of his right hand and arm). Mark discusses his accessibility program which means that Mark will slap your business with a sticker if you don't meet the accessibility standards for a person in a wheelchair.  

Mark had a lifechanging incident when he was in his 30's; just as he was about to embark on a new career in firefighting. He was attending a CFL football game and suddenly fell down and lost consciousness. He was intubated and on life support in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Mark ended up having 2 life saving brain surgeries, and at some point heard a nurse say that he was a paraplegic. Mark does his best to recollect the events of his hospital experience. 

Mark has made it his mission to discuss and promote wheelchair accessibility. He talks with people in government to share his accessibility concerns and to try and promote awareness and change. He approaches businesses who should improve their wheelchair access, by pointing out the problems and offering the solutions. He has created stickers which he will give to buildings/offices who have great accessibility; but watch out: he will be back if you need improvements and he will definitely follow up.

Follow Mark on social media, including: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube @markstockbrocks (@strokerecoveryeverywhere) accessstickers.blogspot.com

Send us Fan Mail

Steve converses with Grant as he expertly articulates his world of blindness. From his journey at birth until his life now as a champion podcast host on the AMI Network; Grant talks about his life growing up with vision impairment, his high school experiences, and then as a student at the University of British Columbia. After university he joins the AMI Network (Accessible Media Inc.) as the eloquent host of The Pulse; which is a very specialized podcast for the visually impaired community and information driven for the listener. The Pulse - Podcast - Apple Podcasts  AMI Channel Guide | Accessible Media Inc.  (1) Grant Hardy | Facebook

Send us Fan Mail

Steve has a great conversation with Tristan, who is the Director of Business Development for BC Diabetes in Vancouver. As Tristan explains, he is a 'business guy' and not a medical professional. Tristan's father, Dr. Tom Elliott is the Founder and Medical Director at BC Diabetes. Tom eventually recruited his son to work with the organization. This was just about the time of the Covid pandemic, which changed everything as we know, regarding in person and virtual appointments in medicine. Tristan also talks about the evolution of Diabetes devices and monitors, Insulin pumps, and new medications. He explains the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: symptoms, conditions and treatments. You can visit BC Diabetes with a referral from a health care professional.

BCDiabetes - British Columbia Diabetes Care, Research, and Education

LifestyleRx - Diabetes Reversal Program