Search

My name is Holly and I have Down syndrome Hi, my name is Holly and I am 2 and a half years old. Here is a little about my story. When my Mummy was 12 weeks pregnant, she had her scan which showed the Nuchal Fold on my neck was larger than normal, this was an indicator of Down syndrome. At 16 weeks she had another screening, which was non invasive but more accurate and was told that the chance of me having Down syndrome was 99%. My Mummy was a little upset at first and cried after that phone call, but Daddy hugged her and said it would be OK and they would love me know matter what. So Mummy and Daddy got used to the fact they would have a child with special needs, but then at her 20 week scan, it showed I had enlarged brain ventricles. Google then became mummies worst enemy and she read some really scary stories on there. And then I was born She had lots of extra scans, each time would show that my brain ventricles were getting more enlarged. The Obstetrician seemed quite negative, using words like 'If the baby survives', 'Hydrocephalus', and 'brain surgery'. This absolutely terrified my parents and the rest of the pregnancy was one big worry, that mummy wasn't able to enjoy. She was offered an MRI on Christmas Eve, which meant traveling far away. She had 3 other children to think of, so declined. What would be would be and nothing would change now. A scan at 37 weeks showed that I hadn't grown since the last one at 35 weeks, so it was time to induce my mummy. After a quick labour, I arrived in to the world weighing a tiny 4lb 12oz. I stayed with my mummy for the first night, but the next day I was looking quite yellow, so went down on to ICU for phototherapy as I had Jaundice. I also had a heart scan which shockingly showed I had 3 holes in my heart, one of these (VSD) was quite large. An ultrasound on my brain revealed that my ventricles weren't quite as large as what the doctors had thought and nobody seemed to be worried about it anymore. Nothing Down About Down syndrome After 11 days, I was able to go home, where our house filled with so much love, I have 2 older sisters and a brother, whom I adore and they also think the world of me. They see past my Down syndrome and just see me as Holly, who gives the biggest hugs and most infectious smiles. At 5 and a half months old, after routine heart scans showed no closure to my VSD, I had open heart surgery, which I sailed through. At 6 months I had an MRI on my brain which showed I was missing a chunk of my Corpus Callosum. These are very fine fibers which run between the left and right side of my brain. My mummy says, you wouldn't think anything was missing and I am doing quite well. I started walking at 19 months. I am delayed in my speech, but slowly I am learning new words and I can pick things up very quickly. I love to climb, everywhere! This really has given my mummy grey hairs, and she often finds me stood on the kitchen table. I go to nursery and love playing with my friends there. I like going to the park and playing on the swings and slides. It takes us forever to go around the supermarket as I am always waving at people and they stop so I can give them one of my infectious smiles. Last year I signed up to Zebedee, a modeling agency for people with disabilities. I did a shoot for a well known High Street shop, here in the UK. I would love to do more in the future. I want to show you all, there is Nothing Down About Down syndrome.

