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כלבה מיוחדת עם גישה חיובית! זוהי אייבי. אייבי היא בולדוג צרפתי בת 4. היא נולדה כמו רוב הגורים עם ארבע רגליים עובדות ולב אחד גדול. ביום ההולדת השלישי של אייבי, היא התעוררה באמצע הלילה בכאב רב. זמן קצר לאחר מכן אובחנה עם מחלה בעמוד השדרה המכונה מחלת דיסק בין-חולייתי (המכונה גם IVDD). ניתוח אחד גדול ו-24 שעות לאחר מכן, אייבי משותקת ברגליה האחוריות. זה לא מפריע לה! היא חיה את החיים במלואם המלאה ואינה רואה את עצמה אחרת. היא לא מניחה ל"מוגבלות" להפריע לה להיות גורה מאושרת! היא צברה הרבה כוח בפלג הגוף העליון ויכולה עכשיו ללכת רק על שתי רגליים. יש לה כיסא גלגלים מותאם אישית כשהיא רוצה לטייל בחופים החוליים או בגינת הכלבים. היא מעוררת השראה בכל מקום בו היא הולכת. מוכיחה כי גם בימים המעוננים ביותר, השמש תמיד תחזור. מטרתה של אייבי ובעליה היא להראות לאחרים שהחיים עדיין שמחים גם על שתי כפות רגליים.❤️ A special dog with one positive attitude! Meet Ivy. Ivy is a 4 year old French Bulldog. She was born like most pups with four working legs and one big heart. On Ivy's 3rd birthday she woke up in the middle of the night in a lot of pain. Shortly after Ivy was diagnosed with a spinal disease called intervertebral disc disease (also known as IVDD). One major surgery and 24 hours later, Ivy became paralyzed in her back legs. That does not stop her! She lives life to the absolute fullest and does not see herself as different. She does not let her "disability" get in the way of being a happy pup! She has gained lots of upper body strength and can now pull her body around on just two paws. She has a custom wheelchair from www.eddieswheels.cok for when she wants to fly around on the sandy beaches or dog park. She spreads inspiration and pawsativity everywhere she goes. She proves that even on the cloudiest of days the sun will always come back out. Ivy and her owner'a goal is to show others that life is still happy on two paws.❤️

My learning disabilities are Dyslexia, Dysgraphia & Dyscalculia Hi! My name is Julia and I live in Brooklyn, New York. I love coffee, succulents, baking, and my learning disabilities. I have three learning disabilities; Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia. These are all words that I needed help spelling while writing this. These learning disabilities mean that I struggle with reading, writing, math, and overall absorbing and processing of information. As an adult, I have learned to love my differences. I have become a teacher and an advocate for disabled students who are trying to navigate themselves in an educational system that creates unsafe places for students who learn differently. My learning disabilities gave me a voice in my darkest times. They helped me to become the person that I desperately needed when I was younger, and they taught me to see the world in a different light. But I didn't always think like this when I was younger; I opted for self-hate, fear, and denial. It was just easier than my other option, which was acceptance. My mission in life was to sail under the radar, never ask for help, and pray that none of my friends ever found out that I had learning disabilities. Learning to accept my learning disabilities As a child, if someone had asked me whether or not I wanted to become a teacher when I grew up my answer would have with been, “No.” How could a child with learning disabilities, a speech impediment, and no confidence when it came to having authority in the classroom become a teacher? That was my mindset and my way of life before I found my love of history. The moment that I started to take history and anthropology classes in high school was the moment that changed my life forever. I began to be excited about school and the mysteries my teachers were discussing. I fell in love with folklore and mythology; these stories gave me wings that helped me explore the past. The historical figures that I loved and spent hours researching didn't care that I had learning disabilities, so why should I? Releasing Fears, anxieties & self-hatred Studying history let me let go of all of my fears and anxieties and self-hatred. After a while, I started to live the life that I deserved. I was able to travel to Hawaii to do anthropology research and fall in love with the setting sun and the smell of the ocean. I was able to live in Ireland doing archeology research and spend time discovering the stories and artifacts that I had fallen in love with all those years ago. Accepting Myself I now work as a history educator for the Brooklyn Public Library's archive called Brooklyn Collection. I spend my life teaching children history and exploring primary sources helping them uncover the secrets of the past while also helping them realize that they can achieve their dreams, just like I did. I am still on a journey with my learning disabilities, but slowly, every day, I am learning how to love myself... disabilities and all.

