Two Feet Foundation: Recent Episodes
David Lloyd
Two Feet Foundation is a platform for real people to share their stories of hardship and the steps they took to overcome the situation. Owner and founder, David Lloyd, was involved in a life changing work incident in March 2020. While he was in and out of hospital all he wanted to do was hear stories of people who had gone through similar experiences so he knew that he wasn't alone. Having found nothing of the sort, David has started this podcast to be the bridge between the hospital and the path to rehabilitation. Just know that whatever traumatic injury or experience you are going through right now that it will all work out in the end and we hope to be a stepping stone in the path to your recovery. Our goal is to build a community of people who have dealt with traumatic experiences in the hopes it helps someone who may feel that all hope has been lost.
Warning - This episode covers sensitive topics such as suicide and child abuse.
In this episode I sit down with Adam to discuss his turbulent upbringing and how it lead him down a path of depression, drug dealing and anger. After having the choice to go to jail or join the Australian Defence Force, Adam spent many years in the army before being severely injured in a field exercise.
We talk about his traumatic upbringing where he suffered physical and mental abuse from his stepfather and the actions he took to come to peace with the trauma.
In this episode I sit down with Ryan Berwick, a gym owner from Brisbane. All through school Ryan was bullied forcing him to move to the Gold Coast. During his time between the Gold Coast and Las Vegas traveling with Thunder from Down Under Ryan fell into some self destructive habits. We talk about the realization of knowing when you're in a hole and what you can do to get out of it.
In this episode I sit down with Daniel Scali. After a fall from a trampoline at a young age, Daniel was diagnosed with having CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome). This meant that any slight touch of the skin on his left arm would leave him with extreme pain. After a tough childhood Daniel decided he was going to use the pain as motivation which lead him to joining the gym. In August 2021 Daniel broke the Guiness world record for abdominal plank with a mind blowing time of 9 hours and 30 minutes. Daniel is an extremely positive and motivating guy and now has his sights set on breaking the Guiness World Record for most push ups completed within 24 hours.
In this episode I sit down with Reece Castledine. We discuss the hardship of losing both of his parents to cancer at a young age and what it was like to navigate his life without them. Reece is an extremely positive individual and despite the devastating loss of his parents he continues to lead a fulfilling life taking up the combat sport of Muay Thai.
In this episode I sit down with Norm McGillivray who is the founder of Bed Down. Bed Down is a not for profit charity that turns car parks and unused areas into a functional, safe and comfortable environment for individuals who are doing it rough. Having had his own father suffer from homelessness, Norm knew that this was always going to be his calling in life. Bed Down now has 100's of volunteers which provide free cleaning, showering, health and well being checks with the main objective of giving the guests a sense of belonging while also giving them a well needed rest. By providing a safe, secure and comfortable place to rest Bed Down aims to restore health, dignity and respect for their guests.
In this short episode I discuss how I've been feeling very unmotivated. Sometimes in life we can hit a plateau and it's up to you to change when you want to change it. Something as small as a positive compliment or some uplifting news is enough to start getting back on track and to keep trying to be the best version of you. I also discuss how toxic social media can be and why it's a refreshing break to keep off it if you are struggling to keep motivated.
In episode 20 I sit down with Josh McGuire. Josh is currently playing for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL. With over 200 games under his belt he has gone through a fair few injuries but none bigger than in 2011 when his team mate accidentally poked him in the eye completing a tackle. His eye ball was completely detached from his retina and he is now officially blind in one eye. Despite the huge set back, Josh was determined to still play rugby league. He has since gone on to play over 200 games for 3 clubs, win multiple state of origin series and win the world cup for Australia in 2017. We also chat about the lesser known details behind the fame with online abuse, death threats and his mental health challenges leading him to delete social media in 2018. I had a great time to be able to sit down with a professional athlete and dig a little bit into his personal life. It's a great reminder that professional athletes are human just like the rest of us.
After experiencing a childhood trauma, Maddie's active life was subsequently turned on it's head. For most of her teenage years Maddie suffered from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorders which affects 4% of the Australian population. Maddie spent the majority of her teenage life in hospital where she would find ways to sabotage ways for the doctors and staff to help her. Along her battle she developed very strict rituals with her eating habits including eating at a certain time, each piece of food had to be chewed a minimum of 20 times and she would not allow herself to eat during ad breaks. This was a real eye opening conversation to have as I believe there is very little education on how to talk or support someone with an eating disorder. Maddie now lives in Goondiwindi with her husband and is a dedicated personal trainer for those living with a disability.
