Category: Interviews

Interviews

Understanding Autism

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Understanding Autism

Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. More than one in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are more than 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.

People with autism may experience differences in social interaction and communication. With restricted interests and may have problems with learning. Their skills might develop unevenly, which often have a lifelong impact. Being autistic is not an illness. It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It’s a condition that you’re born with or first appears when you’re very young. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a cure. But some people need support to help them with certain things.

Jack Ivens said “I was first diagnosed when I was two years old in 1989. My mum was concerned that I was showing signs of regression (I had started talking early but then unexpectedly stopped and became fixated with just playing with my toy cars and not interacting with anyone. So, my mum took me to a doctor and after being tested, I was diagnosed.” Jack added “Part of the problem feels like there is a stigma attached still to autism and diagnosis and I feel people are still afraid of going to get themselves assessed for a neurodiverse condition and are suffering in silence because of it, greater, positive visibility with autism is key to demystify the condition and provide a more positive outlook.”

Diagnoses is believed to be on the rise and it is estimated that approximately four times as many boys are being diagnosed than girls. It is thought that for every three children with a diagnosis of autism there are another two children who have the condition but have not been given a formal diagnosis.

Doctor Sarah Lister Brook, Clinical Director at the National Autistic Society said “Every autistic child and adult is different, with their own strengths and varying challenges. It’s a good idea for parents to ensure they understand their child’s individual profile of autism, and that the young person or the adult themselves understands their own profile of autism too. Getting a diagnosis can help parents to access developmental guidance and family support, as well as the right education and the right therapeutic support for their child, if needed. Similarly, for adults a diagnosis can help bring clarity to why certain things have been challenging in their lives and enable them to seek the support and the adjustments they might need to have a more fulfilling life.”  

Autism is such a wide-ranging condition meaning everybody with the condition is different. Some autistic people need little or no support and others may need that extra help from a parent or carer every day.

Jack explains “Take heart that there is a sea change, there is more understanding and knowledge about autism and other neurodiverse conditions than there has ever been before. Social media especially is a wonderful outlet for incredible information and autistic voices and there’s a real sense of community on certain platforms that I didn’t have growing up. Moreover, Covid-19 and the positive actions towards social justice over the past twelve years has brought to the forefront across many minorities (be it racial, homophobic, transphobic, ableist and so and so forth) the need to raise ones voice is vital in an effort to be heard. Never be settled with no, keep banging the drum and find a platform that works for you.”

Shelley & Michelle xx

Interviews

Why has Endometriosis care been slow to improve?

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Why has Endometriosis care been slow to improve?

As we are in March, Endometriosis Awareness Month, we thought we should highlight the chronic disease and use this opportunity for all to understand more about the condition. Endometriosis is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK, affecting 1 in 10 women in the UK (1.5 million).

Endometriosis, also known as the ‘invisible illness’ is a long-term condition where cells similar to the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body. Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. Unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, this blood has no way to escape.

An estimated 176 million women worldwide suffer a life of pain of the disease and according to Endometriosis UK one in every 10 women live with the long-term health condition. That’s over 1.5 million women, which can also be felt for life. It can affect women of any age, regardless of their race or ethnicity and can have an impact on the quality of life and in some cases take women years to be diagnosed. Endometriosis can not only worsen if it goes untreated, but the condition can also have a huge impact on someone’s career, relationships, and mental health.

Abbie Stapleton said “When I was 14 I experienced my first episode of really excruciating pain, but this was before my period started which then came a year later. Every month I would have a period and be bed bound, unable to walk, fainting and nothing being able to ease my pain. I was sent back and forth to different health care professionals month after month and just being told that nothing was wrong.”

(Photo credit: cheerfullylive)

“My tests would come back clear and I was always dismissed as being the unlucky one with bad periods.” Abbie explains “It wasn’t until my pain became chronic in December 2018 that endometriosis started being investigated and when I did see a gynaecologist I was told I was way too young to ever have severe endometriosis. I then pushed for an MRI which actually came back with having deep severe endometriosis. My pain got worse where I was then put on the surgery list and I went onto have endometriosis excision surgery, after a year of being on the waiting list. I waited ten years to be diagnosed with endometriosis from the onset of my pain, symptoms and just going backwards and forwards to different health care professionals.”

