The Happy Pod: Filling the empty chair left by my best friend

Summary

Global News Podcast – The Happy Pod: Filling the Empty Chair Left by My Best Friend

BBC World Service | April 18, 2026
Host: Holly Gibbs

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Brief Overview

This "Happy Pod" edition from the BBC World Service showcases inspiring, uplifting stories from around the globe. The main feature centers on Dean Perryman’s heartwarming "Empty Chairs" campaign, created in honor of his late best friend, which aims to combat loneliness and encourage open conversations about mental health. Additional segments spotlight innovative technology empowering a dancer with ALS, a 95-year-old record-breaking swimmer, Brazil’s first official tartan, a dramatic sea rescue, and the story of Marcus—the Labrador who found his true vocation as a therapy dog.

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Segment 1: "Empty Chairs" – Turning Grief into Connection

[01:44 – 10:19]

The Genesis of Empty Chairs

• Dean Perryman launched "Empty Chairs" after losing his best friend Rob to suicide.
• The campaign involves Dean (and now people worldwide) going to pubs, wearing a distinctive orange hoodie, and leaving open chairs to signal welcome to anyone seeking company.
• The initiative rapidly spread from the UK to places such as Norway, Australia, the US, and Belgium.

Key Quote:
"The thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was this idea of the empty chair where, like, he would have always sat. So I was like, what can I do to kind of have an impact on that?"
—Dean Perryman [01:44]

Early Impact

• On what would have been Rob’s 30th birthday, 14 people across the UK hosted their own Empty Chairs events, filling over 100 chairs.
• Dean reflects on the surprise and honor of the campaign’s reach:
  "It's just surreal. Like it's honestly insane. ... If I can meet two people in the month of December and maybe give them a space that Rob didn't have, then I'd... feel as I did something positive."
  —Dean Perryman [08:31]

Personal Encounters

• Dean shares a moving story of a man who, after attending a few events, felt empowered to seek professional help.
• Dean: "Not once have I left regretting having done it. If you do something simple for others, it’s honestly the greatest thing you could ever do." [09:34]

Expansion to Belgium

• Belen Luna Sands, a Bolivian living in Brussels, brought Empty Chairs to Belgium after seeing the story on TikTok.
  • She highlights the challenge of forming real community as a migrant and values the simple, welcoming premise of Empty Chairs.
  • "For me, it was a way of how he turned his grief into something that makes everyone feel so much better about the way they do community."
    —Belen Luna Sands [07:11]

Social Media and Lasting Change

• Dean never anticipated the social impact:
  "So many people are taking solace just from watching the videos... just seeing people out there in the world doing this is just giving comfort to so many."
  —Dean Perryman [09:08]

Important Moment:
Dean’s advice to those anxious about attending an event:
"It takes courage to put on the orange hoodie and it takes courage to go and sit with a stranger. ... Every single time I’ve left an empty chair, I’ve felt so much better for going." [09:34]

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Segment 2: Technology and Hope for ALS Dancers

[10:19 – 13:35]

Brianna Olsen’s Avatar Dance

• Brianna Olsen, an American dancer diagnosed with ALS, returned to the stage by controlling an avatar with her brainwaves in real-time, thanks to technology developed by Dentsu Lab.

• Naoki Tanaka, from Dentsu Lab, explains:
  "Most [brainwave technologies] are very expensive and they require surgery. I think this is not accessible for everyone. So this is exactly why we start this project."
  —Naoki Tanaka [11:10]

• Brianna’s reaction:
  "It was magical and exhilarating to watch her move. I really feel that this technology is unique and definitely has a place for those with disabilities."
  —Brianna Olsen [11:55]

  • On what the experience taught her: "The mind is very, very powerful." [12:41]
  • Hope to others with ALS: "Even the days that they feel like they're doing nothing, I hope that they feel that they're doing amazing things, even just making it through one more day." [12:53]

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Segment 3: Wisdom from a 95-Year-Old Swimming Champion

[13:35 – 16:17]

Jane Asher – “Super Gran” of Swimming

• Jane Asher, aged 95, holds over 100 world records for Masters swimming.

