21st June is global MND awareness day. I have had the pleasure of sharing a really special and emotional episode with James, aged 39 years, who shares the difficulties he experienced leading up to his diagnosis with MND. James talks about the current battles, support and treatment that’s available. I am in awe of his resilience and tenacity in wanting to raise awareness for MND.
James and his family have made an appearance on BBC today for Lifeline Appeal to help increase the much needed funding to aid support and research for everyone living and dealing with this disease.
Please see the links below to support James & his family:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-me-and-my-mnd .
You can also find him on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/diagnoseddad?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== #MNDawareness #MNDawarenessmonth
Author: tashas-tales
“Oh People of Palestine”
Oh people of Palestine
I have been thinking of you all for 365 days and I know I’m not alone. So many of us think about you every second of the day.
My heart is heavy, but what an insult that is to your broken heart. You heart that is full of constant pain and anguish. Who am I to ever complain after seeing the heartache you go through, again and again.
I think about your burning flesh but the fire in your belly to stay alive.
I think of your decaying bodies, but your faith that guides you and gives you strength.
I think about your starving bellies, but your yearn for life that keeps you going.
I think about your missing limbs, yet a heart so whole, a soul so pure.
I think about you every day.
I see faces of the children who lost their lives. Oh Hind, how they took away your life in the most merciless, inhumane and barbaric way. This world didn’t deserve you. I’m sorry we let you down.
The image of the mother wearing a white hijab, holding her child’s body and mourning quietly. That image haunts me when I close my eyes.
The mother who struggled with infertility and celebrated with joy when giving birth to twins babies, only to lose them to this evil genocide.
The grandfather, looking at his granddaughters vacant eyes, searching for her soul. His own eyes, still full of hope.
The father carrying his childrens limbs in carrier bags.
The child’s body hanging callously on a wall where there were once photo frames of loved ones.
The baby girl with a pierced ear, wearing a yellow outfit and her mutilated face.
I think about all the children who were given beautiful names on their birth. Only to lose their identity, their family history and their all as their loved ones were snatched away from them. Children who no longer have names, nor identities.
I think about you all every day.
After witnessing your pain, your death and the wreckage around you. I cannot help but question the people on this Earth. Why do I live for a world that is so cruel, so corrupt.
I want to thank you, thank you for igniting the love for faith within me. For I know there may never be justice in this world, but there will be justice in the hereafter. Justice for all those living in oppression, dying slowly and watching their loved ones being murdered.
Oh people of Palestine, please know, you will get justice. Until then, we think of you and we pray for you.
Episode 16: Eid bants & chit chat
A very spontaneous and in the moment conversation with my cousin, Memoona AKA khobsoorat massi. Rabia also graced us with her presence mid convo. We laughed, we cried and we spoke about a whole load of random things. But the biggest take was to “LOVE YOURSELF”. Come & take a peak into what we get up to on Eid.
Episode 15: Living with Endometriosis
For this episode I was joined by Fizza all the way from Dubai (we going international baby)!
Fizza takes us on a journey of her lived experiences of endometriosis over the last two decades. She spoke about the symptoms, the diagnosis and her recent surgery in Dubai.
We also touched upon how periods impact women in the Muslim/ South Asian households. Fizza challenges cultural taboos in an effort to empower women.
Please see links for the two books that she has recommended:
* Blue Sisters – Coco Mellor
* In the FLO – Alisa Vitti
Episode 14: Palestine and OCD (intrusive thoughts)
Finding a friend for life whilst experiencing collective grief for Palestine feels like such a surreal thing to say. But it’s true, Emma and I found one another by sharing our ache, sadness and rage over the loss of Palestinian lives. During this conversation we spoke about Palestine, Emma’s diagnoses of OCD and how it exasperated her existing feeling of sadness for Palestine. Forever grateful to her for reaching out to me!
Episode 13: Zainib from Race Across the World!
In today’s episode, I was joined by the wonderful Zainib from Race Across the World. I slid into her DMs on Instagram and, to my surprise, she agreed to have a chinwag with me! I’m forever grateful to Zainib for agreeing to join me – talk about getting a self esteem boost!
We had such a natural, wholesome and unedited conversation. We discussed
a range of topics, including her experience on Race Across the World, infertility, her love for Gabor Maté, (me oversharing as per usual), self-care and Zainib’s job as a Consultant within the Mental Health sector.
I hope you enjoy listening to it!
Episode 12: Concoction of a tiny guest, reflections and summary of the episode with my dad
This is “a bit of an everything episode,”, with my 5 year old Nael making a guest appearance, me thinking out loud and eventually summarising my dads episode in English! You don’t want to miss this one, I describe my dads conversation and experience of having to deal with the aftermath of a bomb attack, moving to a different country and his perception of how we should live our lives!
Come, let’s have some tea & a chat.
Episode 11: My Papa
A super wholesome conversation with my dad (papa) who sacrificed his entire life and identity for me by moving from Kashmir to the UK. We talk about all kind of things but the message he wanted to share was “forget your past, enjoy the present and look forward to the future”.
Episode 10: Adult friendships and self care
My friend Juwairiah & I talk about being really intentional about our friendship and spending time together. We discuss the importance of self-care and what self-care looks like for us individually. There are also some random stories about the things we have been up to in the hope that it inspires one of you to do something for yourselves too. We hope you enjoy the episode as much as we did putting it together. #friendships #selfcare #femalefriendships
Episode 9: My Mama and her unconditional love
An emotional conversation with my mum – aka LOZZA – on the pod. She took me on a journey through her childhood in Leicester in the 60s, to spending her teens in Pakistan in the 70s. We speak about her experience of being dual heritage, raising an only child in an Asian culture and returning to the UK with nothing else but two suitcases. It’s raw, it’s honest but it’s beautiful 🎙️
Tasha's Tales 