The Happy Pod: Learning to read in your 30s

Summary

Global News Podcast - The Happy Pod: Learning to Read in Your 30s Release Date: May 10, 2025
Host: Janat Jalil
Producer: Holly Gibbs and Rachel Bulkley
Editor: Karen Martin

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1. Oliver James: A Journey to Literacy

At the heart of this episode is the inspiring story of Oliver James, a 35-year-old man who embarked on a transformative journey to learn how to read in his early thirties. Struggling with literacy throughout most of his life, Oliver decided to take control of his education, sharing his progress with his growing TikTok following.

Key Highlights:

• Motivation to Learn: Oliver recounts, "It just literally opened up one door for me to go, hold on, why don't you just read?” (01:34). A book gifted by his partner five years prior ignited his desire to overcome his reading challenges.
• Educational Struggles: Reflecting on his past, Oliver shares, "When I first went to school I had some kind of like some learning issues and some behavioral health issues... It kind of took away from my learning.” (02:11).
• Documenting the Journey: Encouraged by his partner, Oliver began documenting his learning process on TikTok, alleviating his shame and inspiring others. He notes, "I think that's the best part about this, is that I'm telling them as I go along.” (03:05).
• Advice for Learners: Oliver emphasizes resilience, advising, "Lean into the struggle... It's like, just keep going. You don't have to know what you're doing.” (03:54).
• Emotional Impact of Reading: Describing his feelings, he states, "It makes me feel like it's tearing me apart and putting me back together. It's the beauty of destruction and bliss.” (05:07).

Oliver's story underscores the profound personal growth and empowerment that comes with overcoming educational barriers, highlighting the importance of persistence and community support.

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2. Embracing Joy: The Power of Laughter Yoga

Transitioning to mental and physical well-being, the episode delves into the benefits of Laughter Yoga, a practice that combines laughter with yogic breathing.

Key Highlights:

• Introduction to Laughter Yoga: Kerry Sanson explains, "We have this thing in laughter yoga where you fake it till you make it. And the body doesn't know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter.” (07:20).
• Group Dynamics: Engaging in communal laughter activities, such as pretending to operate a lawnmower, fosters connections and breaks down social barriers. Kerry describes exercises like, "You're kind of acting out things like pretending to start a lawn mower... and then everybody's laughing together.” (07:27).
• Health Benefits: The practice releases stress hormones and endorphins, boosting immunity and improving overall health. Kerry states, "We are releasing all the stress hormones from the body and we're inducing endorphins... the body can come into this healing mode.” (09:11).
• Inclusivity and Accessibility: Highlighting sessions with international refugees, Kerry emphasizes, "You don't need a language because we're not relying on a sense of humor, we're not relying on jokes.” (08:04).

Laughter Yoga serves as a powerful tool for enhancing mental health, building community, and fostering a sense of joy and resilience.

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3. Sanctuary for Chimpanzees in Liberia

The podcast shifts focus to conservation efforts in Liberia, detailing a project that provides new homes for chimpanzees previously used in laboratory experiments.

Key Highlights:

• Background: Chimpanzees were subjected to decades of experimentation before being abandoned on river islands when the research company ceased operations. Jacob Evans reports, "For decades they were experimented on before being dumped on six tiny islands...” (11:01).
• Conservation Efforts: The charity Humane World for Animals is constructing dedicated facilities to ensure the chimpanzees live out their lives in peace. Katie Connolly mentions, "They still will have access to the large island that they always have.” (12:40).
• Transportation Challenges: Dr. Richard Sunya discusses the complexities of moving the chimpanzees, ensuring their well-being during the process. He notes, "We had Will, we had Honey and Goofy... she had a calming effect.” (13:18).
• Future Outlook: The project aims to provide shelter, veterinary care, and enriched environments for the chimpanzees, marking a significant milestone in animal welfare. Oliver James expresses, "Ultimately, the chimps are the ultimate winners in all this.” (13:48).