• Asher speaks about the physical and emotional benefits of swimming and the importance of pacing and friends:
  "It just makes you feel well, makes you healthy and after you’ve had a swim, you get out, you just feel, oh, I can go anywhere."
  —Jane Asher [14:31]

• On the role of friends:
  "It's friends that make the whole thing. That's what life's about, isn't it?"
  —Jane Asher [15:55]

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Segment 4: Brazil Gets Its First Official Tartan

[20:46 – 23:54]

"Spirit of Brazil" Tartan

• Designed by 6-year-old Indy Mingiz to mark Brazil-Scotland links, especially their meeting at the football World Cup.

• Fernanda Dalpiaz from the Brazilian Consulate in Edinburgh explains the design's vibrant colors and symbolic details:
  "It has the Brazil colors... and a very thin red line, representing the school that participated in the competition."
  —Fernanda Dalpiaz [21:27]

• Unique family connection: Indy’s family discovered a direct lineage to Charles Miller, credited with introducing football to Brazil. [22:52]

• The tartan will be used at official events (Tartan Day Parade, World Cup celebrations), and possibly sent to the national football team.

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Segment 5: Sea Rescue and Reunions

[24:07 – 27:10]

Mandy Galloway’s Ordeal and Lifeboat Crew Reunion

• Mandy Galloway, swept out to sea while paddleboarding on Scotland’s west coast, was minutes from death due to hypothermia before being rescued.

• Now, three years later, she’s reunited with the lifeboat team: "I was really semi unconscious at that point and I just heard a voice saying, 'We are so glad to see you.' And I was like, 'Oh, I think I'm more glad to see you.'"
  —Mandy Galloway [26:01]

• Emotional impact: Mandy hasn’t returned to the water after her traumatic experience. The story emphasizes safety and the gratitude for those who risk their lives for others.

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Segment 6: Marcus—The Labrador Who Heals

[27:10 – 31:25]

"Too Lazy" for Guiding, Perfect for Comfort

• Marcus, originally intended to be a guide dog, was "too lazy"—but found his perfect purpose as a therapy dog for cancer patients.
• Sam O’Keefe (Guide Dogs NSW):
  "Instead of finding satisfaction in reaching targets, he preferred to look towards his handler and liked to check in. ... His innate ability to seek out people in distress and allow them to take comfort in his presence makes him much more than just a cute dog."
  —Sam O’Keefe [27:42]

The Healing Power of Canine Companionship

• Dr. Lena Pugliano, oncologist, describes Marcus’s impact:
  • He brings subtle, calming presence to patients experiencing emotional strain.
  • One patient, after months of holding back tears, was finally able to let go with Marcus by her side—marking the start of true emotional recovery.
  • "This stillness, this calmness—it's so incredibly powerful. That’s where the magic starts; that’s where the cancer recovery starts, the healing physically and emotionally."
    —Dr. Lena Pugliano [29:48]
  • Patients remark: "I came for the exercise, but I stayed for Marcus." [29:48]

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Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• Dean Perryman: "The thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was this idea of the empty chair where, like, he would have always sat." [01:44]
• Belen Luna Sands: "For me, it was a way of how he turned his grief into something that makes everyone feel so much better about the way they do community." [07:11]
• Brianna Olsen: "It was magical and exhilarating to watch her move. I really feel that this technology is unique and definitely has a place for those with disabilities." [11:55]
• Jane Asher: "It's friends that make the whole thing. That's what life's about, isn't it?" [15:55]
• Mandy Galloway: "I was really semi unconscious at that point and I just heard a voice saying, 'We are so glad to see you.' And I was like, 'Oh, I think I'm more glad to see you.'" [26:01]
• Dr. Lena Pugliano: "This stillness, this calmness, it's so incredibly powerful. That's where the magic starts. That's where the cancer recovery starts, the healing physically and emotionally." [29:48]

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Episode Flow and Tone

Throughout the episode, host Holly Gibbs guides listeners through each uplifting story with warmth, empathy, and genuine curiosity. The tone remains hopeful, encouraging, and deeply human—showcasing ordinary people responding to challenges with creativity, courage, and compassion.

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For Further Support

If you've been affected by issues discussed in this episode, international support is available via Befrienders Worldwide: www.befrienders.org

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Transcript

[Dean Perryman]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

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[Holly Gibbs]

This is the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service. I'm Holly Gibbs and in this edition, the man on a mission to fill empty chairs.