Women living with endometriosis experience severe pain and bleeding. It may also lead to infertility. The most common symptom is pain in your lower tummy or back (pelvic pain), very painful and heavy periods as well as pain during or after sex. The condition may also trigger spotting or bleeding between periods, pain when going to the toilet, bloating, nausea, constipation and diarrhea. GP Dr Hilary Jones said “These symptoms are often put down to just period pains. Women often go for many years without the diagnosis being made. If your periods are very heavy or very painful then it’s always worth thinking about endometriosis as a possible cause. I would encourage women, that if they think it is endometriosis to go and seek help earlier rather than later”.

Copyright © Dr. Hilary Jones

It is said that more than half of women have to visit a GP more than ten times before being referred to a specialist. Dr Hilary explains that “Most women’s period pain is predictable, manageable and easily treated with paracetamol or ibuprofen. When that doesn’t control the pains that you are getting, when the pain is more widespread goes down the thighs and into your back throughout the pelvis and lower abdomen, when it affects your normal activities and you have to take time off work, then it’s something that needs to be treated. No woman should be putting up with those symptoms and I say if it’s a possibility just go and get it checked out”.

Treatments include painkillers, hormone medicines, contraceptives, and surgery such as laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) and hysterectomy. Some women find these treatments ineffective and abandon medical treatment or seek alternative therapies. Nutritionist Lorna Driver-Davies said “There are lots of things you can do to change your diet and lifestyle, to recovery from treatment (surgical) and to get you in a healthier position looking at supporting hormones and the immune system which are the two key areas when managing the condition.” Lorna explains “Endometriosis can really affect the gut – with many women experiencing digestive issues, especially if endometriosis has been found on the intestines. This can lead to issues with nutrient absorption and imbalances of bacteria in the gut can also worsen the condition – so I advise taking a look at gut health if you have endo. Women with endo can have a history of heavy periods. So, every time you bleed you are losing nutrients. That’s why you see low iron and magnesium in women who’ve got endo, and these nutrients play a role in supporting your body and you feeling good.”

(Photo provided by Lorna Driver-Davies)

“It’s a multidisciplinary condition, everyone in health has a role to play including chiropractors and physiotherapists because it creates distortions in the body, for example organs can get twisted round and stuck together. The medical approach works incredibly well if you combine it with looking at diet and lifestyle.” She went on to say “You get a lot of mental health issues with Endometriosis, depression, low mood, anxiety partly that comes from not being listened to, women are still told that it is in their head that they have these painful problems. But also, that the same nutrients that would normally support the brain and mood, are prioritised by the body to manage pain and inflammation”

It is said that endometriosis costs the UK economy £8.2bn a year in treatment, loss of work and health care costs. Endometriosis Clinical Nurse Specialist Gilly Macdonald said “It’s not something that’s talked about and some symptoms can often be mistaken for other conditions. More research is needed. We need to increase awareness of endometriosis amongst health care providers and the wider community. We need to increase education and skills to recognise the condition, improving early diagnosis, treatments and access to specialist services.” Gilly explains “A cure for endometriosis has not yet been identified because the exact cause of endometriosis is still uncertain. It remains a poorly understood condition.”

Shelley & Michelle xx

Interviews

London Hip-Hop Band Noblemen

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London Hip-Hop Band Noblemen

Noblemen are a London-based hip-hop band that formed in 2009. The band consists of seven members: Chuks (emcee), Carl (keyboardist), Manish (guitar), Kieron (keyboardist), Taona (bass), Nicky (drums) and Nathan (emcee/drums). The young men are not just band members but are also long-term friends, who hail from North London. Their music is about what they are experiencing in their lives, whether that being the good or the hardships, as well as what’s happening in the world today. Find out more from founder and keyboardist Carl below!