This segment highlights the dedication to animal conservation and the positive impact of coordinated humanitarian efforts.

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4. Empowering Communities in War-Torn Syria

The episode sheds light on the critical role of community centers in Syria, particularly in the aftermath of prolonged civil conflict.

Key Highlights:

• Bar Ceba Center in Homs: Offering counseling, education, and support, the center serves as a vital lifeline for residents. Najoud Mahmoud shares her personal journey, "Since I was 16 years old... then it became something that I had to do.” (16:06).
• Sewing as a Means of Survival: Najoud discusses starting her own sewing business with the help of the community center, enabling her to support her injured family. "I had to think of running my own business and to lead it myself.” (16:18).
• Comprehensive Services: Motaz Meno elaborates on the center’s offerings, including psychosocial support, counseling for gender-based violence, and child protection services. "We provide this information to them through our counseling...17:04).
• Hope for the Future: Both Najoud and Motaz express a desire to rebuild their communities and improve the quality of life for their neighbors. Najoud states, "I really hope that similar projects to the one I benefited from continue.” (17:51).

This narrative underscores the resilience of communities and the essential support systems that aid in recovery and empowerment amidst adversity.

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5. Dr. Yao Bediako: Revolutionizing Cancer Research in Africa

Highlighting advances in medical research, the podcast features Dr. Yao Bediako’s efforts to develop cancer treatments tailored to African populations.

Key Highlights:

• Inspiration and Mission: Motivated by his father's battle with cancer, Dr. Bediako shifted his focus to address the rising cancer rates in Africa. He remarks, "Cancer is also a problem in Africa, but it's a problem that we don't hear very much about.” (19:03).
• Genomic Research: Dr. Bediako's company, Yemachi, aims to sequence the genomes of African cancer patients to better understand the disease’s behavior and improve treatment efficacy. "We are generating more data so that we can narrow that gap..." (20:30).
• Global Impact: Recognizing Africa as the most genetically diverse continent, Dr. Bediako explains, "If you understand cancer in Africa, you actually also further your understanding of cancer in Europeans, in Asians, in Latin Americans..." (22:04).
• Future Goals: Yemachi plans to sequence 15,000 genomes, making it the largest collection of African cancer genomes, with hopes to revolutionize cancer care both locally and globally. "The truth about the African continent is that it is the most genetically diverse population on the planet..." (22:34).

Dr. Bediako’s pioneering work emphasizes the importance of inclusive research in developing effective medical treatments and advancing global health equity.

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6. Eddie Brocklesby: Defying Age with Endurance Sports

Concluding the episode is the remarkable story of Eddie Brocklesby, an 81-year-old Ironman competitor whose athletic endeavors challenge perceptions of aging.

Key Highlights:

• Inspiration and Beginnings: Eddie shares her journey, "I didn't do anything at all until I was 50, 51... I was motivated to make the most of my life by that.” (23:41).
• Overcoming Challenges: Starting as a non-swimmer, Eddie dedicated herself to mastering the swim component of triathlons, which she considers critical to her success. "I couldn't swim, you know, I could just about manage a width of the water breaststroking..." (25:01).
• Community and Motivation: Emphasizing the social aspect, Eddie highlights, "Get as active as you can, but also offer the sociability that makes a difference too..." (27:01).
• Legacy and Encouragement: Reflecting on her late husband’s influence, Eddie motivates others by saying, "You only got one life and make the most.” (23:55).

