Tanni's Lifetime Road to Disabled Equality

Multi gold medal winning Paralympic wheelchair athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson examines 50 years of changing attitudes to disability around the world.

When Tanni was a child in the 1970s in Wales becoming an athlete with spina bifida was far from guaranteed. There was no support for her parents bringing up a disabled child and education for children with disabilities was minimal.

Over the years Tanni’s suffered discrimination including when she was pregnant being offered a termination. “This woman said: ‘How did you get pregnant?’ says Tanni.

In this programme Tanni reflects on experiences over her lifetime as she meets others who’ve had similar journeys in India, Pakistan, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil and New Zealand.

With Abha Khetarpal in India, Tanni reflects on several shared experiences. They both had scoliosis and use a wheelchair and faced early challenges at school - Abha having to be home schooled.

Meanwhile Lois Auta in Nigeria also uses a wheelchair. She was born in 1980 and tells Tanni how she managed to challenge the status quo and stand for parliament. ‘Disability is seen in our country as something that happens through witch craft’. And Lois, who now acts as an advocate for women with disabilities says those prejudices still exist.

She meets BBC war correspondent Frank Gardner who tells her how he adapted to becoming disabled after being injured during his work in a war zone in the Middle East.