As Christmas Eve rolls around, our home transforms into a cozy holiday haven. While my mom busily prepares the food—stuffing the turkey with her delicious, organic blend of sausage, herbs, and nuts—my dad is in charge of the “stuffing” in a different way, occasionally getting a bit overzealous and causing some laughter along the way.In…
There are mornings when I wake up to the golden embrace of the Portuguese sun, and everything feels just right. Living near some of the world’s most beautiful beaches in Portugal, I’m greeted by vibrant colors and the gentle warmth of the sun. On these days, I find myself humming a tune, much like I…
"I am not sick, I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint," and "Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?,"
As Christmas approaches us, I look back on the journey of living with cerebral palsy. There have been countless moments of laughter and fun, shared with my family—my parents, grandparents, and sisters. Their support has been a pillar of strength, turning challenges into cherished memories.This year, we’re blessed to have my 88-year-old granddad join us…
Nowadays, we hear a lot about mental health, and more than ever I’ve begun to understand just how fragile it really is. It’s hard to imagine that, once upon a time, nobody spoke about their negative thoughts or feelings. Silence was the norm. People believed they should be happy — all the time. Everyone. No…
“A lot of disabilities are invisible. Your reactions are not.”That quote says it all. People often don’t know how to react when they meet someone with a visible or invisible disability. It’s not always their fault—but let’s be honest, it doesn’t always go well. Sometimes, someone ends up hurt or super embarrassed. And when it…
a Anyone who knows me knows one thing for sure: I love to talk. I talk a lot. Like, Olympic-level talking. Sure, cerebral palsy affects my speech—I speak slower than most people. But does that stop me? Nope. It just means I take my time delivering the brilliance. Think of it as slow-cooked conversation: takes…
My physiotherapist—a lovely guy who’s known me since I was three—has always been a bit of a posture wizard. His exercises worked wonders on my walking, and for a while, I thought I was all sorted. But then, years later, my parents hit me with the classic "Why are your knees trying to kiss each…
"Are you the Girl Who Dances?"One day at work, a friend asked me, completely seriously,"Are you the Girl Who Dances?"At first, I was confused.Me? Dance? I can barely keep rhythm with a microwave timer.But then I realized—he wasn’t talking about actual dancing.He was referring to the way I walk because of my cerebral palsy.And once…
Bart Simpson has been in my life for more than 30 years! Unfortunately, I was not very nice to him for a very long time. When I was nearly 4 years, I asked mum and dad for a baby doll for Christmas, I pictured playing "mummy and daddy and babies", carrying my doll in my…