30 May 2021: Georgia James was one of the first babies in NZ to be born with Ventricular Septal Defect, a hole in the heart, and have it repaired by Sir Brian Barret Boyes. She had already began life as a survivor, her childhood experience would further test her resilience.

By the young age of six, Georgia was already taking on a parent role at home, washing dishes and looking after younger siblings with an absent mother. From age 16 she left home and supported herself financially to complete high school, but these early hardships rippled through into her adult years. In her 20s she turned to heavy drinking and went through several abusive relationships.

She talks to Hamish Coleman-Ross and psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on developing copies strategies to survive life's hardships and how she learnt to create life on her terms.

With thanks to NZ on Air.

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