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Opioid crisis: the doctor who got addicted

When Lou Ortenzio started prescribing opioids to his patients for pain relief he decided to sample them himself. But then he spiralled into an addiction which cost him his career.

Lou Ortenzio worked as a doctor at the epicentre of an opioid crisis in America. But as he was prescribing painkillers to his patients, Lou was also taking the medication himself. His consumption spiralled and turned into a full blown addiction, which cost him his career. He tells Neal Razzell how delivering pizza helped him to turn his life around.

We travel to the adventure golf courses of the Czech Republic to meet Olivia Prokopova. Some call the sport she plays mini golf, others say it's crazy golf, but Olivia prefers adventure golf. The 24 year old is at the top of her game and tells Saskia Edwards how she's beaten so many of her rivals to become a world champion.

Kami Rita Sherpa is a mountaineering legend. He has climbed Everest a record-breaking 22 times and is currently attempting to beat that record by doing it for the 23rd time. Kami Rita comes from a village in the foothills of Everest which has produced many famous sherpas, or climbing guides, and explains how he prays to the mountain before an expedition.

Image and credit: Lou Ortenzio

Available now

53 minutes

Last on

Fri 3 May 2019 03:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 2 May 2019 11:06GMT
  • Thu 2 May 2019 15:06GMT
  • Thu 2 May 2019 17:06GMT
  • Thu 2 May 2019 20:06GMT
  • Fri 3 May 2019 02:06GMT
  • Fri 3 May 2019 03:06GMT

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Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected