TEDxWarrington 2025

Lester Barr MBE, consultant surgeon and breast cancer specialist, explains how breast cancer prevention might be achieved. Based on scientific research by the Prevent Breast Cancer Research Unit at the University of Manchester and teams around the word, Lester reveals the key findings of their studies.

When it comes to hair loss, it’s time to think beyond cosmetic appearances. Based on scientific research as well as personal experiences as a hairdresser diagnosed with breast cancer aged 36, Nicola discusses self-esteem, wellbeing, confidence, mental health and quality of life as she uncovers the hidden and far-reaching impacts of hair loss.

Jo Tosh shares her story of being diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s (YOPD) when she was just 47 years old. A former cardiology nurse and principal lecturer, Jo discusses diagnosis, a surgical treatment called deep brain stimulation (DBS), and finding her tribe, whilst navigating the many challenges of this incurable condition from a female perspective – some big, some small, and some absolutely huge.

A decade from now, will you be leading the charge in a technologically-advanced society, or left behind by the relentless pace of change? Robert Dixon challenges us to smash through personal boundaries and confront our fears of technological advancement.

Everyone has the potential to grow, thrive, and flourish, regardless of their visible – and invisible – abilities and our perceptions of these. Dr. Amrita Sen Mukherjee, Co-Chair of the Disabled Doctors Network, challenges the frameworks and biases that society imposes.

One of the last Peruvian adoptees to come to the UK, Carlos Munez shares a very personal story that will surprise you until the very end. The chapters of his intersectionality story, which cover adoption, cancer, ethnicity and gender transition, are emotional, eye-opening and inspiring.

This powerful talk will challenge your thinking around how we teach our children to read. Louisa explores themes of resilience, empathy and mindfulness in answering the question, ‘Is the way we teach literacy in schools all wrong?’

How often do you hear anyone talk about stress like it’s a good thing? Stress rightly gets a lot of bad press, with the World Health Organisation referring to it as the 21st century epidemic. But is that the full story?

In May 2019, Karl Perry had a cardiac arrest and died for 11 minutes. The experience left him with a very unique, optimistic and humorous perspective on life. This talk explains what happened to him and how it shaped his approach and attitude to fear and decision-making.

How can music help us create connection? How can finding your voice help you find yourself? In this talk, Emma explores the impact of creative practices to help you reach your full potential and a harmony you never imagined possible.

If you knew there was evidence that spoken word poetry inspired connection, community and hope, would you find a way to embrace poetry too? If poetry could help your business breathe new life into its culture and inspire creativity, would you make it part of your leadership? In this insightful talk, Dr Kate Jenkinson, shares her rollercoaster relationship with poetry and how, despite becoming a scientist, she found her way back to becoming a Spoken Word Performer and Business Poet. Kate lives life without regret. In this talk, she shares how she faces challenges with positive words and invites you to find your own path back to poetry in honour of her Grandpa who inspired her love of poetry.

Mind-blowing poetry of words exploring connection at an individual, community and planetary level. Ali calls us to stop fixing each other and plug in to the creative power of connection through her magical stories of how connecting (and re-connecting) sparks ideas, inspires change and helps people and communities to evolve.

What would it be like if our education system was centred around empowering young people as conservationists? Charlotte Smith asks us to consider the purpose of education and the role that schools could play in helping solve the climate and ecological crises.

From coffee shops to cargo ships crossing the Caspian Sea, Pete Donnelly shares his adventurous journey in using a wheelchair, and a message of freedom that he believes everyone should hear.

How would you feel if you could find some peace in your life, right now? Russell Treasure explains how, by using our mind’s ability to think about what it is thinking about, we can all find a little space and peace in our busy lives. He describes how learning a simple technique transformed his life and helped him leave behind his worries about the past and concerns about the future.

When did you last make stuff up and mess about? Would you trust yourself in a work meeting without a pre-planned agenda? Improvisation skills aren’t just for comedians, musicians and theatre folk. Comedian and illustrator, John Cooper, shares how they can help us navigate our lives using better conversations.

Accepting and including autistic people is something that everyone and every workplace can do. Rachel explains what life is like when you’re autistic. She shares what inclusion is and what it is not, and encourages us to be a little bit selfish when it comes to inclusivity. Getting it wrong is how we get it right.

As you drive for results at work and in life, are you enjoying or merely enduring the journey? If you are endlessly waiting for your hard work and achievements to bring you professional and personal happiness, it’s time to question the ‘route map’ to success you’ve been following. In this engaging and thought-provoking talk, Master Coach Kate Trafford shares a more sustainable and enjoyable route map to success, one that allows you to ‘get there’ and love here.

Why is it that we seem to naturally connect with some people and not others? What could happen if we understood why that might be and were able to re-frame the frustration we sometimes feel, and replace it with fascination instead? In this enlightening and thought-provoking talk, learning and development expert Kerry Lockyer explores these questions and offers three considerations that could positively change the way you approach relationships forever.

Losing a child is the worst of all fears for any parent. When it happens, making sense of tragedy and a world changed forever, can be overwhelming. The pain of grief never leaves you, but neither does parental love, and with it the passion, drive and desire to make the world a better place.