-
Cerebral Palsy and ageing in your late 20’s
I know what you’re thinking, your late 20’s is young! I agree with you. Yet I’m 27 years old and I’m starting to feel the premature ageing associated with cerebral palsy — and I’m not alone in that.
-
Cerebral palsy and winter: “Surely it wasn’t this bad last year…”
As the cold weather creeps up on us, pain levels start to rise. My muscles begin to contract and ache in a way that’s persistent and loud. I know I say it every year, but surely it wasn’t this bad last year.
-
Becoming disabled: Advice from the disabled community
People don’t expect to become disabled. Yet it’s more common to acquire a disability then it is to be born with a condition or impairment. I appreciate that it’s a lot to take in. You find yourself in this whole new world. Fortunately, the disabled community have lots of advice.
-
What is it like being a disabled student?
When I was in high school, I used to wobble around the corridors using a walking stick or a wheelchair. I throughly enjoyed education, yet it certainly isn’t easy as a disabled student. Admittedly, it’s been a few years since I was a student, but accessible education was a core focus when I started my blog. Before I graduated university, my blog was called ’Life as a Cerebral Palsy student’. A few weeks ago I gave a keynote talk to 1600 high school staff members about my experiences of being a disabled student. I hope that sharing an edited version of that talk will useful for other teachers and disabled…
-
How to talk about disability with your child
Children are great at asking questions, at the end of the day, that’s how they learn! Often it can be relatively easy to answer their questions — even if it’s the fifth time they’ve asked you that day. But what if they ask you a question about disability? It can hard to know what to say. There are 14 million disabled people in the UK yet talking about disability is still seen as a taboo topic. It can feel awkward for everyone involved, but it does not have to be that way. As a disabled woman, I’ve had numerous occasions where children have asked me about my condition.
-
Buying a house as a young disabled adult
I suppose this post is more of a life update, I’m buying my first house! Yet I hope sharing my own experiences will help others who are at the same stage of their life. Currently I live in my family home. I graduated university nearly 3 years ago but, despite living away in halls and a shared house, it made sense to move back home. Not only did this make sense from a practical point of view, it meant I could contribute board and save money. I also am fortunate enough to get on well with my family!
-
Small businesses run by disabled people
This Christmas I’ve decided to only shop from small businesses. After searching on Etsy, trying to find the perfect presents, it hit me. There are loads of disabled creators and business owners. Small businesses need us more than ever, not just at Christmas. Here are some you might enjoy.
-
Eco-friendly swaps, without getting rid of plastic straws
How on earth can you be eco-friendly and use plastic straws? It feel like a contradiction, but I’m willing to explain. Some people rely on plastic straws to drink safely. It might be essential, or like me, lower the risk of choking. I care about the turtles and try and do my bit to look after the planet, but I’m deemed selfish for using a plastic straw. Disabled people can use plastic straws and still care greatly about the environment.
