Have you heard of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program? More travellers should know about this. 

I was making my way home from Vancouver to Haida Gwaii last week and picked up a sunflower lanyard from the YVR info desk. I’d just spent a week with a film crew in Tofino, BC, recording interviews for the Travel Beyond podcast. I’m very excited to share the results sometime in early 2025. And after a few intense days of meeting new people and hearing meaningful stories related to travel, culture, and the environment, I was glad to have a couple of recovery days on the way home. 

This was my first business trip in more than five years. Covid is one reason. But I also have a chronic illness that has prevented me from going places. It demands a lot of time for rest and recovery in between normal life activities, never mind travelling to new places and navigating airports. Before this fall I’m not sure I would have considered going at all, but things have been getting a little bit better.

So when I remembered that the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program existed, I was curious to try it out. This is how YVR (Vancouver’s airport) describes the program.

“The Sunflower is a globally recognized symbol for non-visible disabilities, also known as hidden disabilities or invisible disabilities. Passengers can choose to wear the Sunflower lanyard when travelling through the airport to indicate to airport staff that they may need support, assistance or just a little more time in the airport.”

It was very easy to get the sunflower lanyard at YVR, no questions asked. I was feeling okay that day, so I didn’t need extra support right then. But my body isn’t predictable enough to really know for sure how I’d respond, especially in a noisy, bright environment, so it was nice to have with me. 

Eventually I made it to the gate. After I boarded the plane, an Air Canada steward said she noticed my lanyard and asked if I needed anything in particular. I still didn’t, but it still felt good to be seen.

The most powerful thing about the Sunflower is that, maybe for the first time ever, I could show other people that I have an invisible illness without any effort, emotional or otherwise. It was my choice to disclose, and no one asked me details. The lanyard is just a signal to anyone in the know that, hey, this guy might need a little more time or compassion today. So slow down a bit. And that’s always a good reminder. 

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program is now available in 280+ airports. Some airlines, including Air Canada, Air New Zealand, KLM, and Qantas have trained their entire staff on it. 

Learn more at yvr.ca or hdsunflower.com.

P.S. – The Sunflower goes beyond travel. If you want to geek out on this a little more, LEGO is now part of the program and has designed characters wearing the lanyard! Check it out.