My Scoliosis Story: Diagnosis I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 14 years old. At the time, I was devastated and I honestly thought my world had ended. I remember crying most days. I had never heard of scoliosis and so I worried what the future would hold for me. Would it get worse? Would I be able to walk when I was older? Would I need a wheelchair? All these thoughts went through my head. At the time of diagnosis, my scoliosis was severe. I had 2 curves in an “s” shape that measured over 70 degrees. To put this into perspective, anything over 50 degrees is considered severe and would be a candidate for spinal surgery. With curves over this size, there is a risk of progression over time. This would cause further deformity, pain and (in very severe cases) potential breathing problems as the rib cage twists and pushes on the lungs. I had finished growing when I was diagnosed, so unfortunately I had missed any opportunity for bracing and surgery was really the only option to reduce the risk of future progression. I was terrified of the prospect of spinal surgery and so I spent the next 10 years being monitored yearly with x-rays. I went to university and tried to carry on with my life as best I could. My Scoliosis Story: A painful decision When I was in my early 20’s, the pain began to get worse and it was discovered that my scoliosis had progressed - the curves were now over 80 degrees. The next few years were probably the worst years of my life. I agonised whether to have the surgery or not, as any spinal surgery is major surgery and comes with significant risks. Finally, when I was 24, I made the difficult decision to have the surgery and underwent a ten hour operation to straighten my spine with metal rods and screws and fuse it straight. The recovery from this surgery was without a doubt the toughest thing I have ever had to go through. I had about 6 months off work, I had to learn to sit up and walk again and even simple things like getting out of bed, having a shower and getting dressed were painful and difficult for a long time. I couldn’t bend, lift or twist for about 3 months and was on incredibly strong painkillers for about 8 months. After about 12 months, I gradually started to return to the gym and do simple exercises like walking and cycling. My back felt stiff and strange and my muscles were so weak I had to have a lot of physio to build my strength back up. It was about 4 years post-surgery that I started feeling more comfortable pushing myself a bit more. It was around this time a friend of mine was taking part in a Race for Life event – a 10k run to raise money for Cancer Research. I remember worrying how my back would cope but decided to go for it anyway and started training. I completed the 10k (slowly – but I did it!) and ever since then, I haven’t looked back and have gradually pushed myself more and more. My scoliosis makes me more determined Having scoliosis has made me more determined to push myself, live life to the full and appreciate everything I can do. It’s made me who I am, and for that I am thankful. Over the years I have learnt to embrace my scoliosis and turn a negative into a positive. I have achieved more since my surgery than I ever did beforehand, and more than I ever thought would be possible. Fast forward 8 years on from my surgery, I am now a member of a run club. I run races regularly including 10k races, trail runs, obstacle course races such as Tough Mudder and half marathons. I am hoping to train for a full marathon next year. Last year I spent a week trekking the Great Wall of China, raising almost £2,000 for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund. I love hiking and have climbed several mountains including Snowdon and Tryffan in Wales. I am always looking for my next challenge! I also run a blog called helpformyscoliosis – through which I really hope to help and inspire others with what I have achieved. I believe that anything is possible and scoliosis should never stop you from living or achieving your dreams.

The Day I Became A Paraplegic Damn you 08-21-2013, every year you come back like a torment. I've been waiting too long for justice to put a solution and compensate me. By being a passenger on the bike and become paraplegic, I have to settle for a shitty pension and an active wheelchair. I have this chair thanks to the whole neighborhood and part of the city of Málaga that went to sell tickets for a flamenco festival, which every year is free and that year in honor of my accident and to get the chair, the tickets were sold for 5 euros. I have to thank all of those who could not attend but liked to collaborate and bought some tickets of the 0 row. It is something that I will always be grateful for and that I'll never forget. By the way, I'm still using this chair today 5 years after. Dealing with my new life of having a spinal cord injury There are so many people who try to refuge in something to forget problems or the situation they're living. The main disadvantage of that is the following: when the function ends or the action we are making, everything comes back again and problems aren't solved. We just become distracted. In my case, my spinal cord injury is complete and I'm sure that this will be my way of life forever. One day may I just assume it and it would be time to forget the mourning of the previous life. RIP 08-21-2013 Possibly it is the year with the least strength and desire I have. At least I found this place that I will show you in a few pictures. A perfect place to disconnect from everything, practice sports, be in good atmosphere and listen to music. There is a very familiar atmosphere among all the people who are there to enjoy time together so it's the best place to forget depression. RIP 08-21-2013. La lucha continuará!