Eddie’s story serves as a powerful testament to the human spirit’s capacity for growth and achievement at any age, inspiring listeners to pursue their passions regardless of the obstacles.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Happy Pod weaves together narratives of personal growth, community resilience, scientific advancement, and the pursuit of joy amidst challenges. From Oliver James’s triumphant journey to literacy to Eddie Brocklesby’s athletic feats, each story underscores the theme that it’s never too late to embark on meaningful endeavors. The discussions on laughter yoga, chimpanzee conservation, community support in Syria, and inclusive cancer research further highlight global efforts to enhance well-being and equity. Through these diverse and uplifting stories, the podcast celebrates human and animal resilience, the power of community, and the relentless pursuit of improvement.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Oliver James on Overcoming Learning Challenges: "When I first went to school I had some kind of like some learning issues and some behavioral health issues.” (02:11)
• Simran Sohal on Motivation: "What made you decide you wanted to learn to read at 32?” (02:11)
• Oliver James on Emotional Impact: "It makes me feel like it's tearing me apart and putting me back together. It's the beauty of destruction and bliss.” (05:07)
• Kerry Sanson on Laughter Yoga Benefits: "We are releasing all the stress hormones from the body and we're inducing endorphins.” (09:11)
• Eddie Brocklesby on Life Motivation: "You know that you've only got one life and make the most.” (23:55)
• Dr. Yao Bediako on Genetic Diversity: "The truth about the African continent is that it is the most genetically diverse population on the planet..." (22:04)

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Contact & Further Information:
For more inspiring stories or to share your own, email [e-mail]. You can also watch interviews on YouTube by searching for "The Happy Pod."

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This summary was compiled based on the transcript provided and aims to encapsulate the key discussions, insights, and inspirational narratives featured in the episode.

Transcript

[Janat Jalil]

This is the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service. I'm Janat Jalil and in this edition.

[Oliver James]

I can say, oh, it makes me feel great, but it makes me feel like it's tearing me apart and putting me back together. It's the beauty of destruction and bliss.

[Janat Jalil]

The 35 year old man who's learning how to read and taking his social media followers on the journey with him.

[Kerry Sanson]

Also, you're kind of acting out things and make sounds like woo, woo, woo. And then you all go off with your lawnmowers weaving in and out of everybody and then everybody's laughing together.

[Janat Jalil]

Why unleashing your childish side could be good for your health. The lab chimps being given new homes.

[Eddie Brocklesby]

In Liberia and I think I was motivated to make the most of my life by that. You know that you've only got one life and make the most.

[Janat Jalil]

We meet ayan gran, the 81 year old swimming, cycling and running extreme distances just because she can. When was the last time you learned something new? Oliver James spent most of his life not being able to read. But at the age of 32 he decided to teach himself. And despite being embarrassed about this, he shared the experience on TikTok yesterday, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers. He spoke to Simran Sohal about getting his first ever book, a gift from his partner five years ago.

[Oliver James]

It just literally opened up one door for me to go, hold on, why don't you just read? I still have the book. It's 365 quotes to live your life by by R.C. reblado. It changed my life. It also brought me closer to understanding, like, this is a journey. When I first went to school I had some kind of like some learning issues and some behavioral health issues. So they placed me into a special needs class with the ADHD and the hypertension deficit disorder. It was really hard for me to focus and pay attention and, you know, just be a participant in class. They had a program, it was more on like restraining and you know, get me to behave in class. It kind of took away from my learning.

[Simran Sohal]

What made you decide you wanted to.

[Oliver James]

Learn to read at 32, it's never one thing. But I think once I hit like in my 30s, it started to kind of think in like, okay, all of the tools I was using. You learn how to, you know, to make it. You learn how to build a structure on how to, you know, take care of yourself even though you struggle at reading or struggle at math. It was like different things like, oh, I wanted to learn to read so I can Take a girl on a date or I want to be able to message people. But all of these things accumulated to like, okay, you want to learn how to have independence, freedom, you know, take care of yourself. When I first booked a flight, my partner had to book flight for me. You know, those things started to sink in. I was getting job offers to travel and I can't read the emails or book the flights. I'm like, I need to learn how to read so I can do at least these basic things.

[Simran Sohal]

And what made you want to start documenting your journey on TikTok?

