The Sit Down Stand Out Show

Life can change in an instant, for Brandon Parks the last few years have been and a battle within his body and his mind after sustaining a spinal cord injury and nearly loosing the functionality in his legs and hands at just 25. On this episode join us for a deep discussion about how through adversity we find our true friends, how Brandon became Professor Parks in the gaming world and how his cont...

Traumatic events can cause decades worth of issues emotionally and physically for Post Surgical Confidence Recovery Coach Kim Black even three decades after her pioneering hip surgery at age 4 still had a lot of emotions to work through with. her family. On this episode join us for a unique look into Kim's journey of self healing, what its like for to help clients rebuild themselves emotionall...

Beth Deer was born with a condition called Optic Nerve Hypoplaysia but, somehow she was able to see normally until her high school years after choosing to get her eyes surgically corrected cosmetically. Since then Beth has gone on to move from the UK To Canada, gotten married, had two kids, and has become a major advocate for service dog users. On this episode join us for a detailed conversation a...

Life works in a lot of strange ways Kiaira Julieanna was born with Cerebral Palsy with limited function in one of her hands. Despite the challenges that come with Cerebral Palsy Kiaira has worked hard to advocate for the disability community though participating in Miss Personality Alberta Pageants, raising her 18 month old son, working on her mother's Inclusive sight to provide resource sand...

We all want to fit in to feel like we belong, to have fun, and to make lasting friendships. Tim Corbin worked hard both in school and outside of school and when he was in collage he had fun and partied with friends but, at some point the desire to have fun became a problem. On this episode Tim discusses his journey of recovery from alcohol addiction we discuss how when someone is trying to get cle...

Life is about choices you can choose to feel sad about your life and what comes next, but you can also choose to live your life to the fullest. Aly Corvin decided to enjoy her passions for dance , rock climbing, and skydiving despite dealing with unspecified Elhers-Danlos- Syndrome, daily joint dislocations, the mental health challenges that come with a traumatic brain injury. On this episode join...

Everyone in the medical profession witness patients at the worse time in their lives and sometimes their final moments which can lead to mental health issues and burn out. Destiny Johnson works as a Licensed Practical Nurse but after being assaulted by a patient and being told to just deal with it created Forward Frontline an organization dedicated to providing mental health resources to frontline...

Asking questions is an important part of learning inside and outside of school. A big part of educating children is encouraging them to do research on topics they wish to learn about but, what about uncomfortable question regarding disabled people? Have you tried to teach your child not to look, approach, or ask questions? On this weeks episode we meet disability advocate Serenne Vikebø from Norwa...

Have you ever felt misunderstood, like you were the only person who could understand what you were going through? This was the challenge for Cassidy Huff  as she was born with a rare form of Dwarfism called Conradi-Hünermann Syndrome which affected multiple parts of her body cause her to need surgery every six months from age 1 to 18. On this episode Cassidy shares how she rose above all of these...

Cancer affects everyone differently for Soraya Chinloy her faith, and love for helping others helped her win her battle with Myelodysplastic Syndrome during the covid-19 Pandemic. On this episode join us for a unique discussion on the effects of chemo therapy long term, her desire to help individuals with several mental health issues as she pursues her doctorate in psychiatric mental health nursin...

Life can change in an instant but what' s important is how we respond to it. Catherine Wreford's life changed forever when she gave birth to her second child only to be diagnosed with Brain Cancer 5 weeks later. Despite being given a timeline of two to six years to live Catherine has been determined to raise awareness about brain cancer and to live life to the fullest. On our 150th episode...

Music has been amazing people since the beginning of time for Morgan Codrington groups like Def Leppard, KISS and Pantera left her amazed especially the guitarists. On this episode join us as Morgan shares her journey of learning how to preform while also dealing with the challenges of Spina Bifida and Autism we also discuss her time working with The Rollettes to give other disabled artists a chan...