Meet Keldan: Our Little Man With Down Syndrome Meet Keldan! On the 26th of April 2017, this beautiful little man entered the world. We had refused all pre-natal testing as the results would have made no difference to our decision to have our baby. It was a decision I'm so grateful we made, not because part of me worries it would have made a difference but because hand on heart it wouldn't because when you search "Down Syndrome" you come across far too much negative and scary stuff. I read up before Kel I would have spent my pregnancy scared and afraid of what lay ahead. Instead we had an amazing start. We are blessed Keldan is pretty healthy, his development is delayed but it just means when he hits a milestone it's a massive cause to celebrate, something I very much took for granted with my other children. It reminds me to enjoy the moment and NOT compare my children to others. My one hope in life is to change the opinion of just 1 person, to help just 1 person realize "you can do this" "your child does deserve that chance at life" and really to help educate the general Jo blogs about our children, Keldan will take on the world and he most certainly will conquer it. I'll leave this with my favorite quote..... "In a world where you can be Anything, Be Kind."

מום מולד בלב בני בן הארבע, צ'ייס אלייז'ה, בילה חודשים בבית החולים משום שנולד עם מום מולד בלב ועבר שני ניתוחי לב לפני שהיה בן שנה, בנוסף לצינור האכלה בבטנו מפני שלא אכל מהפה כתינוק. למרות בעיותיו הבריאותיות, אני לא מאפשר לו לעצור מלהיות ילד נורמלי ולעורר השראה באחרים בעולם הזה שעוברים את אותה הדרך, אם לא גרועה יותר, בשל בעיות בריאותיות. אנחנו עושים קטעי וידאו מצחיקים ומעוררי השראה כדי לשים חיוך על פני ילדים והורים, המוטו שלנו הוא "אתם אף פעם לא לבד בקרב" לא משנה מה אתם עוברים בחיים. בין אם מדובר בחסרי בית, הטרדה מינית, בעיות בריאות, דיכאון וכו'... הקהילה תמיד שם לעזור לכם ואני כל כך אסיר תודה על הקהילה שלנו שעוזרת לנו כשהבן שלי היה צריך להילחם על חייו בגיל שבועיים ועדיין עד היום. מעל 40,000 תינוקות נולדים מדי שנה בארצות הברית לבדה עם מום מולד בלב. זה 1 מתוך 100 תינוקות שנולדו. אנחנו יכולים לעזור להעלות את המודעות ולהאיר יותר אור על הנושא הזה שזוכה להתעלמות. Congenital Heart Defect My 4 year old son Chace Elijah spent months in the hospital because he was born with a congenital heart defect and had two heart surgeries before he was one year old, plus a feeding tube in his stomach due to him not eating orally as a baby. Regardless of his health issues, I nor does he allow that to stop him from being a normal kid and helping inspire others in this world who are going through the same thing if not worst with health issues. We make funny and inspiring videos to put a smile on kids and parents faces and the time and (Our Moto) and saying is "You're Never In A Fight Alone" (#niafa) no matter what you're going through in life. If its domestically, homeless, sexual harassment, health issues, depression etc... it's always a community to help you out in the darkest of times and I'm so thankful for our CHD community to help us out when my son at two weeks old had to fight for his life and still is till this day. Over 40,000 babies are born each year in the United States alone that have a congenital heart defect. That's 1 in every 100 babies born who's effected. We can help bring awareness and shine more light on this health overlooked subject.