[Oliver James]

I don't know completely. You know, I was feeling inside that I wanted to stop having the shame and the pain about not knowing how to read. I just didn't know how to go about it. One day I came into the house and I was talking to my partner. She's like telling her all this stuff. You know, I was real big into fitness stuff and I was posting and everything about fitness. I was telling her about my normal me, but the social media scene to fit and stuff. And she was like, well, why don't you just show them? You tell them that you're working on reading. So I literally went to the camera that same day, one in my car, turned on the video and I was like, what's up? I can't read. It changed everything. It was just like doors started to just open. I think that's the best part about this, is that I'm telling them as I go along. Right now, I just got to read an evaluation. My spelling's at a fourth grade level and my readings at a fifth grade level. And I'll be doing tutoring lessons two hours a day for five days a week. Like school.

[Simran Sohal]

What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn how to read?

[Oliver James]

Lean into the struggle. I know that might sound really simple, but for when I started learning how to read, it was all about like, finish a book, read a book, read a book. You know, you start a race, you want to finish it type thing. You don't you forget the fact that you signed up. Lean into the. To the parts where it's just like, I don't even know what's going on. Good. That you're right where you need to be. I don't even know what I'm reading. Good. I don't even know what these words say. It looks like gibberish. Good. Like, like, it's like, just keep going. Like you don't have to know what you're doing. That's not the object, I guess you say objective of the, the, the learning to read. You know, I'm writing a book right now, so that should be coming out. And I'm hoping that that becomes like, you know, like, you know, I see these books and they say, like, New York's best time seller or something. You know, I don't know. I still don't even know what the heck that means, but I know it's good. And I'm like, I want to be one of those, One of the. Another big things I want to do is I'm trying to get into college. So I'm working on, like, how I can go to, like, a college. I want to figure out, like, how to get an education that I was kind of like, I didn't really learn. Like, I didn't really get the education in the format of, like, sitting in a class and learning and seeing people and seeing teachers and seeing, like, students and enjoying things and being a participant. Those are like, some of my biggest goals. And learn my independence, learn how to take care of myself, being able to stand on my own two feet, have my own, you know, structure of how I'm taking care of myself as an adult.

[Simran Sohal]

How does reading make you feel?

[Oliver James]

I can give you a very cliche answer and I can say, oh, it makes me feel great, but it makes me feel like it's tearing me apart and putting me back together. It's the beauty of destruction and bliss. There's books that rip me into pieces and I'm like, oh my gosh, like, I don't even know if I can handle this. But then it heals a part of me that has been missing for so long. To a non reader, they'll be like, what is he talking about? But that's the beauty. Find out what I'm talking about because it'll open up things in your mind that you can't even explain to the out of your mouth. Like, the words can't even explain it.

[Janat Jalil]

Oliver James, speaking about the joy and pain of reading. Now, what if there was a way to improve mental and heart health, boost immunity, and improve sleep with minimal effort? And all for free? Well, fans of Laughter Yoga say there is, and it's all just a session away. The Laughter Yoga movement, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year, was started by Dr. Madan Katariya in Mumbai, whose research found we can reap the health benefits even when we're only pretending to laugh. And this week we had World Laughter Day. So what better time for our reporter Stephanie Prentice to speak to Kerry Sanson an expert in the field who's out to convert even more people this summer.

[Kerry Sanson]

So often we leave laughter to chance and you know, we all remember that time when we had a good belly laugh with a friend. But laughing within a group is such a good opportunity to make connections, to feel safe. And we have this thing in laughter yoga where you fake it till you make it. And the body doesn't know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. So you get the benefits from laughing through laughter yoga because we start off by encouraging the laughter to come and then sure enough, after a while it becomes natural.

[Simran Sohal]

So in practice, is it people doing a normal yoga session and you're amusing them, are you telling them jokes or is it a physical thing that you're doing to provoke the laughter?

[Kerry Sanson]

We have a little warm up, we're moving the body a little bit, we have this clapping and chanting. So there's a wonderful chant which is ho ho, ha ha ha. And we get everybody to get the going with the chance whilst clapping the hands. And everyone's encouraged to have like eye contact with each other. We then create the laughter by having little exercises. You're kind of acting out things like pretending to start a lawn mower and make sounds like, whoa, whoa, whoa. And then you all go off with your lawnmowers across, across the room and you're weaving in and out of everybody laughing as you're pushing your imaginary lawnmower and then everybody's laughing together.

