OO213 - English Federation of Disability Sport

People with disabilities are becoming more visible in many walksof life – in politics and the media, for example. This is instrumentalin improving children’s perceptions of what they can achieve.could to stand out and be different,I was desperate to be‘normal’ and fit in. Growing upwith a disability, I received a lotof attention. People in the streetwould often stare at me, makecomments and ask my parents,“What’s wrong with her?” I haddays when I was able to brush itoff, but no amount of resilienceor family support can stop thatfrom affecting you.I developed extremely low selfesteemand poor body image,made worse because I wassignificantly overweight. I foundexercise difficult, and like manygirls my age, I ate to comfortmyself. I had also internalizedthe medical terminology thatwas used to describe me – inparticular the word ‘deformed’(I had a curvature of the spine,since corrected). When I was 14,I developed an eating disorder,partly because I wanted to loseweight – but also because myweight felt like one aspect of myphysical appearance that I couldactually control.Although I had incrediblysupportive family and friends,being disabled was never somethingI viewed as a positivething. I thought I had to overcomeit, like adversity. I becameobsessed with being as ‘undisabled’as possible, and I wasconvinced that if I could walk,my life would be a lot better.Ironically, although I no longeruse a wheelchair, in many waysI feel more aware of my disabilitythan ever. People still make commentsabout me because I havesmall stature, and make assumptionsabout my life and ability;I always have to prove myself,particularly in the workplace.Though I am not defined by mydisability, it has been pivotal inshaping who I am and whatI have achieved. Having a disabilityis now something I embrace:I no longer see it as a negativething or something I should beembarrassed about. In manyways being disabled has workedto my advantage and createdopportunities that might neverhave been available to me –like writing this article.Every child’s experience isdifferent. I come from a lowermiddle-classfamily in the UnitedKingdom, where I had accessto free health care and a goodeducation. But I strongly believethat the issues of belonging,self-esteem and aspirationtranscend such distinctions asgender, class and nationality.To develop a greater sense ofself-worth, children withdisabilities need the opportunityto participate and contribute inall aspects of their lives.People with disabilities arebecoming more visible in manywalks of life – in politics andthe media, for example. Thisis instrumental in improvingchildren’s perceptions of whatthey can achieve. When I wasgrowing up, the only role modelI had was Stevie Wonder.I admired him because he wasa successful and respectedmusician despite being blind.However, it would have helpedme to see people with disabilitiesdoing everyday jobs – asteachers, doctors or shopkeepers.I think that would also havehelped my parents. My mumsaid that when I was a child,she tried not to think aboutmy future because it made herscared. She knew that I wascapable but feared that myoptions would be limited.As it turns out, my disability hasnot prevented me from achievingany of the important things.I am a qualified social worker,passed my driving test whenI was 16, left home when I was19 and have lived and workedin Asia and Africa. In the futureI hope to be an advocate forchildren with disabilities on aninternational level, as I passionatelybelieve in the inalienablehuman rights and untappedpotential of these children.INTRODUCTION5