[Dean Perryman]

The thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was this idea of the empty chair where like he would have always sat. So I was like, what can I do to kind of have an impact on that? And I was like, well, I'm not good at many things, but I'm okay at chatting and I'm good at drinking beer. So let's go to the pub. Let's just see if there's anyone there that wants to chat.

[Holly Gibbs]

We meet Dean, who created the campaign in memory of his best friend. Also on this podcast, the cutting edge technology, helping one dancer be on stage again.

[Brianna Olsen]

It was magical and exhilarating. It's a new way of expression to be able to move in a new way.

[Holly Gibbs]

The 95 year old swimmer still breaking records. Plus why Brazil now has its own version of a classic Scottish tartan.

[Dr. Lena Pugliano]

And this stillness, this calmness, it's so incredibly powerful. That's where the magic starts. That's where the cancer recovery starts, the healing physically and emotionally.

[Holly Gibbs]

Meet Marcus the Labrador. Too lazy to be a guide dog, now helping people in his own special way. We start with a man who is turning his grief into a campaign to help others feel less alone. Dean Perryman started empty chairs after his friend Rob took his own life. The concept is simple. Dean will go to a pub and sit with empty chairs around him, and people can join him if they would like some company.

[Dean Perryman]

This is me on day one of Empty Chairs. On what would have been Rob's 30th birthday, 14 incredible people across the country wore orange and hosted their own empty chairs. They showed up in their local pubs to create space for people in their community who might have needed it. Across the UK, we filled over 100 empty chairs. Day 19 of trying to fill empty chairs in pubs to fight loneliness. I've been showing up to pubs alone for just over a month now, leaving empty chairs at a table and seeing who pulls one up.

[Holly Gibbs]

Dean started Empty Chairs here in the uk, but the campaign has now gone global with people hosting their own events in places such as Norway, Australia and the United States. I spoke to Dean and Belen Luna Sands, who set up Empty Chairs in Belgium. And just a warning, our conversation includes details some people might find distressing.

[Dean Perryman]

In November of last year, I lost my best friend Rob to suicide. And almost immediately after that, I just. I really struggled with the guilt and the grief that came alongside that. Rob was my best friend and I had no idea how sad he was. So I was just overwhelmed by all of that. And I felt compelled to do something. I didn't know what it was. I was like, I have to do something. The thing that I couldn't wrap my head around was this idea of the empty chair where, like, he would have always sat. So I was like, what can I do to kind of have an impact on that? And I was like, well, I'm not good at many things, but I'm okay at chatting and I'm good at drinking beer. So let's go to the pub and let's just see if there's anyone there that wants to chat. And I started doing. Doing that every day in December. And, yeah, it's kind of spiraled into what empty Chairs is.

[Graeme Ogston]

Now.

[Dean Perryman]

I wear a really. A really garish orange hoodie every time I go out. And thankfully not many people wear this, so it's kind of. It's kind of worked as a signpost and signal for people.

[Holly Gibbs]

Have you had a memorable interaction with somebody that has come and sat next to you in the empty chair?

[Dean Perryman]

I think my favorite story so far is I didn't really have a plan when I started doing this. And I think if I'd spent time to kind of figure out what it was I was trying to do, I never would have done It. But as I started doing it, I was. It would be amazing to build something that Rob might have actually engaged with in a positive way. And after about. It might have been the third weekend to doing it, I had a man in his 40s come and he came for the first time, and he saw it purely as, like, a way to meet people and like a comfortable environment just to have a beer and a chat. And that was kind of it. And then he came back a second and a third time, and each of those times he kind of opened up a little bit more about the actual reason as to why he wanted to come. And I saw him at the back end of last year and he was, ah, now I've opened up at empty chairs. I'm in a position now where I can seek professional help. And I thought that was really, really inspiring because for me it was just like, that's what I would have hoped Rob would have done. He isn't someone who would have ever engaged with anything professional in that light, because it's just not what he would have. It's just not him. But he would have gone to the pub and chatted to a stranger and hopefully developed the confidence to talk about how he was doing. So that, for me, was amazing.

[Holly Gibbs]

Gosh, how do you feel knowing that you've had such a positive impact on somebody's mental health?