You are part of the band Noblemen – explain the band’s music?

“Our music is a reflection of how we feel in that precise moment, we don’t do one type of thing, we do whatever feels natural and that way we are always being true to ourselves.”

Noblemen write and produce their own music. As a band of seven members, how do your ideas come together?

“As there’s seven of us we’re never short of an idea. I think there is two ways in which we tackle music. There’s one way where you will go home and have a melody in your head and then you will present it to the band. It’s trial by fire. If people in the band like it, they will add their bits to it and it grows, if they don’t like it we will just scrap it and I’ll kind of push for it even more until they do like it!”

There are seven members – Explain how you came together?

“When I decided to make the band there was no specific number in my head, every time we met up and someone new came along and it made sense musically, they stayed. As a result you are not relying on backing tracks, you are just literally in the moment. I was never super conscious of making it small, but bigger makes for fuller music and richer ideas. If stars aligned and I could have my ideal line up, what would I like to see on stage… that would be loads of instruments behind Chuks rapping.”

Were you friends beforehand?

“Yes. That’s what I think has kept us going this amount of time. It’s a blessing but it’s also a curse because when you are friends you are very open with each other and certain decisions take longer. But we were all friends beforehand, myself and Nathan are brothers, Taona, Manish and I went to the same school, Kieron has been a friend of ours for years, Taona and I met Chuks at church and Kieron met Nicky in the live music scene. I don’t think we would have lasted this long if we didn’t have that solid friendship.”

You play the keyboard. When did you discover your love for the instrument?

“My love for music has been with me since a toddler. I used to take pots and pans out of the cupboard and pretend they were drums. My love for the piano began when I was seven, my dad asked me what instrument I would like to learn and from there, I studied classical piano to the age of 14, so that was always my basis.”

Your debut album ‘Chordstricken’ will be released later this year, how was the process?

“Chordstricken is something we have been working on for the past five years. It is our first take of doing an album that we wanted, as well as having a theme going through it and it’s a bit more driven. It took us a little longer, but we got there in the end. It’s our take on what society looks like today from our point of view.”

How would you describe the album?

“Just trying to look at the social status of how people live in Britain. It’s got a very heavy London feel, because that’s where we are from and it’s just our take on how society sees young ethnic men. The trials and tribulations and the stuff we deal with on a daily basis.”

If you could duet with any artist in the world who would it be and why?

“Every band member would have said someone different, but for me it will be Kate Bush because her voice and her ideas were so freeing and out there and I would like to see what she would do on a song with us.”

What’s next for Noblemen?

“We will definitely get another album out there.”

Where do you see Noblemen five years from now?

“Doing more shows, sticking together and keeping that love for creating more music and a sound where people can tell it’s Noblemen.”

Shelley & Michelle xx

Interviews

Good Morning Britain stylist Debbie Harper says ‘I never wake up and think I don’t want to go to work’

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Debbie Harper backstage at Good Morning Britain (Photo credit: Shelley Marshall)

Good Morning Britain stylist Debbie Harper has worked with some of the biggest names in breakfast television for over 20 years. The head of GMB’s wardrobe and makeup department began her fashion journey at a local theatre as a dresser whilst studying at Wimbledon School of Art to be a qualified costumier, creating garments. During that time, she worked as a costume designer’s assistant behind the scenes for television dramas and TV advertisements. It was then where Debbie realised that she didn’t want to be a costumier and was more interested in styling on films and dramas.

Debbie later made the switch into television where she secured her first role. “I was really lucky in that I got a job working on This Morning. Looking after Richard and Judy as an assistant to the designer and I did that for a year.” An opportunity arose on This Morning in the fashion department as a stylist. Debbie went on to say “The girl that was doing the job left and I got the job. That’s when I started as a stylist. Which is similar to costume, in that you are not making [clothes] but I was dressing the presenters. I had such a brilliant time. I loved it so much.” After her time on ITV’s This Morning Debbie got a job at Good Morning Britain’s wardrobe department, where she then got the role as Head of Wardrobe and Makeup. “It’s something that I love to do, I’m very lucky in that I wake up in the morning and although we work difficult hours. I never wake up and think I don’t want to go to work. I’m really, really lucky.”