In this episode I sit down with Kyal who suffers from Charcot-Marie-Tooth. CMT is one of a group of disorders that cause damage to the peripheral nerves—the nerves that transmit information and signals from the brain and spinal cord to and from the rest of the body, as well as sensory information such as touch back to the spinal cord and brain. Despite having these difficulties Kyal uses this as fuel to help shape a more positive lifestyle. We discuss the difficulties growing up with the condition, the bullying through high school and how he now has a keen interest in MMA.
In this episode I sit down with Thomas Dunphy. After celebrating the new that he was about to be a first time parent, Tom noticed that he had some irregular bumps underneath his armpit and that he was feeling much more lethargic during the day. Tom went to the hospital where they diagnosed him with a rare stage 4 blood cancer kicking off his journey of chemo, recovery and the mental health adversaries he had to face all the while trying to juggle the birth of his new born son. We also discuss the importance of getting yourself checked early, the absolute must of getting a second opinion and how Australia needs to implement a better approach to medicinal marijuana over opiate pain killers. Tom has since gone on to start his own business providing better and easier access to medicinal marijuana while also educating people on the importance of its use while going through major events such as battling cancer.
In this brief episode I speak about the current status of where the Two Feet Foundation is and where I am going personally. I have only just started to better myself as a person and find out what my purpose in life is. My purpose is to be the bridge between hospital and your recovery and to make sure you get the best help and advice possible. Two Feet Foundation has branded itself as an educational company to bring awareness to your incident and to be the main source of support for what steps you need to take to take back control of your physical and mental health.
DISCLAIMER - this episode contains sensitive topics such as child sex abuse and trauma. In this episode I chat with Gavin Badger. Gavin was the victim of sexual abuse as a child through the hands of a family friend. At a young age Gavin turned to drug and alcohol abuse to cope with the trauma. After realising he would not be able to live out his childhood dream of playing rugby league, Gavin turned to the next best thing, refereeing the game. Gavin went on to referee over 300 games at the national level over his decorated career. Gavin has since gone on to be a consultant to the Wests Tigers organisation as well as being an ambassador for victims of child abuse and trauma.
In 2011 Senior Constable Brett Gibbons was responding to a call over the radio of a possible shooting. Upon entering the house Brett and his partner had realised they were dealing with much more as they discovered three deceased bodies in a bedroom. After calling for immediate back up and finding a fourth victim who was still alive, Brett wanted to clear the house to make sure that the gun man still wasn't inside. As he left to investigate the gun man emerged from the kitchen shooting Brett from point blank range with a shotgun which removed the right side of his jaw. As his partner returned fire Brett made his way to a safe location on to the street as back up was arriving. He was later placed into the ambulance and into an induced coma for a week as they operated on his injuries. In this episode we discuss the night of the shootings, the rehabilitation afterwards and the mental health he had to manage once he had recovered. Brett is still an active police officer within the South Australian police and has a remarkably positive attitude. This episode will bring a lot of insight into how an Australian police officer is trained and how the training is second nature when an incident like this occurs.
In this episode I sit down with James and discuss his life in the army. Having been on deployments to East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, James had his sights set on the Commando Unit. Whilst training in a parachute training session he placed his legs in the wrong position and broke his fibula and tibia and also dislocated his foot. After the accident James was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression and was medically discharged from the army. We discuss the lowest point of his life and how his little dog Joey went on to save his life. Since leaving the army James has gone on to write a book, sail from Sydney to Hobart and set the world sailing speed record sailing a 40ft yacht from Sydney to Auckland.
Kate Harkins migrated from Ireland to Australia in 1955 as a 16 year old. We sit down and talk about all of her life challenges from then until now as an 82 year old. Most notably at the age of 70 she was told that she had 2 lumps in her breast which would require a mastectomy. Kate has also had 2 major surgeries to repair blockages in her subclavian and corotic arteries. Despite all of these set backs, Kate believes the most important attribute we can have in life is to have a strong, positive attitude.
After noticing a small discomfort in his back from an in-grown hair, army captain Dylan Conway, went on to have 8 surgeries on his lower back and spent the best part of 14 months lying down. Through this time Dylan found a passion through reading and wanted to share this passion through Brothers N Books.
Brothers N Books mission is to put the fun back into reading while also delivering a strong message of hope and resilience. Since it's inception Brothers N Books has gone on to donate over 500 books to people in need as well as start his very own library in Townsville, Queensland.