[Dean Perryman]

I. I really struggle to kind of talk about how this has impacted me. I still find myself kind of like, I don't. I don't know, get. Just forgetting that he's not here. So I really have almost, like, been naive almost to the fact of, like, what empty chairs has become and how many people it has helped. And for me, empty chairs has been incredible because I've been able to process that in a way that I never would have done before. Before Rob passed, I was not a talker. I was not someone that would be on the front lines banging the drum for men talking about mental health. I don't know what I would have done without empty chairs, because one, it kind of forced me to talk and it also kind of just exposed me to other people around me and how helpful people are if you give them an opportunity. Strangers tend to be quite incredible. So that's been really lovely for me to experience.

[Holly Gibbs]

Well, now it's gone global. We've got Belen here with us. She's Bolivian, but runs Empty Chairs in Belgium. Belen, what made you want to do that?

[Belen Luna Sands]

I watched the whole story in TikTok and it was really heartwarming because for Me, it was a way of how he turned his grief into something that makes everyone feel so much, so much better about the way they do community. And at the time I was quite a lot struggling to find that community. Especially in Brussels where we have so many events and so many people coming and going and seeing that really spoke to me. I am very community oriented and. And that's something that is quite hard to build when you are a migrant.

[Holly Gibbs]

And has it gone well in Brussels?

[Belen Luna Sands]

Well, I think it has gone well. I just go to a bar and because it is international, there is not this symbolic part of the orange hoodie. I still wear my orange sweater, which is. I'm not very much of a fan

[Sam O'Keefe]

of, but

[Belen Luna Sands]

it has down bonders. I was very surprised that people actually sat down down and talk to me on the first night.

[Holly Gibbs]

Dean, how does it feel knowing that people all around the world, because it's not just Berlin in Belgium, but it's also. I've seen Canada, the United States. Like, how does that feel knowing that your campaign that you set up for your friend Rob has gone completely global?

[Dean Perryman]

It's just surreal. Like it's honestly insane. I think it's. It's more of a shock to me because I have no idea what I'm doing. The first video I ever put online was day one of me going to the pub and I had no expectation that anything would happen. I set myself the goal in December to just. I'm going to do this every day and if I can meet two people in the month of December and maybe give them a space that Rob didn't have, then I'd be. I'd feel as I did, something positive. So to see that it's taken off in this way, it's just, it hasn't sunk in and I don't think it will. But I've been so inspired by everyone that's gone out and done it.

[Holly Gibbs]

And. Dean, what's the feedback been from social media?

[Dean Perryman]

A number of consequences I didn't really think about is so many people are taking solace just from watching the videos, which is something I never really understood. Like, just seeing people out there in the world doing this thing is just giving comfort to so many. It's amazing to see that so many people are finding something from it.

[Holly Gibbs]

What would you say to somebody listening who feels too scared to come and sit next to you in the pub at an empty chairs event?

[Dean Perryman]

I mean, I would say that's totally understandable. I think the one thing that I want everyone to kind of understand is that, like, this isn't an easy thing to do. It takes courage to put on the orange hoodie and it takes courage to go and sit with a stranger. Just from my own experience, the one thing I would really want to stress is that I've hosted countless times now and there have been days where I've just not wanted to do it. But every single time I've left an empty chair, I've felt so much better for going. And it's the same situation with me every time. I never know who's going to come. I never know what topics are going to come up. I never know if I'm going to have the right thing to say. But not once have I left regretting having done it. If you do something simple for others, it's honestly the greatest thing you could ever do. And I'm confident that if you put yourself out there, you'll have a good time.

[Holly Gibbs]

Dean Perryman and Bellen Luna Sans if you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you can speak to a health professional or an organization that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide www.befrienders.org next to a remarkable story of human determination and cutting edge technology. Two and a half years ago, an American dancer, Brianna Olsen, found out she had als. It's a form of motor neurone disease which progressively weakens muscles and has no known cure. But now Brianna has been able to see herself dancing on stage again, controlling an avatar with her brainwaves in real time. Naoki Tanaka from the Japanese technology firm Dentsu Lab led the project.

