Too Peas In A Podcast Mandy Hose and Kate Mulholland

Mandy and Kate chat to Sue, Chair of Carers Victoria,  the peak body representing all unpaid carers in Victoria. Sue is an experienced communications consultant who has worked in executive roles and run her own business for many years, while also caring for her four children. Sue’s two oldest children both had a very rare genetic condition called Niemann Pick Disesase Type C. Her daughter Jas died from the condition at the age of 14, and her son George also died of the condition three and half years later at the age of 19. Sue joined the Carers Victoria board in about 2014, shortly after losing George. Sue talks about managing the children’s diagnosis and care in a time prior to the NDIS, coming to terms with the news in her own time and finding her own strength before sharing the news with others, and finding her tribe of supporters and friends through the specialist school system. She shares some frank and funny conversations about the times she took her children travelling overseas and camping locally with all of their medical equipment and needs, the kindness of strangers at some times and the terribly rectum behaviour from some at other times. Sue has seen plenty of change in the almost ten years on the board at Carers Victoria, and although there’s a keen emphasis on building an inclusive community and making social services work a lot better, there’s still a long way to go in supporting carers better, as Peas well know. Sue encourages everyone to connect with Carers Victoria, or the local carers advocacy network in your local area, to add your voice in advocating for change. Thanks for sharing the remarkable story of your family with us Sue.  Visit the Carers Victoria website and Facebook pagePlus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday November 30 - Shower or two, 19 degrees

Kate and Mandy chat with super duo mother-in-law Sue and daughter-in-law Mel, founders of Snuggly Bags by Ellie, a company that makes sleeping bags in sizes 4-16 for kids who have trouble staying under the covers at night!Snuggly Bags by Ellie is inspired by Mel’s fifteen-year-old daughter Ellie, who is diagnosed with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Once she’d grown out of her size 4 sleeping bag, Ellie had trouble sleeping under the covers, yet Mel couldn’t find bigger sleeping bag sizes to suit Ellie’s growing body. So, with Sue’s background in the clothing industry and dress design, she set about designing and making a sleeping bag to fit. Using a business called Manufacture My Product, Sue was able to source organic,  pure cotton and have samples made up in China, and develop two different weighted full bags, a lighter summer bag and a suit with legs. The bags use soft woven cotton that feels like sheets and allows plenty of room for movement. Sue and Mel took the Snuggly Bags to the Source Kids expo in Sydney, where a tired dad bought a snuggly bag for his young son. He contacted them the next day, to say he’d had his first full night’s sleep in years! Sue and Mel then knew they were onto a product that could help Peas everywhere get a better night’s sleep. Snuggly Bags can be modified to fit feeding tubes and can be claimed as a consumable through NDIS.Order your Snuggly Bag via their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Sue and Mel will be doing a giveaway on Instagram this week, so please follow them to be in the running! Plus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday November 23 -  Cloud clearing, 26 degreesThank you for supporting Too Peas In A Podcast! We love to hear from you, please contact us here: Website: www.toopeasinapodcast.com.auEmail: toopeaspodcast@gmail.com

Mandy and Kate chat to Cally, Director of Smith-Magenis Syndrome Australia and Chair of Melbourne Inner East Special Olympics Club. Cally’s 18-year-old daughter Amelie was diagnosed with rare chromosonal disorder Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) at age three. Cally chats about Amelie’s life with SMS, including some chronic sleep issues that saw her falling asleep in funny places during the day, the commonly overlapping symptoms with autism, ADHD, OCD and sensory issues, and her journey through school in the special education system. Cally has been involved in Smith-Magenis Syndrome Australia for several years and is now their Director. The organisation’s key activities include raising awareness, particularly on Smith-Magenis Awareness Day coming up shortly on November 17, welcoming and supporting families of newly-diagnosed children with education, resources and community, and running camps.  Cally is also the powerhouse Chair of Melbourne Inner East Specialy Olympics Club, where Amelie is involved in athletics and snow skiing. This is where she met Mandy and Molly! Cally talks about her experiences attending the Special Olympics National Games in 2022, and the World Games in Berlin earlier this year.  Thanks for sharing your story with us Cally!Find out more about Smith-Magenis Syndrome Australia and Special Olympics AustraliaPlus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday November 16 -  Shower or two, 18 degreesThank you for supporting Too Peas In A Podcast! We love to hear from you, please contact us here: Website: www.toopeasinapodcast.com.auEmail: toopeaspodcast@gmail.com

This week, Mandy chats with Kelly Stirton, coach of the CommBank Paramatildas, Australia’s first national football team for women and girls with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and symptoms of stroke. Competing this week in the IFCPF 2023 Asia-Oceania Championships at the Home of The Matildas in Melbourne, the Paramatildas are currently undefeated after four matches against Japan and Nepal. The team is also ranked #1 internationally and came second in the IFCPF World Cup in 2022, an incredible rise to the top since its founding in 2019. Kelly chats about her background growing up playing football at a state level, the inspiration she found in her football-loving dad and the ongoing injuries that hampered her playing career. Coaching the Paramatildas helped her achieve her dream of being involved in football at an international level, while also supporting women and girls with CP and ABI to come together, play in a team and represent their country! Kelly talks through the process of player selections, classifications, the challenges and triumphs along the way, the trickiness of being away from her two children when coaching and travelling, and the absolute joy and honour of being the coach of an amazing team of athletes following their dreams. Kelly encourages everyone to join the Paramatildas family, come along to support them at the Championships this week and reach out to Football Australia if you have a peashoot who might want to try out. Also, if you have the means, please consider making a donation or buying a fundraiser Paramatildas x Gym Face gym towel. Thank you so much Kelly for chatting with us, we are honoured to be part of the Paramatildas family and we will be cheering them on forever! Follow the Paramatildas on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and find everything you need to know on their website.Thank you for supporting Too Peas In A Podcast! We love to hear from you, please contact us here: Website: www.toopeasinapodcast.com.auEmail: toopeaspodcast@gmail.com

Mandy and Kate chat with Sharon, founder of The Functional Family and award-winning ADHD coach who provides life-changing practical strategies and support for people with ADHD. Sharon’s husband and three boys all have ADHD. Using her lived experience, her studies at ADDCA in New York and the International Coaching Federation, and over 15 years of research into ADHD, Sharon founded The Functional Family six years ago to help families like her own feel more supported. The Functional Family offers online programs, low-cost memberships, adult ADHD coaching and parent memberships, a podcast and more. Through the Functional Family, Sharon aims to help people and families managing ADHD feel more supported, offer new information, take away all the confusion and make room for joy! Sharon shares her family’s story, her huge amounts of expertise and her hopes and dreams for The Functional Family in the future.  Thank you Sharon!Find The Functional Family via their website, Facebook and Instagram. Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday November 2 - Cloudy, 18 degreesThank you for supporting Too Peas In A Podcast! We love to hear from you, please contact us here: Website: www.toopeasinapodcast.com.auEmail: toopeaspodcast@gmail.com