Dawn Williams is a mum of three and an Olympic weightlifter. She is also a campaigner for exercising throughout cancer treatment to get the best possible chance of recovery. And this is all before we even touch on her full-time job in life sciences.

Dawn and I met by chance on a train when I was travelling to a gig. We got talking and I knew I wanted to share her amazing story with you.

In the podcast we talk about the way Dawn faced her breast cancer diagnosis, not long after becoming a single mum, how she talked to her children about having breast cancer, and how they supported her and kept a mini fridge and a snack box stocked in her room, for any time she needed to be on her own.

Dawn carried on training, and even became stronger throughout her treatment. She also told me about recent research which shows that carrying on exercising may reduce the risk of cancer coming back.

Dawn is now cancer-free and trains 5 times a week before coming home to the place she and her children call Team Dawn.

Was it the fact that she’s an ex-paramedic or that she has 5 gold medals and can snatch 45 kilos that made me feel very safe in her presence? Either way, I very much did!

Here's to more conversations on trains!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly Rutherford is an American actress probably best known for her starring role in 7 series of Gossip Girl (2007-2012).

Kelly's instagram is the most intentional and curated grid I have ever seen, with beautiful quotes interspersed with stylish selfies, many of which are taken in an elevator. It’s very beautiful and peaceful.

Kelly has a son Hermes aged 19 and a daughter Helena aged 16, who were subject to a custody battle which their father won. This meant that they have grown up mostly in Monaco where he lives, and where Kelly has therefore spent most of her time, so as to be able to see the children.

Kelly has a calm and philosphical air, and we talked about how the greatest gift you can give your children is to be happy. She also said that nothing matters more to her than the love of her children.

We also talked about our shared joy of shopping in vintage clothes shops... a quick route to happiness for us both.

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Eliza Filby is a writer, a generational historian and mum to two children aged 8 and 5.

I loved her book ‘Inheritocracy. It’s time to Talk about the Bank of Mum and Dad’ which came out in paperback last year which contains some fascinating stuff about money and the generations of today.

We talked about how children often rely on a financial springboard from their parents these days, and how that dependency can make the relationship rarther complicated going forward.

We acknowledged that the linear path we were sold in the ‘90s and Noughties - of education, university, buying a house, and then retiring - is now a lie.

We also talked about the sandwich generation - people who are looking after their children and their parents at the same time.

I shared with Dr Eliza that I once asked one of my sons if he would look after me when I get old. He replied: “Yes. But only for a day or two.”

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.