All Episodes

May 20, 2021 28 mins

Friends and neighbours Rosie McAdam and Claire Dawson chat about life, education and the need to decide where you want to be - and then, work out what you need to do in order to get there. Rosie is passionate about her belief that no matter who we are we can all contribute to the well-being of our societies.  

Born with the condition commonly known as brittle-bone disease, Rosie recounts some of her very rich and varied life experiences. Intertwined with these stories she and Claire also reflect on the supports, accompaniment and opportunities we all need to fulfil our potential.

In the course of the chat Rosie speaks about the social model of disability which points out that you are only as disabled as your environment. The realisation of this fact can help create change at every level from grassroots to institutions. As a wheelchair user, Rosie understands, for example, the issues that exist when buildings are inaccessible, but it has been her experience that where there’s a will there’s definitely a way! Whether that’s someone making a building accessible, or schoolchildren adapting their playground games to include their friend who uses a wheelchair, the obstacles to inclusion are often easier to remove than we think.

Inspirational, entertaining and insightful Rosie reflects on how her earlier experiences with Sr. Catherine - a nun in the residential unit in which she lived for the first few years of her life - empowered her and shaped her view of how she saw herself. Sr. Catherine was an inspirational woman who understood the need to patiently foster independence and empower the children in her care through helping them to develop the skills they needed to be independent. Sr. Catherine was also a believer in the importance of education.  Both of these values have guided Rosie throughout her life and helped her overcome obstacles and achieve her dreams. 

Claire and Rosie reflect on how there are many disabilities - both visible and invisible - and how the key to inclusion and encouragement is for all of us to simply be open minded about each other. We can change the narrative by forgetting stereotypes and looking at what people can do and how they can contribute rather than focusing on what they can’t do. In other words, seeing the potential in people and understanding that education and support are the keys to unlocking that potential. If we were all to do that then everyone as an individual, and society as a whole, would benefit. 

As Rosie puts it so succinctly - “Everybody can contribute something to the world and it’s just sometimes finding out what that is, because we’re all here for a reason…”

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Cardiac Cowboys

Cardiac Cowboys

The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.