[Naoki Tanaka]

Talking with ALS people, I learned from the final stage of als. Totally locked in stage. In this stage, the person can no longer communicate. So I felt that this is a profound issue. There are many brainwave technology in the research all over the world, but most of them are very expensive and they require surgery. I think this is not accessible for everyone. So this is exactly why we start this project.

[Holly Gibbs]

The performance at a theatre in Amsterdam saw Brianna on stage in her wheelchair while her avatar followed the dance moves she imagined. She spoke to my colleague Mark Lobel about how it felt.

[Brianna Olsen]

It was magical and exhilarating to watch her move. I really feel that this technology is unique and definitely has a place for those with disabilities.

[Dean Perryman]

Would you say this was a case of technology giving you your voice back?

[Brianna Olsen]

Absolutely. It's a new way of expression to be able to move in a new way and a different way.

[Dean Perryman]

What has this experience taught you about als?

[Brianna Olsen]

The mind is Very, very powerful.

[Dean Perryman]

You really achieved something incredibly special. What's your message to other people with als?

[Brianna Olsen]

I really hope, I really hope that they feel a little bit of hope and joy. I hope that they feel their own inner strength and even the days that they feel like they're doing nothing, I hope that they feel that they're doing amazing things, even just making it through warmer day with als.

[Holly Gibbs]

That's the dancer Brianna Olsen. Pace yourself and enjoy spending time with friends. That's the golden advice from a 95 year old swimming champion. Jane Asher has broken five age group world records for swimming. She can add that to her collection of 100 masters world records. Originally born in Zambia, her swimming career has taken her across the world to the us, Australia and Europe, earning her a place in the International Swimming hall of Fame. And she's showing no signs of slowing down, as our reporter Gemma Riley has been finding out.

[Gemma Riley]

She's been nicknamed Super Gran, but many would say she's got more strokes to her than that. She's won more than 20 gold medals, is in the International Swimming hall of Fame and has a British Empire medal all for her dedication to swimming.

[Jane Asher]

It just makes you feel well, makes you healthy and after you've had a swim, you get out, you just feel, oh, I can go anywhere. My mother was English and her mother taught her to swim in the. See, it's sort of part of the family history.

[Gemma Riley]

Despite recently celebrating her 95th birthday, she's still working towards her next competition and another potential world record in Budapest. And her skills are very much still going strong.

[Jane Asher]

I'm watching what the others are doing because I never go too fast. Pacing is the most important, especially in these long swims. People watch and they can't tell me that's so helpful because it's friends that makes the whole thing work.

[Gemma Riley]

Originally born in Zambia, Jane's swimming journey has followed her all over the world.

[Jane Asher]

Indianapolis, New Zealand, Christchurch, Perth in Australia and Italy twice. Paris, oh, Spain, of course.

[Gemma Riley]

She broke her first Masters record, which is for swimmers over 25, in 1986, which grew to 100 records by the time she was 80 years old. And she's got many more targets to go. But she says it's all down to the people she's been supported by along the way. What do your children think? How proud is your family?

[Jane Asher]

Well, I didn't realize that they were proud. I'm pleased, I feel grateful. It's just I'm so lucky. I've had the right parents, I've had the opportunities I've got the friends who help. That's what. Now that's absolutely crucial. It's friends that make the whole thing. That's what life's about, isn't it?

[Holly Gibbs]

Jem O'Reilly reporting. Coming up on the Happy pod.

[Mandy Galloway]

I was really semi unconscious at that point and I just heard a voice saying, we are so glad to see you. And I was like, oh, I thank God. More glad to see you.

[Holly Gibbs]

A woman who almost died at sea returns to thank the lifeboat crew who saved her.

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[Holly Gibbs]

You're listening to the happy podcast. Tartan is something that people in Scotland will instantly recognise. It's a traditional cloth with a pattern of interlocking stripes. But now Brazil, a country more than 9,000 kilometres away, has just got its first official tartan. Spirit of Brazil was designed by 6 year old Indy Mingiz as part of a competition to mark the two countries meeting in this year's Football World cup and celebrates the Scotsman who introduced the game to Brazil in the late 19th century. Fernanda Dalpiaz from the Brazilian Consulate in Edinburgh was on the judging panel and spoke to my colleague Leila Nathu.

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

So it has the Brazil colours, it's predominantly green with dark blue, blue, yellow and it has a very thin red line, representing the school that participated in the competition.