About Me My name is Cobie Ann Moore. I am an artist and designer living and working in Sydney, Australia. In my artworks I often explore the themes of beauty and suffering using the contrast of bright colours and darker subject matter. On Christmas day 2011, I fell from a balcony and fractured my neck. From that moment onward, my life changed. I am now paralyzed from the chest down and have limited movement in my arms and hands. Due to these physical changes, my approach to life and art is very different. עליי שמי קובי אן מור. אני אמנית ומעצבת שחי ועובדת בסידני, אוסטרליה. ביצירות שלי אני לעתים קרובות חוקרת את הנושאים של יופי וסבל באמצעות ניגודיות של צבעים בהירים וחומרים כהים יותר. ביום חג המולד 2011, נפלתי ממרפסת ושברתי את צווארי. מאותו רגע ואילך השתנו חיי. עכשיו אני משותקת מהחזה ומטה והתנועה שלי מוגבלת בזרועות ובידיים. בשל שינויים פיזיים אלה, הגישה שלי לחיים ולאמנות שונה מאוד. Exhibitions I have been a part of 2012 strength of heART, Art Est Art School, Leichhardt NSW 2013 MySCI, Abraham Mott Hall, Millers Point NSW 2014 Loo as Art, Project run by Engineers Without Borders, Customs House, Circular Quay NSW 2015 Imagine Me, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Casula NSW 2016 SCIA Independence Expo Art Exhibition, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh NSW 2018 Onion Reality, The Front Up Hub, Seven Hills NSW 2018 Ugly, Artspace, Wooloomooloo NSW תערוכות בהן נטלתי חלק 2012 strength of heART, Art Est Art School, Leichhardt NSW 2013 MySCI, Abraham Mott Hall, Millers Point NSW 2014 Loo as Art, Project run by Engineers Without Borders, Customs House, Circular Quay NSW 2015 Imagine Me, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Casula NSW 2016 SCIA Independence Expo Art Exhibition, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh NSW 2018 Onion Reality, The Front Up Hub, Seven Hills NSW 2018 Ugly, Artspace, Wooloomooloo NSW An example of my artwork ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ (See image) is an artwork which explores personal feelings of helplessness and transformation. Down the Rabbit Hole explores the hopelessness associated with falling through empty space with nothing to grab or hold onto. In 2011 I fell from a balcony and crushed the c5/c6 vertebrae in my neck. I am now a quadriplegic which means I use a wheelchair and have limited movement in my arms and hands. When I fell, it felt as if the world around me had disappeared. This feeling continued even after I hit the ground, as I no longer had feeling below my neck. I felt like I would be falling forever. I titled this artwork Down the Rabbit Hole in reference to Alice’s fall into Wonderland. Just as with Alice’s fall, my fall from a balcony has led me to experience the world from a whole new perspective. דוגמה מהיצירות שלי "Down the Rabbit Hole" (ראו תמונה) היא יצירה שבוחנת את הרגשות האישיים של חוסר אונים וטרנספורמציה. "Down the Rabbit Hole" בוחנת את חוסר התקווה שבנפילה דרך חלל ריק ללא שום דבר לתפוס או להחזיק בו. בשנת 2011 נפלתי ממרפסת וריסקתי את חוליות C5 / C6 בצווארי. אני עכשיו משותקת מהחזה ומטה, משתמשת בכיסא גלגלים והתנועה שלי מוגבלת בזרועות ובידיים. כשנפלתי הרגשתי כאילו העולם סביבי נעלם. ההרגשה הזאת נמשכה גם לאחר שפגעתי בקרקע, כיוון שכבר לא הרגשתי דבר מתחת לצוואר. הרגשתי כאילו אני נופלת לעד. קראתי ליצירה הזאת "Down the Rabbit Hole", כאזכור לנפילתה של אליס אל ארץ הפלאות. בדיוק כמו עם הנפילה של אליס, גם הנפילה שלי ממרפסת הובילה אותי לחוות את העולם מנקודת מבט חדשה לגמרי.

