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Surviving Prematurity

Apr 14, 2021

WELCOME TO THE FIRST PODCAST OF MY NEW SERIES - AGAINST THE ODDS

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    Martin in his incubator

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    Martin at 8 months with the Lord Mayor

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    Martin at 9 months playing the organ

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    Martin accessing the desktop to send emails

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    Martin using desktop JAWS for Windows

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    Martin using his iPhone

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    Martin using his Alexa

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SEASON 1 / EPISODE 1: AGAINST THE ODDS PODCAST

Surviving Prematurity with Guest Martin Rhodes

What does blindness mean for those born early?


In this first two part podcast of Against The Odds, information technology enthusiast, Martin Rhodes, 38, of Stoke on Trent, reveals for the first time one or two traumatic truths behind his premature birth that left him totally blind and later abandoned by his father just months prior to his seventh birthday.


Martin's experience is similar to that of singer and song writer, Stevie Wonder.

 

Stevie was born at 34 weeks gestation in 1950. A child prodigy and hugely successful musician winning 22 Grammy awards and over 30 top 10 hits under his belt. Whereas, Martin was born 12 weeks early, "weighing less than a bag of sugar" according to his mother.


Both Stevie Wonder and Martin share the same eye condition known as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a complication of prematurity caused by underdeveloped vessels on a premature baby’s retinas. Through research in the years since, the incidence of vision issues is now greatly reduced.


Martin's overall experience is one of ostracism and suffering, tollerance and talking, fortitude and liberation. 

 

You may find certain scenes upsetting. 

Listen to Against The Odds - Surviving Prematurity - Part 1 Listen to Against the Odds - Surviving Prematurity - Part 2 More Ways to Listen
< Back to Episodes Page

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Against The Odds Podcast is the property of Philip Francis Anderson, all rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproductionof part or all of the contents in any form, is prehibited other than the following:


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