In episode 10 I sit down with Jason Cadee. For Jason, basketball runs through his blood with his mum and dad both representing Australia. Two months from his NBL debut with the Gold Coast, Jason was involved in a serious car accident that put his career on hold. Whilst he was pinned in the car a complete stranger sat with him for 90 minutes until he was freed. We discuss what a random act of kindness can do, his NBL career which he has gone on to play more than 300 games in the NBL as well as representing Australia for the Boomers and of course the infamous fight in 2018 against The Philippines. A great episode to see an insight into how a professional sports player thinks and goes about their craft.
In this episode I sit down with Luke Mathers, author of Stress Teflon. We discuss a range of ways to implement how you should change your attitude towards stress to make it a positive feeling. Luke is one of those rare and authentic Australian blokes that truly believes in being a better version of yourself will leave the world a better place. After chatting with Luke, I truly believe he will do just that. As the book Stress Teflon says - It's great being you when stress doesn't stick.
In episode 8 we sit down with Amy Compton-Keen. Amy runs a not-for-profit organisation in Beenleigh called Sero4. Sero4 aims to help integrate women back into the workforce who have previously been to jail and assist women who are currently experiencing domestic violence situations. In the episode we discuss the statistics behind domestic violence in Australia, seeing the early signs of someone going through a domestic violence situation and what you can do to stop it.
In episode 7 owner, David Lloyd, discusses the future of the Two Feet Foundation and the direction that it is heading. Two Feet Foundation all started when David was lying injured at his house after sustaining a life changing work place injury. From there it has evolved into a space for guests to talk about their own personal struggles and the steps they took to regain control of their life.
David also recounts a story of the time he got severe food poisoning on the Kokoda Trail. Having only been on the trek for a day, David started to feel the early signs of food poisoning which after the third day he was forced to be medevaced of the trail and flown to Port Moresby hospital. He retells the story of just how sick he was and the long lasting impact it had on his body after he came home.
31/01/1987 is a date Tim Cooke has scarred into him for the rest of his life. While working on the early stages of the Woodside Energy plant in Karratha, Tim's leg was caught by the wheel of a ten tonne BHB articulated tractor crane. After coming to the realisation of what had happened Tim found that his right leg had been completely de-gloved. We also touch on Tim's family history. Tim's father was the most notorious serial killer in Western Australia's history. Eric Edgar Cooke went on a rampage in the mid 1960's that ended up with 8 people losing their life with many more suspected to be from Eric. I discuss with Tim the burden that this has caused him throughout his entire life and how the actions of his father didn't determine how he was going to live his life.
In 2016 navy seaman, Braedon Griffiths, was driving back from Brisbane to Sydney for his upcoming deployment. As his GPS took him down a wet, dirt road Braedon's car lost control and caused his car to roll 80 metres down an embankment. In those moments after the crash Braedon knew the only way to survive was to amputate his own foot, crawl back up the embankment and wait for help to arrive, help which didn't come for 3 hours. In this episode we discuss the accident, the recovery process, how he's adapted to life as an amputee and how there needs to be more of an avenue for children with disabilities to play sport.
In 2018 Sam Masiuno's work day started like any normal day until a work place incident took a turn for the worse. Three tonnes of cable tray structure collapsed pinning Sam under the debris. We talk about the events leading up to the accident, the safety procedures that weren't in place and how the incident ultimately led Sam to pursuing a different career path out of the electrical industry.
In 2018 South-West Victoria experienced their worst bush fires in recent history. Among those trapped in the flames was local PT, Tommy Ludeman. After many years of having a fire plan in place Tommy knew exactly what to do which saved his life and others. After this Tommy knew his goal in life was to become a Fire Fighter. After 3 years and 5 knock backs Tommy has landed his goal of becoming a fire fighter after being recruited by Queensland Fire Brigade.
In episode 2 we sit down with Adam McGuire and discuss his time serving in the Australian Army. Adam served 28 years in the army and currently suffers from PTSD. In this episode we discuss his mental health challenges, his 66 surgeries and counting and how we need to change the stigma inside the defence force when it comes to suicide.
The very first Two Feet Foundation podcast with owner and creator, David Lloyd. In this episode I discuss my accident, my mental health and the vision I have for the Two Feet Foundation. Our vision is very clear - to talk to real people about real experiences and how they have faced and overcome their traumatic or life changing situations.