The Pregnancy We first found out that there were complications with our pregnancy during our 20 week scan, when it was believed that our baby had an abnormal shaped cerebellum. That day there were no specialists to discuss this with us so we were briefly told what this may mean for us and that we would be referred to a specialist hospital. The hospital found that our baby didn't have an abnormal cerebellum but that she had mild ventricular megaly and that the corpus callusum was missing, we were told that this may result in our baby having sever seizures. Over many other scans they also measured that her legs were growing at an abnormal rate and that she had mild microganathia. We had blood tests but refused the amniocentesis as the results wouldn't affect our decision and we didn't want to risk our babies life no matter how small the chances were. We were made aware of our options including tests and terminations, we made it clear that the only way we would consider a termination was if our daughter was at risk of organ failure and would suffer from birth. The Day Cora Arrived Despite making our feelings clear we were constantly asked if we had considered this. They were also able to tell us we were having a little girl! We accepted a fetal MRI, and we attended hospital a couple of days before the MRI when a student doing our scan discovered the missing corpus callusum. The MRI came back clear and we were referred back to our local Hospital. Our baby - at this point was already named Cora. At 39 weeks, Cora decided she was ready to join us and arrived by emergency C-Section. I will always remember my midwife that night, she was kind and understanding, we asked her if she would warn us if Cora had any facial disfigurements such as microganathia before she handed Cora to us. The Diagnosis of Down Syndrome was a relief At 2:34am on 13th April Cora was born and we were told that we had a beautiful baby girl. She never really cried and needed no extra medical help. Daniel was the first to hold her and his face said it all, he was smiling but he looked concerned, I knew something was wrong. As soon as I saw her little face I knew that Cora had Down Syndrome. I felt a pang of pain and then a huge sense of relief that all the things we'd have been expecting were wrong. She is beautiful and perfect. Test results confirmed that she has an extra chromosome 21. Cora is by far the best thing that could have happened to us. Luckily for us we already knew plenty of positive stories of disabilities before I was pregnant so we knew it wasn't all bad. I think it's important that families get all the information, I feel like people focus too much on the negative and not the possibility of the happy life we now have. Cora does still have other mild health and development conditions, but we're not going to let this stop her from reaching her potential, what ever that might be. Cora is now 7 and enjoys going to mainstream school. She has a wonderful group of friends and is very popular. Cora has been very lucky to model for some large brands recently, we are so proud of her achievements and she is adamant that she will continue with her career and become a professional model.

Our undiagnosed daughter takes on the world... When Eudora was born in 2014, my husband and I were expecting her to have a crooked foot, a treatable condition that would "in no way hold her back." expecting the worst But after she was born we knew things were more serious. Eudora could move only her right forearm, nothing else, and she was not strong enough to swallow her own saliva. Her condition baffled doctors. She appeared to be getting worse and was put on a ventilator, and we were told to expect the worst. Eudora was always a fighter When Eudora pulled through and came off the ventilator, we hoped for better news, but her doctors began to suspect an extremely rare metabolic condition that would be devastating, painful, and incurable. We were told me she may not be capable of forming thought. Proving the the doctors wrong All you can do as a parent in a situation like this is refuse to believe it. By now we could hold Eudora, and we made a point of ignoring all the wires and tubes. We sung songs to her. We saw how intelligently she looked into our eyes. We also did research, rooting out medical papers, pinning our hopes on an eventual non-diagnosis. Watching closely, we saw that she was gaining a little more mobility in her upper limbs. Her eyes were starting to track slow moving objects. She was finally able to make some noise, at first just moans and sighs, but now almost a cry. Surely, we thought, the doctors were wrong. The fight to take Eudora out of the hospital We fought hard to get Eudora taken off the heavily sedating muscle relaxants that had been prescribed, and then pressed the hospital to discharge her. The genetic test result would take months, so there was no point waiting. We had steeled our nerves and learned how to insert the feeding tube, like a strand of semi-cooked spaghetti, into