[Leila Nathu]

I mean, it's very vibrant and it is recognizably Brazilian in some ways. Why did you think that Brazil needed its own tartan?

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

So we are only three years old, the consulate here in Edinburgh, I think it was important to us, to deepen our connection to Scotland. And when we arrived, every place we went, people asked, ah, do you have a tartan? And we didn't. We looked into the Scottish National Register of tartans. We couldn't find a tartan representing Brazil, so we thought it was important to have one. And now we can use it in official functions. The Brazilians can use it. It's a tartan for everybody, really.

[Leila Nathu]

And you were one of the judges in this competition. How did you assess all the entries?

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

So we had the students from Primary seven doing previous selections, so they brought to us five designs, and we thought that Indy's design was the most Brazilian one of them. She chose beautiful colors, so that's how we decided to go with hers.

[Leila Nathu]

And coincidentally, she has a lovely connection herself, doesn't she, to Brazil?

[Danielle Robay]

Yes.

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

So that's such a coincidence, because we didn't know that beforehand, obviously, but her family, her grandmother did the research on the family lineage, and they found out that she has a connection to Charles Miller, who is credited to have introduced football to Brazil.

[Leila Nathu]

That's an incredible, incredible connection. And so lovely for her that she has had the opportunity now to design this material. How is it going to be used?

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

So the first event we have is the Tartan Day Parade here in Edinburgh. I think it's on the 10th of May, but it's going to be used in any official event. We have made ties, we have made kilts and trus. And also I think it's going to be worn by Brazilians in the World Cup. You know that Brazil and Scotland are going to be.

[Leila Nathu]

Well, I was going to ask if the football team were going to get a sample of it.

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

We hope to send them some. I don't know if they're going to be able to wear it, but definitely, yes.

[Leila Nathu]

Well, it's all very collaborative now, though, isn't it? But when it comes to the game, it's going to be. The competition between Brazil and Scotland will resume.

[Fernanda Dalpiaz]

Yes. And we are so happy that we're playing against Scotland because Brazil has played against Scotland so many times in World Cups. And, yes, we're going to be competitors, but I think it's going to be a great party anyway.

[Holly Gibbs]

Fernanda Dal Piaz and staying in Scotland, a mother of four who nearly died after being swept out to sea has been reunited with the lifeboat crew who saved her. Mandy Galloway was paddleboarding on the west coast on a sunny summer's day three years ago when she got into difficulty. Graham Ogston takes up the story.

[Scott Brown]

A desperate Search for a paddle boarder swept out to sea.

[Graeme Ogston]

We spotted the paddle board. All was instant relief. But also were still worried because we didn't know if Mandy was attached to the parel board.

[Scott Brown]

I hypothermic and clinging to her paddle board after being swept out to sea, Mandy Galloway was minutes from dying.

[Mandy Galloway]

My grip was going, I couldn't hold on and I was like, okay then, well, if you're gonna let me die, we're just gonna die then.

[Graeme Ogston]

It's really good to see you again.

[Scott Brown]

Now, almost three years later, Mandy's been reunited for the first time with the crew from Anstruther who saved her life.

[Mandy Galloway]

I was so glad to see everybody.

[Graeme Ogston]

It's really good to see you again.

[Mandy Galloway]

I feel so special to have met the crew that saved me. Obviously I kind of remember what any of them looked like, but their voices are very familiar now that I've met them.

[Scott Brown]

Lifeboat crew member Scott Brown.

[Graeme Ogston]

It was lovely, really nice to meet Mandy again, but it's something that doesn't happen often. A lot of rescues, we maybe never see the person again.

[Scott Brown]

Mandy was paddle boarding when the wind picked up and blew her miles out to sea.

[Mandy Galloway]

I was panicking when I was under the water, I was panicking. Then it kinda went to a surreal calm. I was talking to my auntie and uncle who are no longer here, and I think that kept my brain going.

[Scott Brown]

As the minutes passed, Mandy started to lose hope.

[Mandy Galloway]

I was really semi unconscious at that point and I just heard a voice saying, we are so glad to see you. And I was like, oh, I think I'm more glad to see you. And that was when I knew they were there.

[Graeme Ogston]

She was very pale, very cold, shivering.

