Extraordinary Stories

You may know Dr Ginni Mansberg as one of the voices behind Mamamia’s women’s health podcast, The Well. But Ginni is also one of the hosts of Mamamia’s Gen X podcast, Unleashed, where women come together for a laugh, a chat and, sometimes, some of life’s harder conversations. Ginni recently shared something incredibly personal with the Unleashed listeners: the story of her mum’s decision to choose voluntary assisted dying. Extraordinary Stories is also about the extraordinary stories of everyday people, we wanted to bring Ginni’s story to you, too. If you’re at a similar stage of life to Ginni, you may find yourself watching your parents age and beginning to face the realities of serious illness, difficult decisions and what it means to care for the people who once cared for you. This is part one of a three-part series following Ginni and her family through the before, the moment itself and what comes after. Ginni wanted to share her story in the hope that it might help another family going through something difficult. You can listen to part two and part three here. If this conversation brought up hard feelings and you need some help, please call Lifeline here. In your ears today is Cath Mahoney, Bruna Papandrea and Ginni Mansberg Check out our Unleashed music playlist for some feel good throwbacks! The End Bits:Follow us on Instagram, DM us thoughts, feelings and questions @unleashed.showLove the show? Hit follow on Apple or Spotify — it helps other Gen X women find us. Executive Producer Grace RouvraySenior Producer and Audio Editor is Tina MatolovSocial Media Producer is Annaliese Todd Did you know some of our shows are now in video on the Apple Podcast app? Make sure your phone is up to date and check it out here! Get access to Very Peri, Mamamia's exclusive perimenopause series, for just $59. 25 world-leading experts, over 20 on-demand sessions, available now. We’ve sorted through the noise so you don't have to. Go to veryperi.com.au and join me today. You hot? Same. Become a Mamamia subscriber and get an all-access pass to everything we make, including exclusive podcasts and early listening, subscriber-only articles, monthly giveaways and our home workout app, MOVE.Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Samantha wants is to understand why her mother wasn’t there for her. All Marie wants is a chance to make things right with her daughter — and to be part of her granddaughter’s life. But after years of distance, hurt, and misunderstanding, can a fractured bond ever truly be repaired? In this session, a mother and daughter confront the truths left unspoken, ask the questions long avoided, and search for a small patch of common ground on which to rebuild their relationship. Listen to the second part of Samantha & Marie's session here Resources (Australia-only) 1800RESPECT: The national domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling, information, and support service. Beyond Blue: For support with anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention. Lifeline Australia: For 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services. Motivated Minds: Learn more about host Sarah Bays’ practice. Relationships Australia: A leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families, and communities. The End Bits Want To Be On This Is Why We Fight? Apply here.  Host: Sarah Bays Executive Producer: Naima Brown Studio Engineer: Lu Hill Audio production: Thom Lion and Jacob Round Production support: Leah Porges and Coco Lavigne Follow This Is Why We Fight on Instagram for sneak peeks and more relationship therapy content Explore all Mamamia’s podcasts here.Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2015, Australian con woman Belle Gibson was living the dream. Her app The Whole Pantry was hugely popular and she was about to launch a book of the same name. With hundreds of thousands of followers online, Belle had become a celebrated wellness influencer who'd overcome terminal cancer and had cured herself with healthy eating and holistic therapies. But it was all a lie. The truth came to light when her friend, Chanelle McAuliffe, noticed gaps in Belle's story. The moment she exposed her deception is now the focus of the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar. Today, Chanelle tells us what the show got right and wrong, the challenges she faced as a whistleblower, and how she feels about Belle and her crimes now, a decade on. Find more episodes of True Crime Conversations here. THE END BITS  Subscribe to Mamamia CREDITS Guest: Chanelle McAuliffe Host: Gemma Bath Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round GET IN TOUCH Email us at [email protected] or send us a voice note to give us feedback or suggest a case for the podcast. Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review. You can also leave a comment for us on Spotify.  If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belle Gibson fooled not only her hundreds of thousands of followers, but the most prestigious book publishers in Australia, the tech giants of silicon valley and even her family and friends into believing she was something she was not: sick. If today, her name is synonymous with the weighty infamy of a notorious scam, there was a time before that, when she was celebrated as an inspiration. On this episode of Extraordinary Stories, we look at the rise of Belle Gibson. From tall tales in school drama classes to international acclaim and influence, how did Annabelle Natalie Gibson become the pinup girl for the wellness movement? Listen to part two here Listen to part three here THE END BITS: With thanks to Bronwyn McCahon, Doctor Brad McKay and Kylie Willey  RESOURCES WE USED: The Woman Who Fooled The World by Beau Donnelly and Nick Toscano  Fake Medicine by Brad Mckay The Girl Who Conned Us All by Clair Weaver https://www.nowtolove.com.au/news/real-life/belle-gibson-the-whole-story-10129 https://www.nowtolove.com.au/news/local-news/belle-gibson-speaks-for-the-first-time-since-her-whole-pantry-controversy-13532  With thanks to Tara