The Ouch! Blog

>Watch - So What If My Baby Is Born Like Me?
Jono Lancaster was born with the rare genetic condition Treacher-Collins syndrome and has a 50% chance of passing it on to his children. Jono and his girlfriend explored the options available to them should they decide to start a family, as part of a BBC Three documentary. Watch it now on iPlayer.

>Listen - BBC Radio 4 - In Touch
Philip Sime explains the joys of ballroom dancing and why it's an ideal hobby for blind people.

>Listen - BBC Radio 4 - In Touch
Home pregnancy testing kits are currently totally inaccessible to people who are blind or severely visually impaired, but could they be adapted to include an audible result?

>Listen - BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent
Robert Hodierne on America's need to provide homes for its disabled war veterans.

>Listen - BBC Radio 2 - Jeremy Vine
David Crepaz-Keay from the Mental Health Foundation discusses Catherine Zeta-Jones' recent treatment for bipolar disorder. (Last chance to hear)

>Listen - BBC Radio 4 - Voodoo, Wasps and Zombie Worms
Could infection by parasites be at the root of human behaviour and even mental illness?

>Listen - BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour
Last year, Kay Gilderdale was cleared of the attempted murder of her daughter Lynn who had ME and was in constant agony. Kay helped her take a fatal overdose. Jenni Murray talks to her about what happened.

>Get Involved
Radio 4's You and Yours is investigating the Work Capability Assessments. If you are a health professional carrying out these WCA tests, or a nurse, doctor or other health professional who is thinking of being an assessor, get in touch if you would like to contribute.

We've scoured the news media and the social networks to bring you the top trending and most enlightening stories online and offline this week.

There is a new Rough Guide To Accessible Britain which explores Family Days Out. There is also a handy blog.

A blind girl's Justin Bieber fever has become one of the most popular trending videos on Youtube.

Elsewhere on Youtube the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists has created a comic video about Accessibility called The Audition:

There is a brand new website about accessible gardens which includes a directory of gardens open to the public written by people with disabilities for people with disabilities.

The Home Office are consulting on proposals to help more disabled people to access elected positions.

The pro Robin Hood Tax blog meets Broken of Britain's Kaliya Franklin who throws around some interesting 'cuts' statistics.

Jono Lancaster, who has Treacher Collins syndrome, explores whether his hereditary disability should stop him and his partner from having a child in a BBC Magazine article and a documentary on BBC Three.

What do you think should get onto our radar? Tell us in the comments below or via our social media.

On Monday evening I visited Re-framing Disability at the Royal College of Physicians. This free exhibition is based on portraits owned by the college, featuring disabled people from the past four hundred years.

Two medical historians, Carole Reeves and Julie Anderson, were commissioned to find out as much as possible about the lives of the people in the paintings. Their stories are presented in a really accessible and often amusing way, using language which was more acceptable at the time than it might be now.

Twenty-seven disabled people were invited to be photographed and filmed, so that their take on the selection of portraits could be recorded and added to the exhibition. Photos of them and audio highlights of their thoughts are arranged around the walls of the gallery and can be viewed as an integral part of the programme.

Most of the original subjects were very obviously physically disabled and many lived remarkable lives: There are the conjoined twins who married twin sisters and fathered 22 children between them, the man with no arms who is pictured sword fighting with his feet and 'Blind Granny' who would lick her blind eye and dance in the street for beer money.

Most of the pictures were created before institutions became the norm. People like Blind Granny would have been protected somewhat by the poor laws, the first of which was past in 1601 and made people who were "disordered" the responsibility of their community.

Unsurprisingly, a number of the life stories are tragic, involving exploitation and early death. However, many of the disabled people featured are reported to have made a lot of money 'exhibiting' themselves and to have been very positive and comfortable with their disabilities. Some were even said to have visited royalty.

Re-framing Disability can be viewed at the Royal College of Physicians until the 8th of July, when it will move to the Shape Arts gallery in Kentish Town before touring the UK. It has audio description.

If looking at disability-related medical stuff is your thing, London's Welcome Collection has a selection of limbs, amputation saws and walking sticks among other things. They have recently added the option to request an audio described tour.

The Hunterian museum at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, another medical treasure trove, is also worth a visit. They too have audio description and have added the full main audio guide and specialist audio description tracks to the museum's website so that anyone can download them if they're not able to get there and experience it first hand. The Hunterian are also starting to explore options for touch tours, however, they are apparently having some trouble figuring out how to make exhibits such as a brain in a jar accessible.