[Simran Sohal]

And we've probably all heard the phrase contagious laughter, but that is the thing, isn't it?

[Kerry Sanson]

There's lots of scientific research within laughter and that's why the founder, Dr. Madan Kataria, he looked at the research, he's a medical doctor and he realized that the benefits from laughter, there were so many of them. And yes, this contagious thing of when you hear people laughing, for me, I think it's allowing, allowing the childlike playfulness. And a couple of years ago I did a session with international refugees, so we didn't have any language to communicate with. But you don't. That's the wonderful thing. You don't need a language because we're not relying on a sense of humor, we're not relying on jokes. I'm at the Wilderness Festival this year doing some laughter yoga. It's going to be a room of 50 people all saying yes, yes to coming together and laughing and just, just having that freedom and no expectations and just, just going with it.

[Simran Sohal]

And there has been research into how laughter yoga can do things like boost immunity. How do you think that works?

[Kerry Sanson]

We are releasing all the stress hormones from the body and we're inducing endorphins. So the immunity is boosted as well because we have all these, these happy hormones going around the body and we, we're coming also into, it's a rest and repair if you like. We're allowing that stress to drop away and that the body can come into this, to this healing mode because it's feeling full of all the good stuff.

[Simran Sohal]

So to me that all sounds completely wonderful. But what about the people listening that maybe couldn't imagine acting out a lawnmower? What would you say to those people that want to try but might feel a bit embarrassed or a bit nervous?

[Kerry Sanson]

I think because it's a communal thing and that everybody's doing it at the same time, there's no individuals in it. It's like everybody's in it together, clapping, we're laughing, we're breathing. And I've seen people start off, you know, quite shy maybe on the outsides, but after a while once they realize what's going on, you can see they just, they just get in with it.

[Janat Jalil]

Dr. Madan Kateria. Right, We've decided we'll be holding a happy pod laughter yoga session as soon as possible in the office. Please email our [e-mail] to help us get approval. Let's head to West Africa now and a project that's providing new homes for a group of chimpanzees. They'd been brought to a lab in Liberia by a research company. Then when the firm quit, the animals were abandoned on a collection of river islands. Local people cared for them before a charity stepped in to build dedicated facilities on the islands. Jacob Evans has the story.

[Jacob Evans]

For decades they were experimented on before being dumped on six tiny islands dotted across the estuary of this remote Liberian river. But for this handful of chimpanzees, today marks the start of a brand new chapter. They're being brought to the mainland and where they'll soon be joined by the 50 or so other chimps living along the island chain, while brand new bespoke facilities are built for them back on their islands for them to live out the rest of their days in peace. The work is being carried out by the charity Humane World for Animals, which took responsibility for the chimps a decade ago. Katie Connolly is the charity's Vice president of animal research issues.

[Oliver James]

Back in 1974, a US based research organization was interested in doing experimentation on chimpanzees and they chose to start a laboratory in Liberia and started taking chimpanzees from the wild, buying them from people who had them as pets, creating this colony to use for experimentation. And they ended up in the mid 2000s deciding they no longer want to do experimentation on the chimpanzees. And that is when they placed different groups on these six different estuary islands.

[Jacob Evans]

Many of the chimps are old and suffer from long term health issues because of their trauma, so they can't be assimilated into the mainland populations. The new homes will have shelter for extreme weather and dedicated veterinary facilities so that they can be treated on the islands. There'll also be new food preparation and administrative facilities, all of which have to be chimpanzee proof.

[Oliver James]

They still will have access to the large island that they always have. I mean, that's what's interesting about this project is most sanctuaries start with an enclosure and then look to expand to let the chimpanzees out into a more natural environment. And in this case they already had.

[Simran Sohal]

That natural environment where they were living.

[Oliver James]

Like chimpanzees building nests, roaming where they want.