her nostril and down to her stomach. We knew that proving ourselves capable was the only way of getting her home, out of the door of the hospital to see the blue sky, smell the grass, and hear the sound of the sea as we walked with her pram. I was longing to sit cuddled on the sofa with her. When she was ten weeks old we finally left. We took a feeding pump, a suction machine, and an apnea monitor. Eudora had both legs in plaster to treat talipes on her right foot and vertical talus on her left foot. She also had to wear a hip harness day and night to correct developmental hip dysplasia. This was a treatment that failed after a few weeks, so she would later undergo several surgeries and seven more months in plaster from her toes to her chest. genetic test When the genetic test result finally came back, the hospital forgot to call and tell us. Six months had passed and I was afraid to ask them, but eventually my husband bit the bullet. He called me and left a voicemail. I was driving, and I had to pull over and cry with relief, even though my gut had told me the truth all along. She was getting better, not worse. By now she was playing with toys. She was smiling, not exactly with her mouth, but you saw it in her huge blue eyes that opened wide and sparkled, and her hands that she'd flap with joy. The doctors wanted to do full genome sequencing next, part of a long term study, but we refused. The result could take four years, maybe more, and would be unlikely to lead to a 'useful diagnosis'. We didn't want to live our lives with that over our heads. Instead we put our trust in the medical people who were getting to know her best, the physiotherapists, and we concentrated on massage, and singing, and being silly, which she responded to so well. Celebrating the milestones Not long before her first birthday, I woke up early with Eudora and noticed that it was snowing. The suction machine which she had once needed every minute had been consigned to the garage for five months, and we'd spent the last ten weeks gradually giving Eudora less milk through her feeding tube. As this happened she had begun to eat, first mushed peas, then porridge, yoghurt, and fruit, till now she was only taking water and nothing else through her tube. For so long I had imagined taking the final feeding tube out, and in my head it had always been a defiant celebration of her freedom from it. I had pictured myself burning the tube in a fire, or stamping on it. Instead I drew it out slowly and left it coiled on the windowsill. I showed her the snow and then we went outside and made fresh footprints. It was incredibly peaceful. There were still so many questions. Would she walk? Would she talk? We didn't know. I'd stopped worrying about the diagnosis because most importantly, she was not suffering. It had occurred to me one day that I had no idea how Eudora's older brother's life would pan out either. What we wanted for them both was the same, just happiness, and all parents live with some measure of uncertainty as well as hope. Nothing holds Eudora back Eudora is now four years old and she is full of fun. She can't wait for her fifth birthday party, which isn't till next year. Recently she started modeling with Zebedee Management who are based in Sheffield, and earlier this month she did her first fashion shoot for a major high street name. She was awesome, racing around in her little red wheelchair, posing like a pro, and chatting to everyone. She's become a talker just in the last year, and her kooky personality shines out. She still loves music, wants to learn the violin, and sings all the songs from the musical 'Annie'. She likes retro TV programs, her favorite being Button Moon, and she likes pretending to be a waiter, taking orders in a cafe and scribbling them down. The rule we live by is that we do nothing to hold her back. We check to make sure our expectations are as high as they would be with any child. We just sometimes do things differently, or in a different order, or maybe we take a little longer. Already Eudora has achieved so much, beyond what we dreamed possible when she was in hospital, and she has filled our family home with laughter and love. Nurturing her and watching her thrash through the limitations that were envisaged for her has been one of the sweetest surprises in life. Eudora quickly turns strangers' expectations upside down Our wish is that others would give Eudora the same chance. People assume she is different to other children, that she won't play with the same toys, or understand what others do. She quickly turns strangers' expectations upside down, and of course, we love seeing that happen, but at the same time, we wish it didn't have to. Eudora shouldn't have to prove herself with every person she encounters. This is why we are so happy she is part of the Zebedee Management agency, challenging common misconceptions about disability with other incredibly talented kids and adults and building her own confidence. Watching her shine is pure joy.

