Profound Hearing Loss – with Mel (Australia & New Zealand)

In this episode of Sunflower Conversations, James Dunn speaks with Mel Ogden (https://www.inclusivebusinesssolution...) about profound hearing loss alongside endometriosis, Hashimoto’s disease, and breast cancer, and how it's shaped her identity, work, and self-advocacy.  Mel shares her journey from childhood through to adulthood, navigating communication, disclosure, and shifting access needs across different environments. • Communication in daily life, including lip reading and the importance of captions • Learning to disclose access needs, moving from masking to self-advocacy, and why confidence isn’t always linear • The impact of chronic illness and cancer on identity, energy, and day-to-day life • Challenging assumptions like “you don’t sound deaf” and how these moments shape the experience of non-visible disability Visit our website (https://hdsunflower.com/au/) , Facebook (  / hiddendisabilitiesanz  ) , or Instagram (  / hiddendisabilities_anz  ) for more resources.