[Jacob Evans]

Sedating and transporting dozens of chimps while protecting their well being is certainly not an easy operation. And sometimes you need the chimps to help you out. Dr. Richard Sunya is the head vet. Tell me about the group of six being transported today.

[Oliver James]

We had Will, we had Honey and Goofy as the two adult females, then Bin as well as the two juvenile.

[Motaz Meno]

Boys, Hani, she took on the responsibility.

[Oliver James]

Of comforting everybody in the group, telling them it's all going to be okay, it's going to be okay. She had a calming effect.

[Jacob Evans]

Humane World for Animals have made a pledge to care for these chimpanzees for the rest of their lives. So getting this process underway is an important moment.

[Oliver James]

I feel so privileged to be part of this project, to be part of the team that has made it happen. And ultimately, you know, the chimps are the ultimate winners in all this. This is a milestone, you know, the icing on the cake.

[Janat Jalil]

That was Dr. Richard Sasunya ending that report by Jacob Evans. Still to come in this podcast, how tackling inequality in scientific research could save lives around the globe.

[Motaz Meno]

If you understand cancer in Africa, you actually also further your understanding of cancer in Europeans, in Asians, in Latin Americans.

[Janat Jalil]

Now, community centers are often seen as the lifeblood of neighborhoods. But in Syria, a country scarred by over a decade of civil war, they've become much more than that, a vital lifeline. The Bar Ceba center in Homs is One of many that have continued to operate, offering counseling, education and support. Ella Bicknell has been speaking with Motaz Meno, one of the center's coordinators, and Najoud Mahmoud, whose local centre just outside Aleppo helped her start her own sewing business.

[Najoud Mahmoud]

Amman Community center in Al Khadiy. The center provided us with services during a time where we all needed especially the families in the neighborhood. It also availed many opportunities to us all. The moment I received the equipment, I had everything I needed to start working sewing clothes for children, for men and for women. And I do see that I'm running.

[Simran Sohal]

A successful project that is remarkable resilience.

[Janat Jalil]

Nujood all of this through more than 13 years of civil war in Syria. Tell me more about how that has affected you.

[Najoud Mahmoud]

Since I was 16 years old, I used to do some work in sewing. I used to do it as a hobby. But then the war came and we had to be displaced several times, me, my family and my children. I had to leave the thing that I used to love. After we went back home and we got through the phase of the war, the first thing I thought of was to go back to the thing I loved to do. Then it became something that I had to do. My husband and my son were injured, so at the same time I had to think of a way that I could also support the family and to help them as well. This gave me a push to think about running my own business and to lead it myself. And thank God, now I can say.

[Janat Jalil]

I'm happy with this and to bring you in. Motaz, you run a similar community center in Homs. Tell me about the services you provide.

[Motaz Meno]

As a community center. We work as a information hub. When someone arrives to their hometown, they find everything is different. We provide this information to them through our counseling or external referrals to other NGOs within our local area. We provide psychosocial support, but we also provide counseling based on gender based violence. And we provide child protection services to unify the people who came back to our city to mainstrain integration, you can say.

[Janat Jalil]

And as the country adapts to new.

[Simran Sohal]

Leadership, what are your hopes for the.

[Janat Jalil]

Future, both for yourselves and your respective community centres?

[Najoud Mahmoud]

I really hope that similar projects to the one I benefited from continue because the majority of people need them and I know a lot of other women who truly need such projects and they are waiting for their chances just like I got my chance.

[Motaz Meno]

Our hope is to build our communities back to their original status. That's our biggest hope. We hope also to be Able to provide a much better quality of life.

[Simran Sohal]

And do you think you can do it?

[Motaz Meno]

Yep, we can.

[Janat Jalil]

Motaz meno and najoud Mahmoud speaking to Ella bicknell about their hopes for Syria's future. Now, to a man who's dedicated his life to helping develop cancer treatments which work better for African people. Decades of bias in the way medical research is carried out means that new medicines, as well as the tools used to diagnose some conditions, are mainly tested on people of European heritage. This can lead to treatments not working as well for those not represented in the research. Dr. Yao Bidiako, who runs a biotech firm in Ghana, told myra anubi he was inspired by the death of his father.

