Meet our Sunflower Friends
Our Sunflower Friends are Sunflower wearers who are passionate about spreading the word about the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and encouraging people to support everyone living with non-visible disabilities. They can be found in our communities, both physically and online, in the workplace, at leisure and in the everyday places we all visit.
They represent the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to promote the value the Sunflower has for those who choose to use it; to improve awareness about non-visible disabilities and access needs, and to encourage acceptance in the broader community - making the invisible visible.
Dayna Halliwell
I am a full-time disabled and neurodivergent content creator. I use video creation to share my lived-in dyslexic and dyspraxic experience and shine a light on access issues within society. I've grown a community of 100k plus, and every video I share brings me commonality and connection. I am also an actor/ theatre maker and have received arts council funding to support the development of a show called 'dyslexia'.
The Sunflower lanyard plays a pivotal role in my disabled identity, and I'm super excited to be a part of Sunflower Friends and be a part of its development and movement.
Follow Dayna:
My Sunflower Conversation
Emma Cathro
I have been dancing since the age of 4, and my favourite style has to be tap dancing! I love to travel, and during my university degree I studied abroad in Philadelphia, USA & worked abroad in Germany.
Why the Sunflower is important – As a keen traveller, and often solo traveller, the Sunflower gives me confidence when going through airport security and during flights. I am Type 1 Diabetic and I use an Insulin Pump and Freestyle Libre glucose sensors, both of which are attached to me 24/7, and often under my clothing and not visible. Airports are stressful enough on their own, so having the lanyard takes away the extra stress of travelling with medical equipment.
I hope to bring more awareness to the Sunflower on social media, especially to younger people and people with long-term medical conditions who do not realise the lanyard also supports them.
Follow Emma:
My Sunflower Conversation
Lyndsey Rowe-Gidley
I enjoy writing poetry, art and photography – basically anything where I can be creative. I am proud of my poem Don’t Judge What You Can’t See, which highlights and raises awareness of hidden disabilities. It was part of a campaign supported by Odd Arts and their women’s leadership programme.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is essential because it makes the invisible visible – the Sunflower ties in nicely with my campaign about not judging people. At first, I was wary about wearing it, but I realised what support it could be. I am pleased to be able to help promote and raise awareness.
I plan to incorporate the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower into my photography course project. I will be photographing people with non-visible disabilities, giving them a platform to show their beauty and raise awareness at the same time. I will also attend community fairs and markets to share the Sunflower, and I plan to get my college to become a member. I am looking forward to using my experience to speak about the importance of the Sunflower with companies and radio shows.
My Sunflower Conversation
Sandy Kaur
My name is Sandy, and I am the founder of Sehhat, a not-for-profit organisation which focuses on supporting Punjabi and South Asian communities seeking Mental Health and Suicide prevention services. I am based in the East of England however; my team and I are based all over the UK. I love to read, and in whatever little time I have, I love to dive into a book and visit bookshops, especially old and independent bookshops. To match my love for books, nothing beats the combination of a slice of cake and a great cup of Indian masala tea.
When I learnt the importance of the Sunflower symbol and how it can support people from my community, I knew this was something I needed to invest in. I work heavily within the Punjabi community by educating Mental Health awareness. Many people, at some point in their lives, experience some form of mental health issue, which can stem from an emotional or physical experience as well as depression and anxiety. Other causes of mental health can be related to health conditions which may not have been diagnosed yet, such as dyslexia or MS. All of which can be completely hidden until they are debilitating. Often individuals can find it hard to explain their difficulties through words, and the Sunflower is a silent but effective way of letting someone know they need support.
I aim to bring the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower into a community who are unaware of it and ensure the Sunflower also represents a community that slips through the net. Together we can be a bigger and better support system for others.
Follow Sandy
My Sunflower Conversation