Grace Spence Green was a medical student when a man jumped from a height in a shopping centre and landed on her, causing a spinal cord injury that left her paralysed from the chest down.

In this conversation, Grace speaks openly about the moment her life changed, the long road through hospital and rehabilitation, and what it was like to suddenly become the patient after training to care for others.

We talk about the ideas behind her book To Exist As I Am, including radical acceptance, the difference between the medical and social models of disability, and how she rebuilt a sense of identity after injury. Grace shares how her lived experience now shapes her work as a doctor, what helped her feel at home in her wheelchair, and why she challenges the tired cultural narratives of tragedy or inspiration.

Connect with Grace

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracesg/?hl=en

Buy her book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/to-exist-as-i-am/grace-spence-green/

Connect with Peta Hooke
Instagram: @petahooke
Website: www.icantstandpodcast.com
Email: icantstandpodcast@gmail.com

Episode Transcript:
www.icantstandpodcast.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Clare Reilly was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2017, she thought her days of outdoor adventure might be behind her. But the lifelong outdoors lover, podcaster, and mum is preparing to take on something extraordinary; a 1,072-kilometre ride along Western Australia’s Munda Biddi Trail using her off-road wheelchair.

In this episode, Clare joins Peta to talk about the quiet courage it takes to attempt something you’re not sure you can do. She shares how Wheelchair Meets Wilderness began as an idea on a vision board, the logistics of tackling the world’s longest off-road cycling route, and the emotional side of living with MS; from daily grief and fatigue to moments of pride and possibility.

This conversation isn’t about proving what’s possible. It’s about trying anyway.

Connect with Clare Reilly
TikTok: @clarereilly
Instagram: @clare.reilly
Wheelchair Meets Wilderness: @wheelchairmeetswilderness
Learn more: wheelchairmeetswilderness.org/the-munda-biddi-trail

Connect with Peta Hooke
Instagram: @petahooke
Website: www.icantstandpodcast.com
Email: icantstandpodcast@gmail.com

Episode Transcript:
www.icantstandpodcast.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Paralympian, author, and advocate Don Elgin joins Peta to explore what true connection means within the NDIS and beyond.

After representing Australia at three Paralympic Games and winning four medals, Don turned his focus to advocacy. As Head of Events at One Community, he now leads more than 120 networking events each year, connecting participants, carers, and providers to improve outcomes across the sector.

Peta and Don discuss how tools like Kismet’s Care Index are exposing service gaps, why transparency matters for a fairer NDIS, and how regional communities can become more inclusive. They also look ahead to the Australian Disability Service Awards, presented by One Community and Kismet, held on Thursday 13 November at The Pullman Albert Park in Melbourne.

Connect:

One Community:
Website: onecommunity.net.au
Instagram: @onecommunityaus

Kismet Care Index:
Explore the data: kismet.healthcare/care-index

Australian Disability Service Awards:
Website: onecommunity.net.au/adsa

Peta Hooke:
Instagram: @petahooke
Website: www.icantstandpodcast.com
Email: icantstandpodcast@gmail.com

Episode Transcript:
www.icantstandpodcast.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.