ודה: הילדה שלנו עם כרומוזום נוסף הכירו את ודה, בת שנתיים וחצי. ב-30 במאי 2017 הפכנו להורים גאים ל-ודה. אנו קוראים לה הילדה שלנו, כי מעולם לא חשבנו על אימוץ ילדה עם צרכים מיוחדים, אבל איכשהו הגורל הביא אותנו לכך. היא שמחה, אוהבת וסבלנית מאוד. בשל חוסר התערבות מוקדמת יש עיכובים וכמה בעיות בריאות, אבל היא הראתה שיפור עצום בשנה האחרונה. אין רגע משעמם בבית שלנו כשהילדה הזאת בסביבה. היא לימדה אותנו איך לאהוב ללא תנאים. אנו בורכנו שהיא נכנסה לחיים שלנו. יש גם ערוץ יוטיוב וחשבון אינסטגרם שבו אני מעלה את הסרטונים שלה כדי ליצור מודעות: ExtraChromieVeda@ Veda: Our chosen child with an extra Chromosome Meet Veda, she's 2.5 years old. 30th May 2017, we became proud parents to Veda. We call her our destined child as we never thought of going for special needs adoption, but somehow destiny made us into it. She is cheerful, loving and very patient. Due to the lack of early intervention there are delays and some health issues, but she has shown tremendous improvement in past one year. There is no dull moment in our house with this girl being around. She has taught us how to love unconditionally. We are blessed to have her in our life. She also has Youtube Channel where I upload her videos to create awareness: @ExtraChromieVeda

שורדת שבץ עברתי שבץ ב-27 בנובמבר 2015. התעוררתי ולא יכולתי לעשות כלום, צד ימין של הגוף שלי היה משותק לחלוטין ולא יכולתי אפילו לדבר. הייתי כלואה בגופי, אבל היה קול רגוע שהבטיח לי שאצא מזה. עכשיו אני יכולה לדבר בצורה מושלמת. אני עדיין מחלימה, אבל אני יכולה ללכת ללא תמיכה למרות שאני עדיין צולעת. אני חולקת את תהליך ההחלמה שלי בפייסבוק ובאינסטגרם על מנת לתת לאנשים עם וללא אתגרים בריאותיים תקווה, כדי להבטיח להם שיהיה בסדר ושלעולם לא יוותרו, כי אני מעולם לא ויתרתי ועדיין עובדת קשה. כשהייתי יכולה לדבר קצת המשכתי את שירותי הצמות שלי והוספתי להם פאות ואיפור (אני לא עושה שום דבר בעצמי, יש לי בנות שעושות את זה). התחלתי עסק חדש לאחרונה שנקרא "אימפריית WakkaBoy" - מודעות ממומנות עבור אנשים וחברות ויש לי סקייטרים שמחלקים פליירים ומופיעים בדרכים... אני לא מקלה ראש ואף פעם לא מוותרת. זו המטרה שלי ונשבעתי לאלוהים להמשיך לחלוק את הסיפור שלי ואת הטוב ממנו בחיים שלי. תוכלו למצוא אותי באינסטגרם ב kingena_ybg@ ובפייסבוק KINGENA ABENABE. תודה רבה לכם ואני מעריכה את הפלטפורמה הזאת! I'M A STROKE SURVIVOR I had a stroke November 27th, 2015. I woke up and couldn't do anything, my right body was totally paralyzed and I couldn't even speak. I was trapped in my own body, but there was this calm voice assuring me that I will come out of it. Now I can talk perfectly. I'm still recovering, but I can walk without any support although I still walk with a limp. I share my recovery process on Facebook and Instagram to give others hope to people with health challenges and people without health challenges to assure them that it will be okay and to never give up because I never gave up and am still working hard. When I could speak a little I continued my braid services and added wig making and makeup to it (I don't do any of these by myself, I have girls doing it). I started a new business recently called "WakkaBoy Empire" I do sponsored ads for people and companies and I have skaters to share flyers and road shows... I don't joke with my exercise, I never give up. This is my purpose and I've vowed to God to continue sharing my story and His goodness in my life till I die. My Instagram handle is @kingena_ybg and my Facebook handle is KINGENA ABENABE Thank you so much and I appreciate this platform!

