A to Be

Kaz Cooke has been a lifelong friend to many of us, acting as a guiding light to generations of women figuring out life and health. From decoding the mysteries of girlhood in the Girl Stuff Books to the essential Up The Duff and her latest gem, It's The Menopause, she’s spent years empowering us. A constant in our journeys, now it’s time for us to explore hers. From a young bold cadet journalist to finding her iconic style and deciphering the facts from the bonkers, in true Kaz Cooke form, part one of this conversation ventures to the profound, the relatable and the downright hilarious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into the extraordinary life of Jane Rowe, from an upper-class English boarding school to rubbing shoulders with rock stars and moguls in 70s punk London to, unexpectedly, an Australian sheep station. Jane shares her personal struggle with addiction, a journey that led her to work in drug rehabilitation and witness the heart-wrenching scene of a child weeping at his mother's coffin. Now, 25 years on, she's dedicated her life to caring for the forgotten victims of drug abuse. In this powerful episode, we break the stigmas around addiction and explore the transformative power of letting go of shame and opening up secrets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is a rare thing to dream a life goal at age 10, and then to go on and live it. But Chloe Dalton did exactly that, winning an Olympic gold medal in Rugby 7’s just as her younger self had dreamed. She has since gone on to play elite basketball as well, and now AFLW. But beyond her on-field success, Chloe’s passion is promoting sport in girls and women, which is the basis of her hugely popular platform, The Female Athlete Project. Join this inspiring chat as Jo and Mimi sit down with a woman who has found her true purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The path from wanting a child to holding that precious baby in your arms is rarely a simple one. Sometimes the A to Be of this story is complicated, challenging and heart-breaking. In this very special episode, we take you along an IVF journey with fertility specialist, Dr Nicole Hope, and her patient Jade. These two women share a unique bond - Jade’s daughter, Harper, was conceived via IVF thanks to Dr Nicole’s care. If you’re hoping for a baby, and you think fertility treatment might be for you, this conversation is a crucial one. This episode is brought to you by Newlife IVF, a doctor-owned fertility clinic offering personalised, supportive and affordable care. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Diana Nguyen is one of the most joyful people you can meet. Her energy is uplifting and infectious, and underpins her purpose in life to spread the joy with all those she meets. But in this raw conversation, Diana reveals how being the daughter to Vietnamese refugee parents and having a childhood of trauma left her with crippling shame - and how she has courageously leant into her pain, to now find peace. This episode is powerful in it’s vulnerability, and in true Diana style, brings as many laughs as it does tears.This episode contains material of a highly sensitive nature including sexual abuse that may be triggering for some individuals. If you’re currently in distress, please head to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) for support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Social media is the medium of our time and it doesn't serve people. And I think the next evolution of technology is where it serves us. And so I do see myself in service to people on the planet.’ So says Sue Fennessy, the brilliant founder of new and innovative social media platform WeAre8, which aims to bring a positive social media experience to hundreds of millions of people, all while sharing the majority of the advertiser money with people, creators and causes. Already WeAre8 has raised over $1.25m for charities. But how does someone become the person who courageously takes on the world’s enormous social media players? Here Sue shares the story behind her passion, and reminds us that inherently we all just want to help others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2006, Dave Graham came out as gay on live national television, in front of an audience of 3 million people. It was one of the first times in Australia a person’s sexuality was so openly exposed, and thankfully gloriously accepted, making Dave’s story profoundly impactful for other gay men and women. But this courageous act is only part of Dave’s story. In this conversation, we weave from outback Australia, through Mongolia, and back to Western Sydney and Rufftrack, the not-for-profit program for at-risk kids that Dave founded. And ask the question, do we find our purpose, or does our purpose find us? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While we believe conversations around mental health are essential, we do issue a suicide trigger warning for this episode. If you or anyone you know is struggling, don't hesitate to get in touch with Lifeline on 13 11 14. If our ancestors walk with us, do we have the power to write our own stories? Co-host of A to Be, Mimi Kwa, explores these questions in her powerful memoir, House of Kwa, and here shares with Jo the fascinating elements of her life that have made her who she is. From the early-childhood trauma of a mother with chronic mental illness, to her father’s court case against her, and stretching back to her great great grandfather in China, the interviewer becomes the interviewed in this vulnerable and moving conversation between two friends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We do not know who we touch on our path, but not many of us have touched people by starring in one of the biggest horror blockbusters of the 80’s. Yet Barbara Bingham is more than Miss Van Deusen in Friday the 13th Part VIII. She’s a screenwriter, producer, devoted mother and wife, and at 65 a shining example of taking on new challenges and living big at any age. From Hawaii's golden shores to becoming an icon, the tragic loss of her nephew and embracing motherhood, this is a journey of reinvention and resilience, and is as heart-warming as a hug.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is every moment in our life interconnected? In her story, author Jayne Tuttle, maps the series of events that have led to her being who she is today: From the devastating loss of her dear Mum, to a passionate love affair with a handsome Frenchman, and the near-fatal accident that changed everything for her. All this against the backdrop of magical Paris, in an episode that challenges us all to go out and live as hard as we can. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘If somebody told me I couldn't do something, I would be like, "Oh, I'm going to show you." - so says Darcy Donavan, television and film actress, executive producer and tech entrepreneur. Darcy’s fierce defiance has brought her from humble beginnings in Nashville, to the bright lights of Hollywood and now to being known as crypto-queen to millions of people worldwide. But what gave her the strength to create the person she is today? And what the hell is Web 3? It’s time we all found out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1995, Alisha Tarrant lost her brother to suicide. Of course it was a profoundly devastating moment in her life, but it also lead her to her life’s purpose - which is to support others experiencing crisis. Alisha now leads Lifeline Narrm's crisis support training, a suicide prevention and support service that is at the frontline of the mental health challenges within our community. In this beautifully honest conversation, Alisha helps us understand how to sit in the mud with a person’s pain, and how best to help one another in the dark times. While we believe this conversation is critical in the steps towards destigmatising suicide, we also issue a trigger warning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘My goal was to walk again. 20 years old, tell me I couldn’t do that and we weren’t friends.’ When Rhiannon Tracey became a quadriplegic, the trauma never stripped her of her hope. Through incredible determination, hard work and fearlessness, Rhiannon has turned that life-changing accident into opportunity, as she opened her own spinal cord recovery facility. Here we find out how she got through the darkest times, to follow her dreams. And ponder the question, does everything happen for a reason? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For six years Thomas Mayo was entrusted with carrying the Uluru statement from the Heart across Australia and today he speaks from the heart about his personal journey to become a leading YES campaigner as we approach the 2023 referendum date. From a little boy hesitant to speak up, to a union leader on the wharfs Thomas tells us how he found his life’s purpose, who helped him realise his worth and uncovers the moments that have shaped a man at the helm of momentous historical progress towards reconciliation with a voice for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve heard of Crazy Rich Asians, you’re about to hear about Amy Wang, lead writer for the sequel Crazy Rich Asians 2. In this episode of A to BE Amy shares her spellbinding story of how she found her way into the writers’ rooms of Hollywood. Her childhood trajectory warrants a movie in itself. This is a candid conversation about the grit, moments and people that shaped Amy’s journey from suburban Sydney to yum cha with Gwyneth Paltrow, and an inspiring listen for anyone who has ever had a dream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.