#7 - September 2024
A summary of the month's insights, stories and a flavour of what's to come
September has been a bit of a blur, which is why I love these newsletters. It forces me to reflect, appreciate and be excited for things to come – this unfortunately includes accepting that summer is officially over ☔️
Nonetheless, September was a busy month. Personally, I moved flat, which is normally a recipe for a flare-up, so I’ve been extra mindful. Professionally, we grew our team and we collaborated on some exciting content pieces.
So, let’s start with…
What Caught My Attention?
As we navigate the healthcare landscape together, the recent NHS report by Lord Garzi highlights challenges familiar to many of us—underfunding and long wait times. However, there’s hope: “The NHS is now an open book. The issues are laid bare for all to see. And from this shared starting point..."
We like uncomfortable and intersectional discussions at InflamMed. This article by Lindsay Johnstone on losing her orgasm is incredibly raw and we need more of it. This line particular resonated and perhaps with you too:
“I get it: it’s sensitive stuff – literally – but I can’t be alone and I want to talk about it with you.”
Lindsay talks about her puzzlement over being diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 41, when the symptoms had been there all along, as well as her frustrations with the healthcare system and much more. A reminder to check out our guest post from Chloe Wheeler on her journey with PCOS.
Come as you are but what if you... can't? By Lindsay Johnstone; Lord Garzi We also like perspectives and this recent article in the New Statesman by Tracey Thorn spells out what it feels like to watch someone you love go through chronic illness.
“You can’t truly share in pain, or suffering; you can’t share stays in hospital, or scans, or drug treatments.”
Titling the Lens, a disability consultancy, have put a call out for research participants, it’s paid, but they are specifically looking for people who face challenges with dressing, shopping, or any aspect of clothing access.
What We’ve Been Up To
We welcomed India Hosten-Hughes as our Head of Marketing and Communications. We also welcomed our newest contributing writer Elyse Robi, an incredible advocate for chronic illness and neurodiversity. And no surprise at all - Dr Charlotte Bonneau was promoted to Editor!
I took part in an expert panel on autoimmune diseases hosted by our partners Kuma Health, alongside a Clinical Rheumatologist at King’s College London (my hospital!) and the Director of National Partnerships at Arthritis UK. It was fun, a little spicy, but overall well-balanced.
The latest releases on the Invisible Insights podcast:
Meet Inder Virdi: after navigating his own chronic illness, he transformed his life by becoming a nutritional therapist and health coach. His focus on diet brought remarkable improvements, sparking his passion to guide others on their health journeys. He debunks myths around vegetables, fatty acids and intermittent fasting.
To complement this podcast, Dr Charlotte Bonneau found this easy-to-digest article in the NY Times: “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but certain dietary patterns are more associated with longer lives than others.”
As a result of this discussion and the media attention around Elle Macpherson’s cancer journey, I was motivated to write about the dangers of cherry-picking information, which does not in any way lessen how glad we are that Elle is well.
Meet Abi Boughton-Thomas: a captivating coach and solution-focused therapist. Drawing from her own mental health challenges and her husband’s ADHD, Abi shares her inspiring transition from speech therapy to positive psychology. She focuses on strengths-based coaching and trauma-safe practices while offering valuable insights on integrating coaching into the NHS.
What We Are Excited About
Mark your calendars! Our season finale of Invisible Insights features Dr. Hannah Coysh, a GP in Yorkshire. She discusses the crucial role of empathy in medical training and her holistic approach to grief counselling for GPs dealing with miscarriage. I learned so much during our conversation, including how exposure to nature can enhance healing!
We will soon be launching a series on pregnancy and chronic illness. Why now? Hum… I doubt I am the only one to be asked – first thing – by consultants whether I’m pregnant or expecting to be so (presumably because of my medication and my ripe age...). Now that I am finally thinking about it, I have no clue where to begin! So, I have turned to some of you and started asking “what can I expect?” And that’s how our conversation with Elyse Robi began. Her story and insights really resonated with us and we can’t wait for you to read the series.
We will announce our next podcast season shortly. Expect some changes, including a new theme tune and a new look! We will be doing a call out for guests in the near future, so please keep an ear and an eye out - we want to continue telling your stories.
Now that the paralympics are over, I want to end with something to think about. I think we all agree that paralympians are professional athletes, just the same as olympians. Why have parallel games? Why have two ceremonies more precisely?
While it is logistically completely understandable that having all sporting events at the same time would be difficult – if not unsafe – there is no reason not to have paralympians and olympians opening and closing the games together. I would hate to speak for Céline Dion, but I am certain she was singing for all of us that night from the Eiffel Tower.
Until next time,
Natasha