Alexandra Adams

UK’s First Deafblind Person Training to be a Doctor | TEDx Speaker

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Alexandra Adams 's Biography

Alexandra is the UK’s first deafblind person training to be a Doctor. As someone who is ‘different’ to most people in the field, due to her disabilities, she has experienced setback, misjudgement, and discrimination, both in her professional and personal life. After documenting these experiences, through her blog, and various small-scale talks, Alexandra quickly went on to addressing these issues of stereotyping and lack of inclusion through far bigger educational talks and advocacy roles, with her first major talk being a TED talk, TEDxNHS, in October 2019. From there, Alexandra continued delivering talks both nationally and internationally, with the hope of helping to promote culture change and disability awareness to the wider world and workplace. These talks have ranged from local government events, to global medical conferences, appearing on podcasts and radio channels, national news programmes and daytime television. Her biggest in-person talk to date has been at Wembley Arena, in front of an audience of 16,000 people, alongside well-known stars such as Jamie Oliver, Idris Elba, Gwendoline Christie and Lewis Hamilton, to name but a few, for WE Day, early 2020. Like for many of us, Alexandra’s life then changed drastically after this, when, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, she ended up bedridden in hospital for 17 months, juggling life, death, and a handful of rare disease diagnoses. Despite having to take 2.5 years out of medical school, and learning to walk, and live again, all whilst she overcame illness, Alexandra now also talks about her experiences as a patient and how this has influenced her future practice as a Doctor, passionate about patient advocacy, mental health, and healthcare improvement. Alexandra remains a positive and optimistic role-model who strongly believes that, with hard work and self-belief, anything is possible. Her background of being a GB athlete in 2 different sports, prior to her Medicine journey and having been medical student on past, has equipped her with the necessary stamina, perseverance, and resilience, in knowing that the biggest and best goals come with a lot of time, and hard work. Life might not always turn out the way in which we plan it, and there will be many obstacles that we will have to contend with along the way, but Alexandra’s one clear message is that, it can be done, and that with a goal, a dream, self-belief, and the yearn to try, rather than fail to try, the impossible is very much possible.

SPEAKING VIDEOS
PHOTOS

Deafblind Doctor Says Colleagues Have Had a 'Disappointing' Reaction to Her Disability | Lorraine

Faces of the NHS: 1.5 million stars | Alexandra Adams | TEDxNHS

Inspiring Adventures with the UK’s First Deafblind Medical Student - Alexandra Adams

SPEAKER TOPICS

Wellbeing Speakers

Resilience Speakers

Mindfulness Speakers

Inspiring Speakers

Diversity Speakers

Motivational Speakers for Schools

Female Motivational Speakers

Mental Health Speakers

Women's Day Speakers

Conference Speakers

Mental Health Speakers for Schools

Disability Speakers

Health&Safety Speakers

Alexandra Adams Keynote Topics

Being the UK’s First Deafblind Medical Student: The Journey

In this powerful keynote, our speaker takes audiences through her remarkable path to becoming the UK’s first deafblind medical student, sharing the resilience, determination, and self-belief it took to break barriers. Her story offers profound insights into navigating challenges, redefining limitations, and inspiring others to pursue their ambitions against all odds.

Experiences of the Young Female Patient

Drawing from her own experiences as a young woman in healthcare, our speaker provides an honest, eye-opening perspective on what it means to be a patient in today’s medical system. She challenges assumptions, encourages empathy, and delivers valuable lessons for improving patient care and communication.

Medicine and Mental Health

This talk explores the critical link between medicine and mental health, informed by the speaker’s dual perspective as both a patient and a future doctor. She addresses the stigma around mental health in medical environments and inspires conversations about building supportive, compassionate systems.

What I’ve Learnt from Being a Patient

Here, the speaker reflects on how her experiences as a patient have shaped her approach to medicine and life. She shares key lessons in empathy, adaptability, and resilience, offering a unique perspective that resonates with both healthcare professionals and general audiences.

Discrimination in the Workplace: How to Do Better

In this session, our speaker addresses workplace discrimination with candour, highlighting the impact of bias and exclusion while offering practical strategies for creating inclusive, equitable environments.

What I Have Learnt from Workplace Bullying

Through personal testimony, our speaker sheds light on the damaging effects of workplace bullying and the coping mechanisms that helped her move forward. She inspires attendees to be proactive in challenging toxic cultures and fostering mutual respect.

Delirious

This engaging keynote draws on her lived experiences to discuss the complexities of delirium from both a patient and medical perspective. She demystifies the condition and shares ways to improve understanding, diagnosis, and care.

