Yesterday I went to the BBC Three Counties studios in Luton filled with nervousness which is unusual for me, as I like radio, but I was soon put at my ease, especially when I met the presenter.
He is Jonathan Vernon-Smith and he does a phone-in show.
You can listen to the programme online here ( my bit is in the middle)
When a twin dies before birth, the sole survivor needs help and understanding. Womb twin survivors are the sole survivors of a twin or multiple pregnancy. This group, 1 in 10 of the population, includes survivors of a stillbirth, miscarriage, abortion and a "vanishing twin" pregnancy. It is a story of a twin bond broken by death, leaving a lonely survivor.
Showing posts with label radio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label radio. Show all posts
Friday, June 03, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The message: (5) radio and TV
The loss of a twin before birth is a common but little-known phenomenon. There are sceptics everywhere.
Radio
I was listening again to a 2008 BBC Three Counties radio programme where I was interviewed on the phone at 6 am by an extremely skepical DJ, who spoke the words "womb twin survivor" as if they were the weirdest words he had ever heard and I must be a crazy woman to believe any of it. The DJ was not a womb twin survivor and every time he mentioned "womb twins" it was in a highly sceptical and slightly tone of voice.
He said it had sounded as if I was "just pandering to people who have weird feelings." I don't know if I convinced him - after all, there would be precious few listeners at 6am! I have learned in this job not to bother trying to convince people that this is a real effect. If they need convincing they are not womb twin survivors, and no amount of persuasion is going to change their opinion.
TV
But what happens when there is a rather more accepting approach? When the wonderful national geographic film Life in the womb was aired on ITV they tried to find someone who was carrying a vanishing twin pregnancy. I knew they would never get someone like that and they needed someone the next day, so I contacted them and sure enough the next day I was being filmed. I was interviewed for 20 minutes and out of it they took 20 seconds.
At no stage was it implied in any way that I was crazy or mistaken. But of course both people in the room where the film was made, though not womb twin survivors themselves, had a womb twin survivor in the family.
Passing on the Womb Twin message can be hard: scepticism, especially when coupled with narcissism, (the need always to be correct and be the only one who really knows the truth) is the very worst. It is much better when the people concerned are open-minded, or have some personal experience of this.
"They all laughed at Christopher Columbus, when he said the world was round......?
To quote that song, we will get the last laugh in the end:
So you've seen the movie - now read the book!
I was listening again to a 2008 BBC Three Counties radio programme where I was interviewed on the phone at 6 am by an extremely skepical DJ, who spoke the words "womb twin survivor" as if they were the weirdest words he had ever heard and I must be a crazy woman to believe any of it. The DJ was not a womb twin survivor and every time he mentioned "womb twins" it was in a highly sceptical and slightly tone of voice.
He said it had sounded as if I was "just pandering to people who have weird feelings." I don't know if I convinced him - after all, there would be precious few listeners at 6am! I have learned in this job not to bother trying to convince people that this is a real effect. If they need convincing they are not womb twin survivors, and no amount of persuasion is going to change their opinion.
TV
But what happens when there is a rather more accepting approach? When the wonderful national geographic film Life in the womb was aired on ITV they tried to find someone who was carrying a vanishing twin pregnancy. I knew they would never get someone like that and they needed someone the next day, so I contacted them and sure enough the next day I was being filmed. I was interviewed for 20 minutes and out of it they took 20 seconds.
At no stage was it implied in any way that I was crazy or mistaken. But of course both people in the room where the film was made, though not womb twin survivors themselves, had a womb twin survivor in the family.
Passing on the Womb Twin message can be hard: scepticism, especially when coupled with narcissism, (the need always to be correct and be the only one who really knows the truth) is the very worst. It is much better when the people concerned are open-minded, or have some personal experience of this.
"They all laughed at Christopher Columbus, when he said the world was round......?
To quote that song, we will get the last laugh in the end:
So you've seen the movie - now read the book!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
On being heard: or were we?
Yesterday I sat for a long time in a lonely BBC studio in Luton, eventually to be allowed to join in a programme on Irish Radio RTE.
We ended up being recorded, as "someone else ran on too long", and Heaven knows when (or indeed if) we will be broadcast.
The experience was unexpectedly painless: there was skepticism, but it was founded in the usual ignorance rather then a primitive inclination to mindlessly bully (see skeptics posts below), so there was an intelligent debate - at last!
My one wish is to be heard, not as a weirdo a fraud or a quack but as someone with a story to tell.
I go with Max Ehrmann - I will go placidly
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
The "loud and aggressive persons" have their story too, and their point to make. Largely, they are part of the 90% of the population who have absolutely no idea what we womb twin survivors are talking about. Sadly for us, a lot of them work in the media. We must learn how to listen to each other.
Meanwhile I am preparing my presentation for Saturday 24th in Dublin. If you can get there, do come, it will be a long time before I am able to come to Ireland again.
Register now, pay later
See you there!
We ended up being recorded, as "someone else ran on too long", and Heaven knows when (or indeed if) we will be broadcast.
The experience was unexpectedly painless: there was skepticism, but it was founded in the usual ignorance rather then a primitive inclination to mindlessly bully (see skeptics posts below), so there was an intelligent debate - at last!
My one wish is to be heard, not as a weirdo a fraud or a quack but as someone with a story to tell.
I go with Max Ehrmann - I will go placidly
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
The "loud and aggressive persons" have their story too, and their point to make. Largely, they are part of the 90% of the population who have absolutely no idea what we womb twin survivors are talking about. Sadly for us, a lot of them work in the media. We must learn how to listen to each other.
Meanwhile I am preparing my presentation for Saturday 24th in Dublin. If you can get there, do come, it will be a long time before I am able to come to Ireland again.
Register now, pay later
See you there!
It was broadcast the following Thursday
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