The Reverse Rett Podcast

Rachael Stevenson
The Reverse Rett Podcast

Welcome to the Reverse Rett Podcast, sharing the stories of families living with Rett Syndrome and picking the brains of doctors and researchers working in the field. To find out more about Rett Syndrome visit: https://www.reverserett.org.uk

  1. 01/10/2021

    Ep 24 - Mathilde Mastroianni

    The Reverse Rett podcast is back and in this episode, I’m speaking with Mathilde Mastroianni, Assistant Psychologist at the CIPP Rett Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. Anyone whose child or adult with Rett has been a patient at CIPP Rett, CIPPRD or on a clinical trial at King’s over the last four years will know Tilly. During her time with the CIPP Rett team, she’s been clinical trials co-ordinator, clinical research assistant and assistant psychologist. To families, that means Tilly has been the person they reached out to with questions, problems, reassurance and support with all manner of issues related to the clinical care and management of their family member with Rett. In this conversation, Tilly and I talk about what got her interested in psychology in the first place and how she moved from that initial spark to the highly specialised work of the CIPP Rett Centre. We discuss the effects of the pandemic on the work of the Centre over the last two years and the team’s extraordinary and swift pivot to telemedicine, and explore what’s behind this team’s fairly unique holistic, empowering and yet supportive approach to the clinical management of children and adults with Rett Syndrome and other rare diseases. Please listen, share and if you have any comments, questions or ideas for new future podcast guests, please email me rachael@reverserett.org.uk The best way to support the podcast is by subscribing so that you get updates as soon as a new episode comes out. Thank you for listening! If you are interested in registering someone with Rett Syndrome for monitoring by the CIPP Rett Centre, please email: cpmrs@slam.nhs.uk Reverse Rett website: https://www.reverserett.org.uk

    50 min
  2. Ep 21 Helen Simmonds

    16/07/2021

    Ep 21 Helen Simmonds

    In today's podcast episode, I’m speaking to Helen Simmonds, Vice Chair of Reverse Rett and mother to Lauren who is 14 and her younger brother William. I met Helen all the way back in 2011 when Lauren had just been diagnosed. Helen was die-hard Reverse Rett from the get go, willing to do anything she could to help make change happen for our children.  From the beginning of her family’s journey through the many ups and downs this debilitating condition has led them through, Helen’s dedication to making things better for Lauren, both in the here and now and for the future, has never wavered. Helen is not naturally outspoken but she doesn’t shy away from doing things the hard way, if that’s what it takes to get Lauren what she needs, whether that be communication technology, appropriate adaptations, schooling, surgeries or the clinical care to keep her well.  Throughout this conversation and in the time I’ve known Helen, I’ve found her to be strong and clear-headed, determined and persistent with much hard wrought insight and experience to share with Rett families old and new.  In this conversation, we talk about managing the last year with Covid, Scoliosis surgery (don’t let that put you off) ‘being that mother’ vs becoming a true advocate for your child, when to say ‘no’ or ‘get someone else please,’ the difficulties of coping with two very young children and a new diagnosis at the same time and much more. As always, we’d love to know what you think and if you found the episode helpful. Please email rachael@reverserett.org.uk or message us on any of the socials @reverserett

    52 min
  3. Ep 20 David Wainwright

    02/07/2021

    Ep 20 David Wainwright

    This week our guest is one of the busiest dads on the planet, my friend, David Wainwright. David lives in Loughborough with wife, Louise and their three children. His eldest, Georgia has Rett Syndrome and his other daughter, Phoebe has a rare brain condition called Pachygyria & LIS1, coincidently they are both under Professor Santosh at the CIPP Rett Centre and CIPPRD. Their son, Liam also keeps them on their toes. I see his Facebook posts and wonder how they remain so positive and happy in the face of the issues they deal with on a daily basis, they really are an inspiration to me. It was a pleasure to talk to David about his family, his relentless fundraising for Rett Syndrome, his journey into sports journalism and the people he's met who have also become huge supporters of Reverse Rett. David is a larger than life character with a big heart and inspires support wherever he goes. I've had the privilege of doing the half marathon at the Great Manchester Run when we pushed our girls 13.1 miles on the hottest May day since records began. I saw first hand how determined the big fella and his running mate, Trevor Jones are that day and also what a lovely, smiley girl Georgia is. Huge thanks to David for taking the time to talk to me, as always, it was emotional. We would love to know your thoughts on our conversation and the Reverse Rett podcast so leave a review on whatever platform you listen on. Or @reverserett on any of the socials.

    48 min
4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Reverse Rett Podcast, sharing the stories of families living with Rett Syndrome and picking the brains of doctors and researchers working in the field. To find out more about Rett Syndrome visit: https://www.reverserett.org.uk

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