Life Changing BBC Radio 4

In 2021, twins Georgia and Melissa Laurie set off on an adventure to Mexico for some sisterly bonding. Whilst on their travels they stopped at the coastal town of Puerto Escondido where they planned to visit a nearby lagoon and experience the bioluminescent waters. The day was hot so the sisters went for a swim but soon found themselves in a terrifying fight for survival; in that moment, and the years that followed, their love for each other kept them alive.
Georgia has since been recognised for her bravery that day and is the recipient of the King's Gallantry Medal 2024.

Tony Redmond is a Life Changing listener and an experienced medical doctor used to dealing with challenging situations. In December 1988 he attended two major global disasters that left him feeling a broken man, ready to hang up his stethoscope. But it turned out he wasn’t quite done yet.

Tier Blundell was never a bad kid, he was bright and curious but also disruptive. He grew up sandwiched between two cultures and felt excluded from society. Those feelings were amplified when aged 11 Tier was informed by his school that he wouldn’t be welcome back following the summer holidays and was instead sent to a Pupil Referral Unit. He left there with no qualifications and a sense of shame, until the day he puts on a suit, turns up for an unscheduled meeting and demands another go at education — and the results are staggering.

Su Chantry was adopted as a baby and grew up fantasising that she was the daughter of a French princess who would one day return for her. As an adult with her own family, Su received an unexpected phone call. She rushed to meet her mum, and they would spend just one day together, her last.

Aged 19, Dan Simmonds turned down a university place and instead became an oil trader in the City of London. It was an exciting and ruthless environment driven by big risks and even greater rewards but also ultimately challenged Dan’s values and filled him with a desire to seek something new. Over a decade later whilst jogging around Regent’s Park Dan made a discovery that would change his life and career.

Agnes Nisbett is a nurse and midwife whose own hospital experience in the 1970s revealed just how flawed and uncaring the system could be. Agnes came to the UK from St Kitts and Nevis as part of the Windrush generation. Her goal was to achieve as much as she could in her profession and despite the many barriers, “sheer hard work” got her to the top. Now in her eighties and looking back on her time in the NHS, she shares how her own private and personal loss inspired her to challenge and change things for others.
This interview discusses the experience of stillbirth. Details of help and support with pregnancy-related issues are available through the BBC Action Line at bbc.co.uk/actionline.