Steve Silberman on winning the Samuel Johnson prize: ‘I was broke, broke, broke’

His first book was about the Grateful Dead. His second, about autism, has just taken the Samuel Johnson prize. Meet neuro-warrior Steve Silberman, friend of Allen Ginsberg and ‘gay coach’ to Oliver Sacks

The day we learned our son had a cleft lip

One father tells of his family’s soul-searching in the face of conflicting medical advice, and travels to Kerala in India to see how a charity is changing the fortunes of thousands of children

Appearance bullying – and the damage it does to children’s education

Schools that make a point of helping children with facial disfigurements find it helps pupils to deal with body image concerns too

How climbing helps people with traumatic brain injuries find their feet

Repetitive motions help the brain reorganise its neural pathways, but simply socialising and sharing can be a self-confidence booster, too

How hard work cures all illness

Dean Burnett: Iain Duncan Smith claimed that hard work helps treat illness. Scientifically speaking, he’s right. Sort of. Well, not quite.

Why Rick Guidotti turned his back on Cindy Crawford to challenge our perceptions of genetic diseases

Previously in the business of snapping supermodels, a chance meeting at a bus stop made this fashion photographer look again at young people affected visibly by genetic disease.

My husband, Andrew Marr, had a stroke. Now I know it could happen to anybody

Strokes among men aged 40 to 54 have rocketed in 15 years, yet the resources available to treat and rehabilitate are painfully scarce. This must change

Autism and ill health: how to spot the subtle signs that something is wrong

People with autism and learning disabilities can die up to 20 years prematurely. So how can we help carers and health workers diagnose illness in non-verbal patients?

Lucy Glennon: what her life tells us about the real effects of cuts for disabled people

The writer and disability activist has died at the age of 29, having faced the excruciating pain of her condition with bravery and humour. But she also had first-hand experience of how welfare rules are making life tougher for the most vulnerable

Farewell Lucy Glennon. A brilliant writer, campaigner and ‘total badass’

Lucy had the rare skin condition epidermolysis bullosa, but she never let it quell her anarchic spirit. Please do share your memories in the thread below

OurChemist

Our Chemist – Health