Good Morning Britain viewers not only tune in every morning to get their daily dose of the latest news, weather, debates and entertainment stories but also keep a close eye on the presenters choice of style. Their ensembles tend to be colourful, professional, elegant but yet playful. “You very quickly learn what style the presenters like. When we get clothes that come in we’ll know. I’m very lucky I’ve got two assistants. We will know what is a Kate Garraway dress, a Charlotte Hawkins dress, a Laura Tobin dress. In one way it’s quite straight forward with the sizing. We know which brands do the size that fits them and then on the day, we try very hard to make everybody look pleasing to the eye when they are together and on screen.”

Kate Garraway backstage at Good Morning Britain wearing Cefinn (Photo credit: Debbie Harper)

Debbie and her team choose to dress the presenters in quality pieces that will last. She said “We don’t use a lot of designer clothing. I prefer that the viewers can afford to buy the clothes they see. We might use a higher end of the high street, but I like to show that if you save up that little bit more to get something that’s a bit more expensive, which will last you longer and you’ll probably wear it over and over again.” Styling presenters for a live television programme comes with challenges. Debbie explained, “Sometimes we have little hiccups where they might change their minds at the last minute and wear something else. Or the garment we thought fitted didn’t. Sometimes zips have broken because they have been faulty. I style the men as well. So, Richard Arnold, Alex Beresford, Sean Fletcher and Dr Hilary.”

Ranvir Singh backstage at Good Morning Britain wearing Karen Millen (Photo credit: Debbie Harper)

The pandemic changed the world, including the fashion industry which saw a boost in online shopping as high street shops closed. “Lockdown was a little bit trickier because all the press and PR companies were closed down in the first lockdown so there was no one there and we could not borrow samples.” Debbie added “During the pandemic we weren’t coming in in the morning, only in the afternoon. Clothes were lined up in their rooms. There were only two presenters so complimenting each other was really easy. We just adapted. There was less available because obviously the shops were closed. But then a lot of people just shifted everything online, so we just continued shopping online which actually was quite easy really.”

Susanna Reid backstage at Good Morning Britain wearing Karen Millen (Photo credit: Debbie Harper)

The presenters wear their garments more than once and from there Debbie sends the clothes to Smart Works charity. Which is a UK charity that provides high quality interview clothes to unemployed women in need. “Anything we buy and the presenters have worn it a few times goes to charity. We’ve sent quite a lot of things to a company that helps women when they are going back to work because all our stars work very well for work wear. A lady will come along and say that she’s going for an interview and they will give her an interview outfit.”

Charlotte Hawkins backstage at Good Morning Britain wearing Nobody’s Child (Photo credit: Debbie Harper)

Sustainable fashion is recycled clothing protecting both the environment and those producing garments by being upcycled to be worn again. Debbie said “Laura and I do like sustainable brands. We are trying really hard to be a little more sustainable, so they do wear their clothes more than they normally would. And If I’m putting it on Instagram I will put a hashtag reworn, so people know that it has been worn before and that means that they might not be able to buy at the shops.”

Laura Tobin backstage at Good Morning Britain wearing Monsoon sustainable collection (Photo credit: Laura Tobin)

Good Morning Britain weather presenter Laura Tobin said “Debbie is the eyes to the show. I love that everyday we have this wonderful array of lovely clothes to pick from.” Laura explains “Debbie is like our work mum, she is our everything really because if you don’t look and feel great going on air you are not going to be able do your job well. Debbie was there when I had my baby. She kept me really calm, she took me to hospital and was there until my husband got to the hospital. I owe a lot to Debbie.”

Shelley & Michelle xx