Brown from 60 Minutes  GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at [email protected] Need more lols, info and inspo in your ears? Find more Mamamia podcasts here... https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/ CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Writers: Emma Gillespie and Holly Wainwright Producers: Melanie Sauer and Emma Gillespie Audio Production: Elissa Ratliff and Madeline Joannou Executive Producer: Holly Wainwright and Elissa Ratliff Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Part 3 of 3] A month before Amy Winehouse’s death, her performance at a music festival in Serbia was resoundly panned. She was intoxicated for the whole world to see, but the silver lining of what would be labelled 'the worst gig of her career' meant she didn’t have to go on tour. It meant Amy, and those who loved her, had their hopes pinned on a chance for Amy to get better again.  On this episode we’ll explore the final years in the life of Amy Winehouse. After her closest friends were convinced Amy was doing better than ever, how did she die? Why was she sent on tour when she was not only unwilling, but unwell?  Plus, we’ll take a closer look at the 27 club. What is this unique curse that looms over the legacies of these young artists? Subscribe to Mamamia CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Written and produced by Emma Gillespie with Tia Ucich & Kally Borg Audio Production: Madeline Joannou Guest booking: Kally Borg With thanks to: Dr Peter HughesEleni PapavasileiouPolly TaylorDean McCarthySubscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Part 2 of 3] After a celebrated album with her debut, Frank, and with that distinct voice and sound, Amy Winehouse got very famous, very fast. Everyone wanted a second album, but Amy had entered a whole new world. On this episode, we’ll hear how Amy’s very private struggles with mental health and addiction became headlines for a relentless tabloid culture. And, in one of the most volatile love affairs in pop culture history, how would the story of Amy and Blake become a cautionary tale about the dangers of codependency? CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Written and produced by Emma Gillespie with Elissa Ratliff, Tia Ucich & Kally Borg Audio Production: Madeline Joannou Guest booking: Kally Borg With thanks to: Dr Peter HughesEleni PapavasileiouPolly TaylorDean McCarthySubscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Part 1 of 3] You can recognise it in an instant, that iconic voice and a candid style of songwriting beyond her years. The sound of Amy Winehouse was a sound unheard of since the days of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. But the name ‘Amy Winehouse’ seems to be as synonymous with talent as it is tragedy. On this season we’ll dive deep into the life of Amy. From her rise to fame, her artistry, to her pain, her loves, and her losses. Could she have been saved? What does her death tell us about the pervasive grip of addiction and fame? CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Written and Produced by Emma Gillespie and Tia Ucich Guest booking: Kally Borg  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou   With thanks to: Dr Peter HughesEleni PapavasileiouPolly Taylor Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Part 3 of 3] In the lead-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics, the world began to wonder how and if Peng Shuai would be used in the games, and whether the IOC was going to have anything to say to the Chinese Government about their silencing of the tennis star. So how did the Chinese propaganda juggernaut shift its attention to the global sporting stage? And what happens when the international community’s peak sporting body is accused of silencing a sexual assault survivor? Plus, we investigate China’s Me Too movement. What does the story of Peng Shuai tell us about feminism in China? CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Writer: Emma Gillespie Producers: Emma Gillespie, Kally Borg, Tia Ucich Guest booking: Kally Borg  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff   WITH THANKS TO:Yaqiu Wang, Pan Wang, Tom Steinfort & Sydney PeadSubscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Part 2 of 3] For three long weeks in November 2021, the tennis community, news organisations, and human rights advocates the world over had one question; Where Is Peng Shuai? In the aftermath of a Weibo post detailing allegations of sexual assault against one of China’s top political figures, concerns for Peng Shuai's freedom were escalating swiftly. Then suddenly, proof of life. In this episode, we’ll learn more about the Chinese propaganda machine, and how it’s working to convince the world of Peng Shuai's safety, whilst censoring her story. CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Writers: Emma Gillespie Producers: Emma Gillespie, Kally Borg, Tia Ucich Guest booking: Kally Borg  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff   WITH THANKS TO:Yaqiu Wang, Drew Pavlou, Tom Steinfort & Sydney PeadSubscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Part 1 of 3] It was after 10 pm, on November 2nd, 2021 when 35-year-old Peng Shuai - China’s beloved global tennis star - sat down and began typing. Truncated sentences of an open letter, detailing an affair and sexual assault involving one of China’s highest-ranking political figures. It took only a few minutes before the post had amassed thousands of shares, likes, and comments. But within half an hour, it vanished. And moments later, so too did Peng Shuai.CREDITS: Host: Emma Gillespie Writers: Emma Gillespie, Tia Ucich  Producers: Emma Gillespie Guest booking: Kally Borg  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff WITH THANKS TO:Sydney Pead, Yaqiu Wang and Drew Pavlou GET IN TOUCH:Feedback? We’re listening! Call the pod phone on 02 8999 9386 or email us at [email protected] more lols, info and inspo in your ears? Find more Mamamia podcasts here... https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.