[Motaz Meno]

I had for a long time focused my research on infectious diseases like malaria and so on. But when my dad got cancer, I realized that, you know what? Cancer is also a problem in Africa, but it's a problem that we don't hear very much about. Cancer currently already kills more people than malaria does.

[Myra Anubi]

And it's not just about rising numbers. Cancer behaves differently in different populations, and that matters when it comes to treatment. But because most cancer research today focuses on people of european descent, most we know far less about these differences.

[Motaz Meno]

Cancer is a genetic disease, and so to understand cancer, you need to understand the host or the person with cancer. And there is growing evidence that people of African descent, in particular, certain cancers, appear to be much more aggressive. Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.

[Myra Anubi]

But this isn't just an issue that affects people in Africa. It actually touches on people of African descent from all around the world.

[Motaz Meno]

If we take all the genomic data that we have in the world, 78 to 80% of it will come from people of European descent. Less than 3% will come from people of African descent, and less than 1% will come from people on the African continent.

[Myra Anubi]

And if data doesn't include people from Africa, then scientists are missing vital clues about how cancer behaves and how to treat it effectively. However, this is exactly what Dr. Biryako's company, Yemachi, is trying to change.

[Motaz Meno]

So what we are trying to do is generate more data so that we can narrow that gap, Actually going out and recruiting patients with cancer and generating genomic data, sequencing their genomes.

[Myra Anubi]

A bit of science here. Genome sequencing is basically reading our DNA. So these are the instructions that make us who we are. Understanding those genetic instructions that helps scientists spot patterns like which mutations could lead to cancer. And to gather that data, Dr. Biriaco and his team have partnered with, partnered with hospitals in nine countries across Africa.

[Motaz Meno]

Tunisia, Senegal, Cote d' Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa. We've been doing this for just around, you know, just under five years. So far, we have probably recruited close to 2,000 people with cancer across different projects. In the next three to three and a half years, Yamachi will hopefully have generated 15,000 genomes from people with cancer and as a collection, will represent the largest single collection of African genomes.

[Myra Anubi]

The idea is that this data could then be used to develop better tools for diagnosing cancer as well as treatments that work better for African people.

[Motaz Meno]

And hopefully we will catch cancer very early. And so then at a time when it is much more easy to treat, and that will mean that we'll have many more cancer survivors.

[Myra Anubi]

Dr. Vidiaco hopes that what they find in this data could transform cancer care not just in Africa, but around the world.

[Motaz Meno]

The truth about the African continent is that it is the most genetically diverse population on the planet and it is where our species evolved from. So the best example I can give is a big bowl of M&Ms. Of different colors. Every color you can imagine is in Africa. If you understand cancer in Africa, you, you actually also further your understanding of cancer in Europeans, in Asians, in Latin Americans, because at a genetic level, they all trace their ancestry back to the continent.

[Myra Anubi]

Pharmaceutical companies are starting to take notice, paying for access to the data that Dr. Biriako and his team are collecting. Dr. Birdiako's vision is starting to become a reality. What do you think your late father would say if he could see some of the work that you've done today?

[Motaz Meno]

Well, I hope he'd be proud. I believe he would be. I think he'd be most proud of the fact that I'm building something here. So, looking to make a contribution to the global discourse around cancer.

[Janat Jalil]

That was Dr. Yao Bediako. And you can hear more on People fixing the World wherever you get your BBC podcasts. An Ironman competition is something most of us would find impossible, at least any age. A four kilometer swim, then a 180km bike ride followed by a full marathon. Even just one of those requires amazing levels of fitness. So it's all the more impressive then that Edwina or Eddie Brocklesby is still taking part. Wait for this. At the age of 81, she's been talking to Katie Smith.

