Ellie Simmonds: British Paralympian swimmer, Gynaecology waiting lists, Threads, Ukranian Dancers, Meriel Beale, - a podcast by BBC Radio 4

The Paralympic five time gold medallist Ellie Simmonds was born with achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism. A new drug currently being trialled in the NHS and now approved for use in the USA aims to help children with achondroplasia grow taller. In a new BBC documentary: A World without Dwarfism, Ellie raises the question if cutting edge medicine can stop disability in its tracks, should we use it?

More than half a million women across the UK are on gynaecology waiting lists. This speciality has seen the steepest rise in waiting times in England since the pandemic began – it is now 60% bigger than it was in 2020. The needs of those waiting range from first outpatient appointments, scans, right through to surgery. The BBC’s Health Correspondent Catherine Burns talks through the figures. And Alicia Kearns the Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton also joins Emma.Last night, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a powerful pre-taped message to the Grammy Awards. He urged musicians to "fill the silence" left by Russian bombs "with your music". At the heart of his plea was to keep Ukrainians and their identity top of people's minds. It has just emerged that The National Gallery has altered the title of one of the painting by Edgar Degas’ paintings from Russian Dancers to Ukrainian Dancers”, after calls by Ukrainians on social media. The painting depicts a troupe of female dancers dressed with garlands and ribbons appearing to reflect the national colours of Ukraine. Mariia Kashchenko, the Ukrainian born founder and director of the Art Unit joins Emma.

Over the last couple of weeks we've been hearing about the emotional power of clothes in our series Threads . Today, it's the turn of listener Lucy from Oxfordshire whose very short beaded black dress holds special memories of the day she and her now husband became 'official' .This week the Metropolitan Police announced that actor Noel Clarke will not face a criminal investigation over sexual offence allegations, which he has always denied, because the information given " would not meet the threshold for a criminal investigation." Emma Barnett speaks to Meriel Beale who co-ordinated a letter in the Guardian with 2000 signatures from people calling for reform to the UK film and TV industry after the allegations were made against Clarke. What are women saying to her about power and consent within the UK film and TV industry?Presenter: Emma Barnett
Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Catherine Burns
Interviewed Guest: Alicia KearnsInterviewed Guest: Mariia Kashchenko
Interviewed Guest: Ellie SimmondsInterviewed Guest: Meriel Beale

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