[Scott Brown]

Lifeboat crew member Louis McNaught barely clinging onto the board.

[Graeme Ogston]

It was quite difficult to get into the boat because she couldn't use her legs at all.

[Scott Brown]

Mandy was lucky, but admits she wasn't properly dressed for the conditions.

[Mandy Galloway]

I had a swimming costume on and a T shirt and a pair of Crocs, so that's not appropriate just in case. I mean, these things do happen. And even checking a nap, it can still happen, but if you've got proper life saving gear on, you've got more of a chance.

[Scott Brown]

Mandy made a full recovery, but after her ordeal has never returned to the water.

[Mandy Galloway]

Obviously it's never left me. That was quite a horrific traumatic experience because I was only a couple of minutes for dying. So the emotions are still quite raw even though it was a wee while ago.

[Holly Gibbs]

Mandy Galloway ending that report by Graeme Ogston. We end In Australia with a dog that's found his true purpose. Six year old Marcus was deemed too lazy to be a guide dog and was more interested in affection, companionship and treats. But the black Labrador has found his calling as a therapy dog, helping people going through chemotherapy. Sam o' Keefe from the charity Guide Dogs New South Wales says he didn't have the necessary drive to work hard.

[Sam O'Keefe]

Instead of finding satisfaction in reaching targets, he preferred to look towards his handler and liked to check in. Andy was very affectionate. He loved nothing more than sitting close by you and just received all the affection you could give him. Marcus has a calm and friendly personality. He's happy when he's greeting people, but he quickly settles into a relaxed state where he can offer a comforting presence when needed. He's reliable and intuitive and he just seems to know when people need his support. Marcus is from a long line of dogs selectively bred to become a guide or therapy dog. He was carefully selected for his role to ensure that he suited the client and their needs, but to also ensure that the role suited him and that he would be happy going to work each day. Marcus's innate ability to seek out people in distress and allow them to take comfort in his presence makes him much more than just a cute dog.

[Holly Gibbs]

The charity matched Marcus with Dr. Lena Pugliano. She's an oncologist who founded the Cancer Care and Rehabilitation centre Cancer Fit. She says Marcus personality makes him a perfect therapy dog.

[Dr. Lena Pugliano]

He can definitely be a little bit on the sleepy side, but actually he's always present, he's always in the moment. It's actually quite difficult to put into words because what he does is really not dramatic. He's very subtle, he's very quiet in how he approaches things. And so what you see is often someone is coming in, they're kind of holding everything just together. The shoulders are tight, the voice is very controlled and he obviously gets a sense of that and just kind of, you know, casually walks over to them, sits beside them or sits under the desk. There's no fuss and all of a sudden you just notice that the room changes, it softens, it slows. You can hear in their breathing that there's this real sort of proper exhale.

[Holly Gibbs]

And Dr. Lena has seen firsthand the impact Marcus has had on patients.

[Dr. Lena Pugliano]

There's lots of stories that come to mind, but there's one patient who I remember quite well. She hadn't really cried through all of her cancer treatment because often people are just in doing mode. They're just trying to get through all the different appointments. And then Marcus just kind of came and sat next to her and she rested her hand on his head and she just burst into tears. And it wasn't because she was upset or scared. It was relief. And it was really sort of an acknowledgement of everything that she'd been through with this cancer, this stillness, this calmness. It's so incredibly powerful. And, you know, that's where the magic starts. That's where the cancer recovery starts, the healing physically and emotionally. When patients talk, they talk about things very simplistically. I'll hear things like, I felt like myself again just for a moment, or that was the first time I've relaxed since my diagnosis. One of my faves is I came for the exercise, but I stayed for Marcus in the community. And it shows you how much people are carrying emotionally, physically, psychologically a long time after treatment ends. That's the part that the world around them often doesn't see or fully understand. And it's often the part that cancer treatment doesn't quite reach. And so these really small, gentle moments that Marcus creates allow people to start to rehabilitate after a diagnosis.

[Holly Gibbs]

Dr. Lena Pugliano. And that's all from the Happy pod for now. If you have a story to share or want to comment on anything in this episode, we'd love to hear from you. As ever, the address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk. this edition was produced by Rachel Bulkley. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Holly Gibbs. Until next time. Goodbye.

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