About Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women
SpartaChicks Radio brings inspiring stories coupled with practical, tried-and-tested-in-the-real-world advice from successful women in sport, business and life. We discuss the realities of fear, self-doubt, courage, bravery, success and living life on your terms. From world class athletes, brilliant business minds to everyday women undertaking epic adventures, Sparta Chicks Radio will help you tap into your inner strength, courage, bravery and determination so you can chase your dreams and live a more fulfilling life on your terms. Hosted by Jen Brown
#177: Gill Castle on Stoma Bags & Swimming the Channel
Today you’re going to meet the awesome Gill Castle (you’ll understand the significance of the ‘awesome’ once you listen to this conversation!
Gill describes herself as a very ordinary person and Police Officer before the birth of her son in 2011 changed her life.
His premature birth left her with traumatic injuries, the full extent of which weren’t identified by doctors for 5 days. Those injuries included a fistula, a hole in the wall between her rectum and vagina that left her with faecal incontinence and needing to use a stoma bag (a colostomy bag) for the rest of her life.
A very long physical and mental recovery followed.
Then one day she read an article - she’ll tell you about it in this conversation - that changed the trajectory of her life. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Since then, she’s done triathlons, scuba dived, skydived, sea kayaked and taken up ocean swimming.
And now she’s training for her next challenge: 5 years ago Gill couldn’t swim in the ocean without opening her eyes and now she’s training to swim across the English Channel!
You might be tempted to call her an inspiration, but she actually hates that term. She describes herself as the most ordinary person who just had a life-changing experience that has made her appreciate everything and want to try everything.
And she will leave you wanting to do the same.
14 Sept 2025
#145: Peter Baines on the Power of Choice, Adversity & Measuring Success
Peter Baines joined the NSW Police Force at 19 and worked first as a uniformed officer before he transferred across to join the Forensic Services Group and become a real-life crime scene investigator (long before it was cool).
Little did he know that decision would change the trajectory of his life.
He is now an author, speaker, consultant and the co-founder of an amazing charity called ‘Hands Across The Water’.
Peter’s work as a forensic investigator took him first to Bali to identify victims following the 2002 Bali bombing that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Then 2 years later in 2004 he made his first trip to Thailand to assist with the identification of victims following the Boxing Day tsunami that killed between 250,000 and 300,000 people.
In a strange yet beautiful twist of fate, during his third rotation in Thailand, he agreed to raise money to fund a home for a group of children he had met who had been orphaned by the tsunami.
And so ‘Hands Across The Water’ was born; a charity that now owns and operates 7 homes across Thailand and cares for hundreds of at-risk children.
In his conversation, we discuss:
- why action leads to clarity and that if you wait long enough you’ll find reasons not to do the thing,
- the ‘postevent’ blues and the struggle with adjusting to ‘normal’ life after an experience that shifts your view of yourself and/or the world,
- the importance of understanding your measures of ‘success’ and making sure they align with your ‘why’,
- where the idea for the charity rides originated from, and
- the impact that bushfires and COVID-19 have had on their fundraising efforts in 2020.
14 Sept 2025
#130: Katee Pedicini on Vulnerability, Mental Health & Embrace the Dichotom
[TW/CN: this post and episode discuss suicide]
One of our most popular guests, Katee Pedicini, returns to Sparta Chicks Radio this week.
Yet this is a very different conversation from our previous episodes.
This time, Katee shares the story of her mental health journey over the last 20 years.
In her 20s, Katee was (finally) diagnosed with a condition called Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (or PMDD).
Katee describes PMDD as extreme PMS “wrapped up with anxiety, depression, sometimes psychosis and suicidality or suicidal tendencies”
We begin this conversation with Katee’s story. Her experience of the symptoms of PMDD, including suicidal ideation.
Then we transition into a broader conversation about suicide and mental health; why suicide is often still seen as a ‘taboo’ and what Katee believes needs to change to enable it to be discussed more openly, and with less shame.
Finally, we step back and discuss the intersection between mental health and endurance sports.
This was an extremely difficult conversation, for both of us. I’m in awe of Katee’s bravery and vulnerability.
If you or someone you know needs help, in Australia you can contact Lifeline 24 hours per day on 13 11 14. Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 or the Black Dog Institute.
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