Episode 2: Shelley Petit

In this episode, hosts Amanda Lockitch and Michelle Hewitt speak with Shelley Petit, Chair of the New Brunswick Coalition of Persons With Disabilities (NBCPD). Shelley lives with Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition in which any exposure to chemicals results in a negative reaction on her body. It's a disability that can be so debilitating, that some have opted for medical assistance in dying (MAID).

As host Michelle says, "We live in a world where people don't understand disability … and MCS is the least understood." But this episode with Shelly aims to change that — and do much more.

Shelly provides a raw, honest look at a slate of topics: inaccessible building codes and New Brunswick's lagging social assistance, to working with special needs kids and sounding the alarm on chemical use to protect our figure generations. 

In spite of living with a disability that confines her indoors, there are moments when Shelley leaves the safety of her home and risks her life to advocate for change on behalf of the disabled community. This episode will leave you inspired to tread her path and inspire change for your own local community—wherever you are.

Shelley Petit Links

• New Brunswick Coalition of Persons with Disabilities (NBCPD)
• Child and Youth Advocate New Brunswick (CYANB)
• The Environmental Health Association of Quebec (EHAQ)