International human-rights advocate, Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan, deep in the throes of an aggressive, fatal muscle-wasting disease, ventures out on a daring, 12-day Grand Canyon descent and expedition – on horseback and in whitewater rafts. The journey into the Canyon mirrors Cara’s personal journey, as she and her team battle physical and mental adversities that threaten to kill, wound, or undo them without warning. But a journey that begins as a quest for representation and dramatic advocacy quickly becomes an exercise in survival. When Cara suffers a serious head injury one hour into the descent, the team and crew realize that her life, and theirs, hang on each step, each handhold, each group decision. Cara’s journey to live an extraordinary life and shatter stigma against people living with disabilities unexpectedly becomes a deep dive into fear, trust and vulnerability. As the entire expedition team grapples with unanticipated dangers in a truly remote wilderness, they also come face to face with their individual demons, insecurities, and internal conflicts. HER INESCAPABLE BRAVE MISSION is a story of fear, adrenaline, ambition, determination, hubris, courage, and perseverance against the odds. An emotional and transformational journey for anyone who has ever found themselves, inescapably, on the edge of a cliff. Cara in her own words: - My life has been extraordinary, full of ups and downs. I’ve had enormous privilege and a fair share of adversity to overcome. I was born in India, November 20, 1976 to an Indian father and English mother. We immigrated to Canada where I grew up and completed my studies up to my undergraduate degree. Thanks to a lot of determination and hard work, I fulfilled my childhood dream to help vulnerable and marginalized children by working with the Untied Nations. So far it’s been an exhilarating international career that has spanned 11 countries but not without enormous challenges. At age 30 I was diagnosed with a rare muscle wasting disease that leads to quadriplegia: Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy (HIBM). It was frightening news because I did not have any experience with disability or chronic illness. But the journey has been powerful. I now live proudly as a woman with a disability, and advocate against stigma and discrimination to break as many glass ceilings as possible. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time! Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out! *Please be aware suicide in mentioned during this episode (we do not got into any details) but it is talked about. The tough girl podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. To find out more about supporting your favourite podcast and becoming a patron please check out www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
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Show notes
Who is Cara
Being born in South India to an Indian Father and a British Mother
Moving to Canada as a baby
Figuring out what she wanted to do when she was 6 years old
Wanting to help children
Wanting to work for the United Nations
Growing up shy
Getting through major life challenges
Losing her mother at 17 years old
Having amazing role models in her life
Correlation between confidence and performance
Doing her Masters after 10 years of working
Winning an international competition with the UN to do a paid internship
Being poached by the private sector
Having a life shift in her career
Being diagnosed with HIBM - Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathies
The impact on her life and career
Moving to the USA at the end of 2013
Wanting to have a grand adventure in America
2014 - 2018 - the planning and preparation
Learning how to ride a horse
The challenges of the descent into the Grand Canyon
Making a movie/documentary film
Finding out she was scared of heights
Dealing with a head injury on the descent down
Lessons learned from the challenge
Why you will surprise yourself
Final words of advice
Social Media
Website - https://carayarkhan.com Twitter @carayarkhan Instagram @cara_yarkhan Facebook @cara.e.khan Ted Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/cara_e_yar_khan_the_beautiful_balance_between_courage_and_fear
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