Disabilities are something we can get at any time, those who get them can often feel like a burden, useless, or that they will never feel the same again Roneel Gounder's life was changed forever in 2021 after sustaining a spinal cord injury in a tobogganing accident on this episode join us on his journey of Physical and Emotional recovery, we discuss his tie on season 2 of CBC'S Push, how...

Trigger warning this episode contains the topic of suicide. The Covid 19 pandemic affected the entire world in many different ways for traveler and content creator Aspen Sage the pandemic and the stresses of life sent her down a dark path. On this episode join us for a deep conversation about Aspen's journey from surviving a suicide attempt, Acquiring FND Functional Neurological Disorder, movi...

Trigger warning this week's episode contains mature subject matter listener discretion is advised. September 10th is recognized as World Suicide Prevention Day if you or someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts please contact your nearest crisis hotline. in Canada call or text 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. Art is a form of self expression through painting and poetry we reveal emotions and o...

Human beings aren' t perfect we all have flaws from bad memories to stoping at a drive thru to often. What matters is that we recognize our flaws and try our best to improve ourselves. On this episode join me as I sit down with Maria Garcia as she shares her journey as an ER Doctor, how that knowledge helped her when she suddenly lost feeling in her legs due to a blood clot in the spinal cord,...

Regardless of the challenges we face everyone at some point wants to get dressed up and have a good time. Keisha Greaves has always had a passion for fashion inspired by Tommy Hilfiger and many others, despite a diagnosis of  Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy at age 24 Keisha has gone on to create her own adaptive wear brand  Girls Chronically Rock a brand that celebrates strength and resilience in t...

Each individual we meet is unique with things they can and can't do, Leanne Pritchett was diagnosed as learning disabled in the 1980s. Despite teachers telling her mother that she would have a limited future, through dedication, hard work, and a desire to help others Leanne went on to become a Special education teacher, Join us on this episode as we discuss the characteristics needed to be an...

Grief and disabilities have a lot in common we could experience them at any time, nobody asks for it, but what matters is how we respond to it. Join me as I sit down with handbag designer Chelli Look and the directors behind the award wining film Dawn Dusk which premiers on Tubi August 15. We discuss everything from their first meeting in 2016, to documenting Chelli's healing journey after loosing...

We all need exercise but, members of the disability community require a little something extra for Catarina Guimaraes what started as a Cerebral Palsy symptom management transformed into a love of athletic competition. On this episode join us for a fascinating discussion about Catarina's athletic journey in Para Track and Field, Soccer, Triathlon, and more, we also discuss her work in fantasy...

Emilee Schevers was born with a rare genetic condition called Cone Dystrophy which has caused her to be colour blind and legally blind but, not completely blind. Emilee has always had a vision for creating more opportunities for members of the disability community, On this episode join us on Emilee's journey sometimes traveling two hours for lessons at W. Ross McDonald School, to studying Early Ch...

They say that big things come in small packages you may know our guest as Mini Producer, or Jay from TLC's Jay and Pamela but, on this week's episode we talk with Jay Manuel as he shares his incredible journey from being born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 3 a form brittle bones disease, to getting into making beats and internet content in 2014, to the creation of the Jay and Pamela sho...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains topics of suicide and sexual abuse listener discretion is advised. "Every Challenge Has a Chewy Nougat Center Made of Opportunity: Persevere to find the hidden lessons in every struggle." Andy Campbell We will all experience emotional and physical pain in life, but can we learn anything from the experience if we try to forget and avoid it? On this e...

Independence and the freedom to make our own choices is something we strive for but disabilities can make it extra challenging. Jesi Stracham has lead an active lifestyle before and after sustaining a spinal cord injury. Join us as she shares her journey creating more accessible ways for people to workout and heal from injuries through holistic methods, the need for members of the disability commu...

"You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge." Dr Phil for Luke Anderson it was hard for him to acknowledge the struggles of the disability community as he enjoyed a very athletic , able-bodied lifestyle. On this episode join us as Luke shares his story of sustaining a spinal cord injury, the struggles of the disability community across Canada, the creation of the StopGap Foundation how...