When Not to Take ‘No’ as an Answer

An empowering session that encourages audiences to challenge limitations and pursue their goals with persistence. The speaker’s story illustrates the value of resilience, self-advocacy, and believing in what’s possible even when faced with rejection.

Faces of the NHS: 1.5 Million Stars

This inspiring talk celebrates the dedication and resilience of the 1.5 million people who make up the NHS workforce, highlighting their diverse roles and the extraordinary teamwork that keeps the system running. Through personal stories and real-life examples, the session underscores the value of recognising every individual as a vital star in the collective mission to care for the nation.

The Rare Disease Patient, and Gaslighting

Drawing from her own journey, our speaker sheds light on the challenges faced by rare disease patients, including the harmful impact of medical gaslighting. This talk advocates for greater awareness, empathetic listening, and systemic change to ensure all patients feel heard, believed, and supported.

How Not to Judge a Book by Its Cover

A compelling reminder of the danger of assumptions, this session encourages audiences to look beyond appearances and preconceived notions. Through powerful personal experiences, the speaker illustrates how true understanding comes from curiosity, empathy, and open-mindedness.

How to Be a Superhero

This uplifting session empowers audiences to discover their own inner superhero by embracing resilience, kindness, and courage in everyday life. Through heartfelt storytelling, the speaker shows that heroism often comes in small but meaningful acts, and that anyone can make a difference.

Misconceptions and Myth-busting on Being a Deafblind Medical Student

In this enlightening keynote, our speaker tackles common myths about being deafblind and training in medicine, offering an honest and educational perspective on capability, adaptation, and determination. She challenges stereotypes and inspires audiences to rethink what’s possible.

Alexandra Adams 's Biography

From there, Alexandra continued delivering talks both nationally and internationally, with the hope of helping to promote culture change and disability awareness to the wider world and workplace. These talks have ranged from local government events, to global medical conferences, appearing on podcasts and radio channels, national news programmes and daytime television. Her biggest in-person talk to date has been at Wembley Arena, in front of an audience of 16,000 people, alongside well-known stars such as Jamie Oliver, Idris Elba, Gwendoline Christie and Lewis Hamilton, to name but a few, for WE Day, early 2020.

Like for many of us, Alexandra’s life then changed drastically after this, when, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, she ended up bedridden in hospital for 17 months, juggling life, death, and a handful of rare disease diagnoses. Despite having to take 2.5 years out of medical school, and learning to walk, and live again, all whilst she overcame illness, Alexandra now also talks about her experiences as a patient and how this has influenced her future practice as a Doctor, passionate about patient advocacy, mental health, and healthcare improvement.

Alexandra remains a positive and optimistic role-model who strongly believes that, with hard work and self-belief, anything is possible. Her background of being a GB athlete in 2 different sports, prior to her Medicine journey and having been medical student on past, has equipped her with the necessary stamina, perseverance, and resilience, in knowing that the biggest and best goals come with a lot of time, and hard work. Life might not always turn out the way in which we plan it, and there will be many obstacles that we will have to contend with along the way, but Alexandra’s one clear message is that, it can be done, and that with a goal, a dream, self-belief, and the yearn to try, rather than fail to try, the impossible is very much possible.

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Frequently Asked Questions About
Alexandra Adams

What are Alexandra Adams' areas of expertise in leadership and personal development?

Alexandra Adams' areas of expertise include disability awareness, culture change, advocacy, patient advocacy, mental health, and healthcare improvement. Her unique perspective as the UK's first deafblind person training to be a doctor contributes to her insights in overcoming challenges and promoting inclusion.

How can Alexandra Adams empower individuals to reach their full potential?

Alexandra Adams empowers individuals to reach their full potential by sharing her personal journey, including setbacks and challenges. Through her talks, she inspires others with her positive and optimistic outlook, emphasizing the importance of hard work, self-belief, and resilience in overcoming obstacles.

Does Alexandra Adams offer any specific strategies or techniques for personal growth?

Alexandra Adams likely incorporates storytelling, resilience-building narratives, and insights gained from her experiences to offer practical strategies for personal growth. Her emphasis on hard work, self-belief, and overcoming adversity suggests a focus on building mental resilience and determination.

Can Alexandra Adams provide testimonials from individuals or organizations that have benefited from her talks?

To obtain testimonials or references, it would be advisable to check her official website, contact her representation, or reach out directly for information about individuals or organizations that have benefited from her talks.