[Eddie Brocklesby]

I think that it motivates not only me, but, you know, a lot of other old people in the charity, older people in the charity. That I run, you know, that it's not too late to get out there and get active and be sociable.

[Simran Sohal]

Have you always been an active person?

[Eddie Brocklesby]

I didn't do anything at all until I was 50, 51. I went up to watch a friend doing a marathon and I was totally motivated by that. And I came back and said to my husband, you know, I'd love to do that, that half mar marathon, I think it was. And he said, you couldn't even go three miles into Northampton. And that was true. And I think it was that challenge that got me going. And I did. And he died, sadly, not that much later. And I think I was motivated to make the most of my life by that. You know that you've only got one life and make the most. Yeah.

[Simran Sohal]

I'm so sorry to, to hear that. But it's, it's, it's amazing, isn't it? Sometimes the, the legacy that people can leave within us, that power of doing it for others.

[Eddie Brocklesby]

Yeah.

[Simran Sohal]

And how did it progress? Because I think there's a lot of people who'll be listening right now who will think, well, a half marathon up to an Ironman, that's quite a big leap to make. So what was the progress through to, to that point?

[Eddie Brocklesby]

What motivated me, I think, was that my oldest son was doing an Ironman down in Lanzarote and I think it was sort of one waiting for him to come around the corner when he was doing the marathon.

[Kerry Sanson]

But.

[Eddie Brocklesby]

And that was the bit that I thought, you know, I'm going to have a go at this.

[Simran Sohal]

So how do you take, I mean, literally your first step into it for some people, it's, it's such a huge prospect in your mind, isn't it? A marathon, a huge swim, a massive, massive cycle. How do you address that? How do you begin?

[Eddie Brocklesby]

I think the key one was the swimming. I couldn't swim, you know, I could just about manage a width of the water breaststroking. So actually, actually to really learn to swim that late on was a critical thing. But before that, yes, I had done a bit more running from the age of 50 odd onwards. So yes, I didn't do triathlon until I could swim a bit. And to actually get out the swim and finish, you know, the swim was absolutely key for me. And then the rest of it's fun, you know, to get out on the bike and closed roads.

[Simran Sohal]

Do you think that you're ever underestimated, Eddie, because of your age? When you go to events like the half marathon that you've done recently? Do you think people look at you and think, oh, gosh, does she need extra help? Does she need some support? Because she is, she is a bit older.

[Eddie Brocklesby]

Well, as I came through, I did tell the commentator as I went under, you know, I was 82, I think it was going to be the following day or something like that. But yes, I mean, it is fun to be older and people say, what?

[Simran Sohal]

So friends of yours who are, who are similar ages, they must look at you and think, wow, this, you know, maybe a slight bit of envy there for how, how active you've been and how much you've, you've looked after your body, but what advice do you have for, for people who may be starting to feel like they're struggling to keep so active? Things are creaking a little bit, you know, it's starting to get harder and.

[Eddie Brocklesby]

I think it is to get as active as you can, but also offer the sociability that makes a difference too, to get out in the fresh air, to go for a walk, whatever pace with other people is vital, I think, because, you know, that ticks several boxes. And so I would encourage everyone to get out. We always try to build in a social element so people meet up socially and then preferably cup of tea or coffee after. Fantastic. Oh, sorry, that thinks I'm still walking. Can you hear it?

[Simran Sohal]

Is that your watch talking to you?

[Eddie Brocklesby]

Let me tell it to shut.

[Janat Jalil]

Hard to believe she's 81. That was Eddie Brocklesby. And it just goes to show, it's never too late and you can hear more inspiring sports stories like that on not by the Playbook, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. And that's all from the Happy Pod for now, but if you have a happy or inspiring story to share, we'd love to hear from you. Just email us or send a voice note to globalpodcastbc.co.uk and you can now watch some of our interviews on YouTube. Just search for the Happy Pod. This edition was mixed by Chris Ablako Aqua. The producers were Holly Gibbs and Rachel Bulkley. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janet Jaleel. Until next time, Goodbye.