We Are The People

Lawrence Cowan set out in politics determined to change lives but his life took an unexpected turn when his best friend, Gordon Aikman, was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease. It was too late for Gordon but together they were determined to positively impact the lives of future MND sufferers.

From Gordon Brown to Nicola Sturgeon, Lawrence and his friends energised Scottish politics to change Scottish Healthcare for the better, positively impacting Scottish generations to come. Their campaign was so successful Gordon's legacy was preserved when the largest lecture theatre in Edinburgh University was renamed The Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre.

Laurence's work raising funds and awareness of MND lead him to pursue a career in fundraising. He continued on to work for Breast Cancer Now and Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, saving countless lives in the process.

Lawrence speaks with passion throughout this episode, none more so than when he speaks about his daughter who navigates the world with a visual and physical disability. 

Lawrence's story is the inspiration for all of us to be the change we wish to see in the world.

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Elaine Garrigues O'Neill grew up in Ireland but her eyes were always firmly fixed on a life further afield. When she graduated from University she moved to France and set about becoming as French as the French themselves.

She set about honing her translation skills in the corporate world before realising she would much rather be her own boss. With little more than a few contacts, a large helping of bravery and a willingness to conquer French bureaucracy she set up her own translation business.

As her business grew she became more comfortable and her mind began to wander once more. Elaine had always dreamed of becoming a pastry chef and where better to learn than in the pastry capital of the world? She enrolled in a patisserie school and went back to the classroom for long hours, intense exams and early mornings in the bakers.

Elaine's story is proof that we can achieve our goals once we set our minds to them.

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I like to ask guests what they wanted to be when they were growing up because I think it relaxes them but it’s also interesting to hear if there are any similarities between where they dreamed of being as a child and where they are now.

Elaine Garrigues O’Neill dreamed of becoming an air hostess but after some thought realized it was the travelling she was interested in rather than the hard work and air miles. So, years later, she let her mind wander and landed in France.

Having studied French in school and University, and spent an Erasmus year in the North of France, it is hardly surprising that Elaine landed a job as a translator in a large corporation. She enjoyed it, until she got itchy feet and her mind began to wander again. 

Have you ever thought of packing in the corporate life and working for yourself? That is exactly what Elaine did… not once, but twice.

From being hit by a bus, to holding her own with the French language, to trusting her instincts and becoming as French as the French themselves… This is Elaine Garrigues O’Neill!

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What you do with your life is completely up to you but what we do with our lives often follows others down a well beaten path… be that where we study, what we do for work, what we believe in or where we live.

Vicki Duffendack made her life choices with her happiness in mind. Whether that was romantic relationships, the countries she lived in, the jobs she chose to work or even the photos she put on social media… she was always searching for something better than what she had.

It wasn’t until she broke down, mentally and physically, and had the opportunity to build herself back up she realized how she could make herself truly happy… and as a young woman from south Dublin living a jet setting lifestyle, the answer may surprise you!

Faith, love, family, bravery, honesty… This is Vicki Duffendack!

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Vicki Duffendack was a typical South Dublin woman, she grew up interested in boys, having fun with friends and seeing the world. She travelled across the globe as a nanny, working hard and partying just as hard.

In Australia, she found love and got engaged but when that didn't last she looked for love on Instagram... well what she thought was love. Her quest for likes and followers brought her to Bali but her obsession with appearance drove her to a breakdown.

In the depths of despair she reignited her relationship with God and slowly recovered at Teen Street, a discipleship for Christian teens. Vicki drew strength from her relationship with God and signed up to attend the Bethal Christian School. 

Her whirlwind life continued as she met her future husband and settled in America, with her family and church her focus.

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Serendipity and chance encounters brought Inka and Iason together, their shared interests blossomed into a romance that is now three years down the road. As their relationship developed their boundaries fell as they opened up to each other and realized a shared dream.

The dream of one day creating music with their partner… that day arrived and so The Zorbas was born.

The Zorbas is a mixture of music, cinema, design, story telling… and lots more.

Ambition, vulnerability, excitement, passion, humour, positivity, it’s all here… This is the Zorbas!

Listen to the Zorbas here: https://www.thezorbas.live/

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Serendipity and chance encounters brought Inka and Iason together, their shared interests blossomed into a romance that is now three years down the road. As their relationship developed their boundaries fell as they opened up to each other and realized a shared dream.

The dream of one day creating music with their partner… that day arrived and so The Zorbas was born.

The Zorbas is a mixture of music, cinema, design, story telling… and lots more.

Ambition, vulnerability, excitement, passion, humour, positivity, it’s all here… This is the Zorbas!

Listen to the Zorbas here: https://www.thezorbas.live/

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The events we experience throughout our lives shape who we are and how we look at the world. As we move through life we learn and adapt and change because of what we have been through.

Inka Malovic was conceived in the Congo, born in Bosnia, grew up in Algeria and when war broke out in both Yugoslavia and Algeria she settled with her family in Canada.

As she moved from one place to the next she became a sponge in her new environment, she watched and listened as she integrated herself and it was these skills that helped her hone her craft.

Inka is an actress, a dancer, a teacher, a musician… she wears many hats all of them with passion and positive energy… nothing is impossible… This is Inka Malovic.

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The events we experience throughout our lives shape who we are and how we look at the world. As we move through life we learn and adapt and change because of what we have been through.

Inka Malovic was conceived in the Congo, born in Bosnia, grew up in Algeria and when war broke out in both Yugoslavia and Algeria she settled with her family in Canada.

As she moved from one place to the next she became a sponge in her new environment, she watched and listened as she integrated herself and it was these skills that helped her hone her craft.

Inka is an actress, a dancer, a teacher, a musician… she wears many hats all of them with passion and positive energy… nothing is impossible… This is Inka Malovic.

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The vast majority of us follow a well-trodden path when it comes to what we do with our lives, we may take an unexpected diversion here and there but by and large we follow in the footsteps of where others have gone before. 

Stephen Carton grew up in Dublin, went to school in Dublin and completed a degree and masters in Engineering in Trinity College… you can probably fill in the gaps from here, right?

Wrong?

A chance encounter as a Fresher in Trinity lit a spark that created a passion for American Football that burnt so brightly he decided becoming an American Football coach was his destiny.

He left Ireland in a hurry and put his foot on the bottom rung of a ladder and started climbing, his adventure taught him the importance of family, to embrace his identity and what happens when you take a chance… This is Stephen Carton.

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