Living With Erb's Palsy My name is Mallory King and I have Erb’s Palsy. When I was born I was ripped from my mother after being stuck in the birth canal and unable to breathe. The doctor pulled me out from my right arm, severing the nerves and causing shoulder dystocia. The first year of my life my right arm was completely dead. After years of physical therapy, I gained some range of motion in my arm but it grew slower than the other and the mobility was limited. My whole life I have lived with Erb’s Palsy so often times I forget that I am any different from anyone else, until someone else brings it up. Most of the time when I am asked what happened to my arm it is by a harmless stranger who assumes I recently injured my shoulder or broke my arm. When I explain to them what happened they often go red in the face or apologize for asking. Every once in a while a hurtful person will tease me for having a “t-rex arm”. As a child it was difficult to deal with these comments, but as I have grown up I have learned that everyone gets teased for something, whether they are disabled or not. There are hurtful people in this world that want to tear others down, but there are so many more people with good intentions and huge hearts. I have learned to focus my energy on those people. Taking Control of My Life Growing up I allowed my arm to be an excuse. An excuse to get out of P.E. activities, not join sports, or be entirely inactive. Because of this, and emotional eating, my weight climbed. In college I realized my weight was an issue as I was borderline obese. I finally decided to stop with the excuses and control what I could. I began exercising and slowly started incorporating weight lifting into my lifestyle. At first it was scary to go to the gym and lift weights using my arm. I feared people would stare and wonder what was wrong. I struggled to lift any weight with my right arm but I continued to try. I slowly saw progress in my right arm and began to care less about others in the gym and more about why I was there. I have been lifting weights for 5 years now and powerlifting for two. Powerlifting has been an incredible outlet for me mentally and physically. It has shown me that I am capable of doing anything that anyone else can do. Sure, my progress may be slower in some areas. I have to work harder and be more patient. Powerlifting is a challenge with Erb’s Palsy, but when I hit a new record with my bench press or deadlift double my bodyweight I feel I’m even more elated than any able-bodied person because of the challenges I overcame to get there. I Am More Than My Disability I am disabled, but that is not the only thing that defines me. There is so much more to me than my disability, and I offer this world just as much as anyone else does. For a long time I despised having a disability and sometimes I do still struggle with that, but it has provided me so many things. It has taught me patience and perseverance. It has made me more resilient and given me the courage to do what is best for me without the concern of other’s opinions. I am disabled. I am also strong, smart, caring, kind, fun, and able to tackle any challenge thrown my way. Thank you Erb’s Palsy, for making me who I am today.

Mental health & Selfcare Hi everyone, I want to talk to you guys about mental health & self-care! Unfortunately, there is still so much stigma surrounding mental health issues. I think it’s really important that we come together as a community & continue to raise mental health awareness! Personally, I struggle with anxiety & depression, believe me I know how hard it is. I’m receiving treatment & I love therapy, I really do! Self-care is essential, NOT selfish. Remember that you can’t pour anything out of an empty cup. Today I want to invite you to make your mental health & self-care a priority. Love yourself, be compassionate with yourself & others. I’m still standing thanks to gods grace. Praise be to god. Let’s continue to break the stigma 💪🏼. God bless you 🙏🏼 Xo, Julie A R I A G U I N Blog בריאות הנפש וטיפול עצמי היי כולם, אני רוצה לדבר איתכם על בריאות הנפש וטיפול עצמי! למרבה הצער, יש עדיין כל כך הרבה סטיגמות סביב בעיות בריאות הנפש. אני חושבת שזה באמת חשוב כי אנחנו באים יחד כקהילה כדי להמשיך ולהעלות את המודעות לבריאות הנפש! אישית, אני נאבקת עם חרדה ודיכאון, תאמינו לי שאני יודעת כמה קשה זה. אני מקבלת טיפול ובאמת אוהבת אותו! טיפול עצמי הוא חיוני, לא אנוכי. זכרו שאתם לא יכולים לשפוך שום דבר מתוך כוס ריקה. היום אני רוצה להזמין אתכם לתת עדיפות לבריאות הנפש והטיפול העצמי שלכם. אהבו את עצמכם, היו חומלים עם עצמכם ועם אחרים. אני עדיין עומדת בזכות חסד האלים. השבח לאל. בואו נמשיך לשבור את הסטיגמה 💪. אלוהים יברך אתכם 🙏 חיבוקים ונשיקות, ג'ולי א ר י א ג ו י ן