Dee Anna: From Survivor to Disabled Adventuress – Finding Strength in Nature.
Release Date: 04/24/2025
Dee Anna: From Survivor to Disabled Adventuress – Finding Strength in Nature.
Tough Girl Podcast
Dee Anna's story is one of resilience, adventure, and refusing to let society define her limits. Born with a genetic mutation that affected her mobility, she faced a lifetime of challenges—from intensive physiotherapy as a child to being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2022. Along the way, she also navigated severe autism, trauma, and life-altering setbacks that could have stopped her in her tracks. But instead, she turned to the outdoors. In this episode, Dee shares how thru-hiking the South West Coast Path became the turning point that changed everything. With no home, no job,...
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Sherry Cardona: Ultra Endurance Cyclist and Content Creator – Tackling the Toughest Bikepacking Races
Tough Girl Podcast
Sherry Cardona is an ultra-endurance cyclist, content creator, and adventure seeker who thrives on pushing her limits. Born in Colombia and raised in Spain, Sherry’s journey has been one of exploration, self-discovery, and resilience. From long-distance running to cycling, she’s always been drawn to endurance challenges—finding freedom and peace in the process. In this episode, Sherry shares how she transitioned into ultra-cycling, taking on some of the toughest races in the world, including Race Around the Netherlands, the Transcontinental Race, and the Transibérica. We dive into the...
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Dr. Elisabeth Ogbonmwan: Championing Female Athlete Health – A Doctor, Triathlete & New Mum Balancing It All
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Dr. Elisabeth Ogbonmwan is a powerhouse—sports and exercise medicine doctor, triathlete, and new mum. Just nine weeks postpartum, she joins me on the Tough Girl Podcast to talk about the realities of balancing training with a busy career and family life. Lis shares her journey into sports, from loving swimming as a child to discovering running in her late 20s and ultimately embracing triathlon. She opens up about training while pregnant, navigating body image changes, and how she’s approaching her return to sport after giving birth. We also dive into her passion for female athlete...
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Sahir Permall – Cycling 2,800 miles Solo from Glasgow to Istanbul & Empowering Women Through Biking
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Dr. Kerri Andrews – Author of Pathfinding, Exploring Walking, Motherhood & Freedom
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Dr. Kerri Andrews is a writer, academic, and passionate walker whose work explores the deep connection between women, walking, and storytelling. She is the author of Wanderers: A History of Women Walking and editor of Way Makers: An Anthology of Women's Writing about Walking. Her latest book, Pathfinding: On Walking, Motherhood and Freedom, is a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of how motherhood reshapes a woman’s identity, freedom, and relationship with the outdoors. Having developed a love for walking in the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, Kerri...
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Ali Mahoney: Turning 50 with Purpose – Adventure, Motherhood, and the Hike Across Malta
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Ali, at 50 years young, is a dedicated mother, wife, and part-time Civil Servant from South Wales. With a lifelong passion for sport and adventure, Ali transitioned from competitive athletics to human-powered challenges after knee injuries redirected her path. To mark her milestone 50th birthday, Ali embarked on a deeply personal adventure: hiking across the island of Malta, the place where she took her very first steps as a toddler. While not her longest or most physically demanding challenge, this journey proved to be one of her most meaningful. In this episode, Ali reflects on her evolving...
info_outlineDee Anna's story is one of resilience, adventure, and refusing to let society define her limits.
Born with a genetic mutation that affected her mobility, she faced a lifetime of challenges—from intensive physiotherapy as a child to being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2022. Along the way, she also navigated severe autism, trauma, and life-altering setbacks that could have stopped her in her tracks. But instead, she turned to the outdoors.
In this episode, Dee shares how thru-hiking the South West Coast Path became the turning point that changed everything. With no home, no job, and facing immense personal struggles, she took a leap of faith and embarked on a 71-day journey that helped her reclaim her life.
We talk about the power of movement, nature’s role in healing, and why adventure should be accessible to everyone.
Now, as a scientist, outdoor journalist, and founder of The Introvert Magazine, Dee is on a mission to inspire others to embrace nature, break barriers, and live life on their own terms.
This is a powerful and deeply moving conversation about survival, self-discovery, and the courage to forge your own path. Don’t miss it!
*Please be aware that this episode contains discussions of suicidal thoughts, severe trauma, and sexual assault.
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Show notes
- Who is Dee
- Disabled Adventuress, scientist, outdoor journalist, writer, naturalist and photographer
- Living in South Wales, surrounded by wonderful nature
- Being born in Poland and growing up in Sussex
- Her early year and growing up with severe autism and being mute
- Not socialising with other people but spending time in the outdoors
- Being interested in the natural world from a young age
- Feeling safe in nature
- Studying biology and chemistry at a high level
- Being born with a genetic mutation
- Being severely disabled and going through intensive physical therapy to be able to walk
- Building internal resilience and mental strength
- Her first big solo adventure in 2023
- Walking the South West Coast Path
- Dealing with severe trauma and complicated medical conditions
- Losing her job, her house and partner and having no where to go
- Wanting to end her life, after being sexually assaulted while at work
- Fighting to get her case heard
- Wanting to be alive
- Trying to fit in and realising that life hasn’t being build for her and deciding to live the life she wants to live
- Deciding to go for it and making a decision overnight
- Focusing on a goal
- Dragging herself to the train station to get to the start of the SWCP
- How her body started to become stronger while walking
- Spending 71 days on the trail and why it was the greatest adventure of her life
- Why it was a healing experience
- Movement, nature, animals and being exposure to nature
- Meeting good people on the trail
- Walking every day and noticing the positive changes in her body
- The theory that people who have ADHD are people who come from hunter gatherers
- How the trail will provide
- Starting The Introvert Magazine
- The impact of stress on her body
- Working on an Adventure Guide
- Wanting the book to be as inclusive as possible
- Wanting to bring as many people as possible to experience nature
- Interviewing people and taking over 200 photos for the book
- Going snorkelling with the Scottish Wildlife Trust
- Looking at it as a life project
- Having a shorter life span compared to others
- Wanting to work on projects that are a passion
- Embracing her life as a gift and a blessing
- Wanting to be grateful for every moment
- Wanting to giveback to society
- Building her instagram community
- What can people expect from her social media
- Sharing her life as it is
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- You have to be tolerant with others but strict with yourself - Marcus Aurelius
- Feeling isolated and alone
- Advice for women with autism and ADHD
- Struggling to get outside and advice and tips to do so
- Meet ups?
- Women’s Safety
- Planning or not planning for adventures
- Being pulled in 2 different directions
- Allowing flexibility on the adventure
- Finding out what works for you
- Women’s safety while on the trail
- Her 10 year career in the police
- Words of advice
- Why its about believing in yourself
- Don’t compare yourself to others
- Start small
Social Media
Website www.deecrute.com
Instagram @deedee.reporter
Facebook @dee.crute
YouTube @dee.crute