Co-host of ‘The Grumpy Gits’ podcast Simon Sansome talks about his experience of disability following Cauda Equina Syndrome spinal damage

He discusses how his disability stories have helped and influenced others, how he has worked on changing policies and his current involvement in research at Oxford University

Simon also candidly discusses how society is not fair or equal for those with a disability and how he is working to make positive change

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Now I’m working with Oxford University on the first research program ever
• Where I am now,  I’m a hundred times more successful than before I acquired my disability
• With Disability Access I wanted to raise awareness on access issues, initially, just in my local area
• Grumpy Gits is a light-hearted way of looking at life and the issues
• Humour is a good way to look at difficult issues and ask the challenging questions
• There are significant downsides to being disabled but the other side is the number of people I’ve helped and influenced, the stories I’ve written and the policies I’ve changed 
• Being a journalist and writing disability stories has an impact and implication
• I want to help and protect the community and I want to give back
• You need to rely on yourself and look for your own answers
• Snowball Community is a global  App that means you can leave a review about accessibility. The App will help people to interact with their local community

BEST MOMENTS

‘Because you have a personal interest in it and you care so much you put everything into it’

‘People have responded to it amazingly well and it's going from strength to strength’

‘It’s not an equal and fair society for people who are disabled’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Disabled & Proud Podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Disabled and Proud is the show that brings listeners a different perspective on disability. Each week this podcast highlights an awesome disabled guest speaking about their own disability; why they are proud to be disabled and why they are proud to be themselves. 

The conversations in this show will look at what challenges these amazing people face socially, mentally, physically and life in general. This show is raw, open, honest, funny, welcoming and educational. 

Disabled & Proud does exactly what it says on the tin! And whilst we are creating this space for disabled people to be unashamedly themselves, without need to conform to society, this is also not about toxic positivity. This show will be shining a big, bright light on disability without it being “Paralympic or pity”. 

As you will hear disability is WHOLE, COMPLETE & PERFECT and whilst the topic of disability can be quite heavy - and we definitely don't shy away from the bad days - this podcast is also about having fun too! Our aim is to play a part in reclaiming the word disability - turning it from inadequacy to perfection!