The Happy Pod: The Cafe Where Mistakes Are Expected

Podcast: Global News Podcast
Host: Joanna Keane, BBC World Service
Release Date: December 13, 2025

Overview

This uplifting edition of The Happy Pod highlights stories of joy, resilience, and community from around the globe. From a Tokyo café where people with dementia find purpose, to a heroic dog saving a life in Northern Ireland, to breakthroughs in gene therapy, inclusive education in Kenya, and a divorce camp in India—this episode is filled with heartwarming tales of people coming together, overcoming challenges, and discovering happiness in unexpected places.

Segment Summaries and Key Insights

1. Tokyo’s Orange Day Café: A Place Where Mistakes are the Norm

[01:20–09:22]

Main Points

• Orange Day Café in Sengawa, Tokyo, is a “Cafe of Mistaken Orders,” run by volunteers with dementia once a month.
• Purpose: Offers dignity, identity, and community engagement for people living with dementia.
• Morita Toshiomi (87), an octogenarian living with dementia, is a local celebrity there and enjoys energizing interactions with customers.
• The environment is inclusive—mix-ups are welcomed and expected, with menus and tables color-coded for ease.
• Founder Akiko Kanna started the pop-up after her father was diagnosed with dementia.
• Social context: Japan faces a looming dementia crisis as its population ages; many elderly live alone, so such initiatives reduce isolation and foster human connection.

Notable Quotes

• Morita Toshiomi, server, on his experience:

  “It’s fun and lively here when there are many customers. I’m excited when I see people enjoying their drinks and when they start chatting to me.” (05:03)

• Akiko Kanna, founder, on inclusion:

  “Everybody needs a place to be needed. I think they need identity, they need a place. They need a place to be himself or herself.” (07:32)

2. Polly the Dog: A Life-Saving Hero in Northern Ireland

[09:30–14:38]

Main Points

• Polly, a golden retriever, alerted her owners, Hannah and Adam Cook, when Adam suffered cardiac arrest in his sleep.
• Hannah’s quick response with CPR (guided by an emergency dispatcher) saved Adam’s life.
• Polly was named a CPR hero by the British Heart Foundation.
• The event strengthened the family’s gratitude, connection, and outlook on life.
• The couple reflects on how their bond with Polly and each other deepened after the ordeal.

Notable Quotes

• Adam Cook on gratitude:

  “It’s not a day goes by where I don’t think about that fact. And forever indebted to the both of them. And thankfully, I get to tell them and thank them every day. Give Polly a big hug. Give Hannah a big hug.” (11:05)

• Hannah Cook on living with perspective:

  “We have a gift that other people don’t have, that we’re able to reflect that Adam was able to be saved. So we got a chance. And we have to realize that when we’re stressed or we’re angry or, you know, we’re upset, we have something else that makes us put it all back into perspective.” (13:36)

3. Gene Therapy and Hope: Alyssa Tapley’s Story

[14:43–19:50]

Main Points

• At age 13, Alyssa Tapley became the world’s first recipient of a revolutionary gene therapy for previously untreatable blood cancers.
• She was cancer free within four months and, now 16, reflects on the enormity of her journey alongside her mother, Kiona.
• Alyssa’s story illustrates the emotional highs and lows of pioneering medical treatment, as well as the life-changing impact of new technologies.
• Receiving a dog, Holly, post-treatment symbolized new beginnings and a return to normality for Alyssa.

Notable Quotes

• Alyssa, on beating cancer:

  “I can’t compare that level of happiness to anything that I have ever felt, like the amount of emotion and just going from a place where you thought you were never going to grow up... to somewhere where there are endless opportunities and just being able to have the knowledge that you’re gonna be able to see your brother again and see your friends and the rest of your family.” (17:32)

• Kiona, Alyssa’s mother, on recovery:

  “You go from a place where you’ve got absolutely no hope whatsoever... if it works, it’s a miracle. And at that point, it’s quite difficult to sort of believe in miracles after everything you’ve been through.” (18:30)

4. Dyslexia-Inclusive Education in Kenya: Rare Gem Talent School

[22:20–27:20]

Main Points

• Rare Gem Talent School, near Nairobi, serves 210 children with dyslexia, offering a tailored approach to learning.
• Methods include smaller classes, hands-on activities, and vivid visuals to support reading, writing, and vocational skills.
• Teacher Dorothy explains individualized progress and innovative resources.
• Student Peter Kimani shares his story, describing his transformation from being misunderstood and bullied in mainstream school to finding belonging and success.

Notable Quotes

• Teacher Dorothy on their approach:

  “Here, you have to teach differently. Even the teaching strategies and methods, they are very different... We use hands-on activities, visuals like videos. Learners with different learning abilities, they learn well with materials and play.” (24:01)

• Peter Kimani, student, on his change:

  “Now when I read, I do not see like the words if they’re upside down. I see if they are clear.” (27:19)

5. Women’s Divorce Camp in India: Finding Joy and Community

[27:24–31:40]

Main Points

• Divorce remains taboo in India; many women feel isolated after a separation.
• Rafia, in Kerala, turned her personal experience into a movement, launching divorce camps for support, friendship, and collective healing.
• Over 100 women have attended in Kerala, across India, and the UAE.
• Camps include group activities, nature treks, games, music, dancing, and free time, providing a rare chance for solo travel and self-expression.
• Participants arrive as strangers and leave with friendships and renewed confidence.

Notable Quotes

• Reporter Sumedha Pal:

  “Just to travel for leisure and just to travel to see things and just to be able to sing songs and dance and not feel like they have to take care of anything... was purely an act of joy and freedom for them.” (30:45)

6. Francois Pieron: From Homelessness to Hope Through Piano

[31:50–35:00]

Main Points

• Francois Pieron became homeless after moving to London from France; he found purpose by playing the public piano at St Pancras station.
• Piano-playing provided comfort, connection, and a way out of homelessness.
• He now has a safe home, his own business, is studying, and dreams of being a pianist.
• Francois is featured in a Crisis charity campaign, urging others to seek support and believe in themselves.

Notable Quotes

• Francois:

  “I was finally feeling like people were actually watching me and appreciating who I was. I wasn’t an outcast anymore. I was somebody that could actually give joy, give love.” (34:12)
  “My advice for anyone that’s homeless right now is to move. You know, life is movement... You deserve to do something with yourself. You’re not alone. Everyone can succeed. And you will.” (34:52)

Memorable Moments & Quotes Timeline

• 04:55 — Morita Toshiomi welcomes café customers with warmth and excitement.
• 07:32 — Akiko Kanna highlights the universal need to feel needed.
• 11:05 — Adam Cook expresses profound gratitude for his wife and dog.
• 17:32 — Alyssa describes her incomparable happiness after learning she was cancer-free.
• 24:01 — Teacher Dorothy details the unique learning methods at Rare Gem.
• 27:19 — Peter Kimani shares his transformation thanks to specialized education.
• 30:45 — The Indian divorce camp creates rare experiences of carefree joy for women.
• 34:12 — Francois Pieron reflects on gaining self-worth and community through music.
• 34:52 — Francois encourages homeless individuals to keep moving and believe in themselves.

Conclusion

This episode of The Happy Pod is a celebration of resilience, ingenuity, and the transformative power of inclusion and community—whether in a Tokyo café, a Northern Irish home, a London train station, a Kenyan school, or the hills of Kerala. Each segment affirms the possibility of hope, healing, and happiness, even amid adversity.

For feedback, stories, or to connect with the show, contact: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk