We are all different.  A big part of my own identity is undoubtedly my physical disability, my communication impairment, and my hearing loss, and all of these contribute to how others see me.  Just because I am disabled does not mean I am the same as other disabled people.  However,...

I’ve been thinking about the skills I needed for boccia at Tokyo 2020. Especially, how being a communication aid user helped me to achieve my dream of representing my nation internationally. I was questioning if boccia and AAC could be connected.  I’ve used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) since I...

Since returning home from the Paralympics I have been delighted to see the positive press around boccia. Plus, to read with interest the various social media posts from my teammates.  I arrived home nearly 4 weeks ago and have spent much of my time reflecting and recovering.  Tokyo was the...

It was a pleasure to be interviewed by Thea from the University of York Alumni Voices recently. This was for an online article about my time at the University of York and my Paralympic boccia selection.  Those of you who know me well will recall two of my dreams were...

The bags and cases have been packed, unpacked, repacked, weighed, and weighed again, and still need some tweaking.  Packing for a boccia camp or a holiday is always a military operation. Packing for the Paralympics takes on a whole new meaning. Normally if we overlook something there is always a...

Every now and then I have a niggle of self-doubt, asking myself “am I good enough?”  Growing up in mainstream school I was the only disabled pupil with a power chair and communication device. Then at special school in my cohort I was the only one with a speech impairment. ...

This has been on my mind for several months now. Back in February, I found something wrong with my mouth, I had a lump in my cheek and it was producing a lot more saliva, like a fountain, thick and not pleasant tasting. It was so thick it was difficult...