The Sit Down Stand Out Show

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...

Music has been bringing people together since the beginning of time. Ivory Snow has loved music since she was a little girl join us as she shares her journey on how she and her husband formed the Alternative Rock group SUNGAZE, how she manages her diagnosis of P.O.T.S while traveling and preforming, the creative process behind their music and so much more. For tickets and information click the lin...

We invite you this week for ALS awareness month to Listen back to one one of our most emotional episodes episode 84. Be Real Right here Right Now with Jules and Maria Rodriguez. 2020 was a difficult year for many people, a time of fear, uncertainty, and lockdown for Jules and Maria Rodriguez 2020 was a difficult year in a very different way as Jules was diagnosed with ALS a terminal condition with...

Life has a strange way of giving and taking from us. Briana Rice's life was changed forever from a marathon running biologist to a business woman and pageant queen. On this episode Briana Rice shares her journey surviving a major car accident, her daily challenges dealing with a spinal cord injury a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. We also discuss her work creating a sense of community with bl...

ALS or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in its first discoveries was thought of as a disease that could only be contracted by people in certain demographics older, white, male, and that patience only live between three to five years between diagnosis and death. Fortunately for the last 10 years Sunny Brous has been proving that statistic incorrect on this episode join us as we discuss everything from...

Life can surprise us both in terms of what we can and can't control. Mary Tibbetts was diagnosed with MS in 2024 and had to make the difficult choice to sell her successful flower shop. On this episode we discuss how being diagnosed with a disability can help create a better understand of the struggles others face, the importance of looking after your body and mind, and how to live a Fearless...

Born in the late 1970s Jennifer McKinnon's family was told many times that she wouldn't reach many millstones after being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis a rare genetic condition that shorten many individuals lives. On this episode Jennifer discusses her CF journey rising twin girls despite fertility challenges, how treatment methods for CF and mental health have evolved, her work with her...

Lets be honest having surgery isn't fun, nobody wants to go under the knife but, more often then not surgeries are successful out bodies heal and we are told to move along. Regardless of how well an operation goes people are left with scars mental, physical or a combination of both, On this episode I sit down with the founder of Scarred and Fabulous Kim Black as she shares her story of going throu...

We can't control what happens to us in life but we can control how we respond to things beyond our control. Marie Pontini was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2016, has had multiple operations and gone through a lot of pain. On this episode Marie shares how instead of letting the pain from MS define her she choose to embrace the pain of exercise though bodybuilding,...

Having children is a challenge from pregnancy to birth and beyond. Every birth is a unique experience for Katie Spinks the birth of her fourth child changed her life forever as she and her daughter nearly passed away from Uterine rupture after being ignored by doctors for an hour. On this episode I discuss with Katie how this event transformed her life as she now educates parents as a Doula and ch...

An old expression goes "Its not about the destination it's about the journey."for Amelie Chouinard her life has always been about adventure from traveling around Quebec, New Brunswick and joining the Canadian Armed Forces just because she could. On this episode Amelie shares the latest parts of her journey adjusting to life as an amputee after a motorcycle accident, creating Chap-OH a store sellin...

All parents want what's best for their children in terms of happiness, education, and experiences. Bridgett Farmer has had to work extra hard on behalf of her daughter Milla who was diagnosed with Autism and a rare genetic disorder called METTL23. On this episode join us on Bridgett's journey from finding families all over the world with people affected by METTL23 to being a mom of three,...

FND Functional Neurological Disorder is a chronic condition where people can experience seizures and a lot of physical weakness with no signs appearing on medical scans Think of it of it as your brain sending inaccurate signals to your body. On this episode I sit down and decode those signals with Wife, Mom, and Content Creator Sydney Bennett as she shares her journey, from being told her FND was...

Alicia Grace Chenier has never let her size or the challenges she faces stop her from perusing her dreams. Diagnosed with a benign brain tumour as a baby which caused blindness in one eye and tunnel vision in the other Alicia has always wanted to change the way we see assistive devices. On this Episode join us on her journey from multiple surgeries to improve her quality of life, studying Early Ch...

We all want to feel like we belong, like we have a place in the world full of people we can connect with. Emily Sullivan struggled with CMT Type 1A, bullying in school and a sense of isolation until she watched the 1994 film Forrest Gump her first experience seeing a person with a disability succeed. On this episode join us on Emily's journey falling in love with films, navigating CMT to her d...