Sadly, Lara Irvine passed away before this episode was released. The interview is being released in accordance with her family's wishes and to honour Lara's memory.

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Lara Irvine and her dog

So you’ve got your diagnosis down pat, you’ve found a doctor – or team of doctors – who have helped get your illness under control, and you’ve worked out you’re too sick to work (in the traditional sense). Now’s the time to apply for government assistance, and that’s an easy process that’s not dehumanising, right? Of course not! That would be a much shorter interview! Many disabled and chronically ill people find themselves having to become experts in navigating the bureaucracy of government support just to get the help they need to survive. In this episode of Pill Pop, hosts Silvi and Izzie interview one such person: Lara Irvine.

Lara Irvine was a writer from Ballarat who dealt with a number of chronic conditions including scleroderma, which almost completely shut down her digestive system. The year before she died, she told us about her experiences of trying to prove to the NDIS that she qualified for the support she needed.Content warning: this episode includes discussions of severe illness, hospitals, medical trauma.

Please note: In this episode, the following acronyms are used: NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme; DSP – Disability Support Pension.

Further reading

• 'People are worse off': NDIS funding gaps leave many without care in Victoria by Dominic Cansdale and Kirsten Diprose, ABC Ballarat, published 26 October 2017 
• Drastic pre-wedding diets. Would you do this? by Lara Irvine, Mamamia, published 20 April 2012

Get in touch

We want to hear from our listeners! Tweet us your stories of navigating government support systems at @PillPopCast, or send us an email at pillpoppodcast@gmail.com. 

In this episode

Hosted, produced and edited by Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin. Writer Lara Irvine is our guest.

Recorded at Studio 757, Melbourne and Silvi and Izzie's respective home offices. This series is produced in partnership with the Wheeler Centre's Signal Boost programme. Mentorship and production support from Bec Fary.

Music: 'Dip Dop' by Barrie Gledden; 'Sad Marimba Planet', 'Thought Bubbles' and 'More on That Later' by Lee Rosevere. Sound effects sourced from freesound.org.

Transcript

A transcript of this episode will be available soon.