#49: Overcoming The Odds with Alexandra Adams

16th Mar 2020

On the podcast today I have the great pleasure of introducing you to Alexandra Adams, who quite simply really is one of the most amazing and special people that I have ever met.

I’m so delighted to be able to share this episode with you at this time - I know it’s really challenging times for all of us right now and hopefully listening to this episode can give you even a small bit of inspiration and hope.

I can guarantee that you will not fail to be inspired, amazed and in awe by this young lady - she is incredible and is certainly making waves in the field of medicine with her approach and dedication and I’m sure you’re going to hear a lot more about Alexandra in the coming months and years.

Alexandra is a 4th year medical student at Cardiff University, and is the UK’s first deaf-blind person training to become a doctor - that in itself is almost beyond comprehension isn’t it!

But there is more - an ex-GB athlete in both swimming and alpine skiing, a published poet and a TED talker (TEDxNHS). Alexandra is also a lifelong patient of the NHS, having been in hospital for 1.5 years as a teenager, and having had 17 admissions to Intensive Care since the start of medical school,

However Alexandra is also a victim - she shares with us her experiences of discrimination whilst being a patient and as a medical student but yet, still takes time to push for better equality, diversity and inclusivity in the workplace - incredible isn’t it!

Do take some time to listen to this podcast in it’s entirety - you are going to love this one!

And you absolutely must check out Alexandra’s incredible ted talk by clicking on this link here and do have a look at the amazing organisation and project that she runs called ‘Faces of the NHS’ by clicking on this link here - which hopes to remove stereotypes in the NHS.

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Episode guests

Alexandra Adams

Alexandra is a 4 th year medical student at Cardiff University, and is the UK’s first deafblind person training to become a doctor. An ex-GB athlete in both swimming and alpine skiing, a published poet and a TED talker (TEDxNHS), Alexandra often spends her free time outside of Medicine in public speaking, sharing stories of her life, plus both the challenges and triumphs she has faced in the process. A lifelong patient of the NHS, having been in hospital for 1.5 years as a teenager, and having had 17 admissions to Intensive Care since the start of medical school, Alexandra also shares her experiences of being a patient and how this has helped her advocate for better patient care through empathy. In addition, Alexandra also advocates for better equality, diversity and inclusivity in the workforce, having faced ongoing discrimination towards her disabilities through training. She continues to be heavily involved in promoting better wellbeing and positive culture change in the workplace. One way in which she is promoting this is through her nationwide photography campaign, ‘Faces of the NHS’, which hopes to remove stereotypes in the NHS. Alexandra is near to completing the writing of her first book; a memoir which covers all of her journey above. Outside of medical training and her speaking commitments, Alexandra enjoys cooking, travelling, photography, playing the piano and art.

Resources & Media Links:

Instagram: Link below & @facesofthenhs Twitter: Link below & @FacesoftheNHS Blog: https://setting-sights.blog Faces of the NHS video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRepiwmZJJM The Times : https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/healing-touch-of-deaf-and-blind-doctor-to-be-60lpp7twt

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