I grew up in Sheffield and now live in York. I’m a Yorkshire lass through and through!
I grew up in Sheffield and now live in York. I’m a Yorkshire lass through and through!
She/Her
I have an Energy Limiting Condition called ME/CFS. It’s a chronic illness with a broad range of symptoms, though I’ve been very lucky to have experienced some improvements in my condition over the last few years.
I’ve written many posts about life with chronic illness, from my perspective, and shared my story via books and eBooks too!
I’m a freelance writer and speaker, and I also work as a communication consultant in the charity sector. Alongside this, I’m very lucky to be a disabled influencer with an online audience, and I love engaging with presenting and media opportunities too.
I have a particular interest in making education and employment more inclusive for people with Energy Limiting Conditions like my own. It goes without saying that not everybody with a chronic illness is well enough or should be expected to work, but I hope to make the sector more accommodating for those who do.
Although working with a chronic illness can be incredibly tough at times, I’m grateful for my career every single day. Despite the bizarre circumstances that brought me to where I am now, I often feel as though this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
I have a degree in Psychology/Education, and a PgDip in Health Psychology. After finishing my education in 2017, I secured an internship with an amazing disability charity and spent the next few years employed (part-time, due to my health) in the charity sector. I started blogging around the same time, and to my surprise, found that doors were beginning to open to writing and media work too. Leaning into this has brought me some truly incredible opportunities, and I realised that if I wanted to embrace them whilst holding onto the charity sector work that’s so close to my heart, I needed to find a better balance and become self-employed.
Becoming a disabled freelancer didn’t happen overnight: it was something I had to weave into my life very slowly and carefully in order to manage my health condition and ensure I could continue living independently. If you’re considering how to pursue a career alongside chronic illness, my Finding Accessible Work blog post may help you to get started.
I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user, which means that I use different mobility aids on different days. Sometimes you’ll see me using a manual wheelchair, other times you’ll see me using my power-chair, other times you’ll see me using no aids at all. Using mobility aids helps me to better pace myself and manage my condition, and in doing so has also completely transformed my quality of life.
My previous power-chair (2018 – 2024) was the Eden Comet from Eden Mobility. My current power-chair (May 2024 onwards) is the Whill C2, supplied by TGA. More on that here!
Finding the right mobility aids is such an individualised process, and even if we have the same condition, it’s not necessarily the case that the things that are right for me will also be right for you.
I don’t have the specialist knowledge or capacity to support individuals, and would advise seeking independent support from organisations like Access Your Life instead. However, I’ve written many posts about my chronic illness and experiences with mobility aids over the years that people often find useful when it comes to choosing their own. You can find plenty more of both on my YouTube channel too!
Simply drop me an email at [email protected] or use the contact form on this page. I look forward to chatting with you!