What yoocan Means to Me I first heard about yoocanfind.com when I saw a post on Instagram, and I’ve been hooked ever since! I was so amazed and impressed by all of the individuals with disabilities being featured so prominently and discussing their disabilities with such honesty, grace and kindness, that I made sure I never missed a post. I love yoocanfind.com’s community and global perspective. My Site: soimlegallyblind.com The stories they feature on their website and Instagram page of individuals of all ages, their families, and their stories have had such an impact on me personally. You see, I, too, have a site called soimlegallyblind.com and I’ve wanted to reach, educate and support as many people, friends and families who have a visual impairment as I can share my personal story. Therefore, I was so excited when I received an email from Jessica, a staff member, who invited me to be a part of the site and share my story. How yoocan Effects Me For me, yoocan personifies the meaning of community. When I was a child, there wasn’t a mechanism like social media to share your story. I rarely heard about anyone with a disability, unless we met someone in the doctor’s office, and as I was the only individual with a disability in my private school, I was never able to meet anyone like myself. However, as I grew up and attended public school, and college, there were more students like myself. Honestly, it was refreshing to see and meet with people just like me. And that’s how I feel about social media in general, that wonderful sites like yoocan allow me to be part of a community amongst people like myself. The Importance of yoocan I don’t feel it myself, but there still can be a stigma for some individuals with a disability, and the global reach that yoocan has allowed people with disabilities to connect, engage and communicate with each other. That’s why yoocan is such an important site, because it supports, engages, and educates all individuals who are in some way affiliated with the site. It allows anyone to immediately communicate, post and share their personal journey with others similar to themselves. One doesn’t have to have my disability to understand my challenges, because when you have a disability, you already understand the daily challenges. Disability can unite many people, because we all navigate in the world of disability. That’s why yoocan resonates with me so personally. It allows individuals to be themselves, to share their story, to provide valuable insight to others going through what they may be going through. It is a good friend waiting for you to just reach out, click on their account and be ready to enjoy, laugh, cry and get inspired.

What is Inclov? Inclov is the world's first matchmaking app inclusively designed for people with disabilities, and health disorders to find love. Social Spaces is Inclov's offline meetup platform. Check out our website: https://www.inclov.com/ or Insragram @inclovapp

אתלטית אחת, שני ענפי ספורט: סיפור הספינה ביפידה שלי שמי סופי, נולדתי עם ספינה ביפידה. אני רוצה לחיות את החיים במלואם! זה מה שאני עושה במשך 23 השנים האחרונות וכך אמשיך לחיות. 1 athlete, 2 sports: My Spina Bifida Story My name is Sofie, I was born with Spina Bifida. I want to live life to the fullest! That Is what I've been doing for the past 23 years of my life, and will continue to do. התאהבות בספורט בגיל 9 התוודעתי הן לטניס נכים והן לריקוד בכסאות גלגלים ביום ספורט והתאהבתי. מאותו יום התחלתי לרקוד בצמד (שני משתמשים בכיסא גלגלים) בתחרויות ריקודים בסגנון סלוני / לטיני ולשחק טניס רק בשביל הכיף. בתחרות הראשונה שלי הגעתי למקום השני! השנים חלפו והרעב שוב התגבר. כשהייתי בת 17, למדתי הכל על תחרויות טניס נכים ועל המשחקים הפראלימפיים! הצבתי עוד מטרה וזה מה שאני עושה במשך 23 השנים האחרונות ואמשיך לעשות. falling in love with sports At 9 years old, I saw both wheelchair tennis and wheelchair dancing at a sports day and fell in love. From that day I started doing duo (2 wheelchair users) competition dancing in ballroom/ latin style and playing tennis just for fun. At my first competition I placed second! Years passed and the hunger for more came. When I was 17, I learned all about wheelchair tennis competitions and the Paralympic Games! I made another goal, and that is what I've been doing for the past 23 years of my life and will continue to do. הדרך קשה אך לבסוף אגיע ב-2014 התחלתי לרקוד סולו בסגנונות לטיני וחופשי. זכיתי במדליית ארד באליפות אירופה הראשונה שלי באותה שנה! ב-2017 סיימתי את השנה כמספר 2 בדירוג העולמי ובטניס נכים ב-100 הראשונות בעולם. אני מתקרבת יותר ויותר אל המטרה שלי בכל יום. אני רוצה להתחרות במשחקים הפראלימפיים ב-2020 בטניס נכים ולזכות בזהב באליפות העולם בריקוד בכיסאות גלגלים! טניס נותן לי את האדרנלין לו אני כל כך זקוקה. להרגיש את עבודת הגוף שלי ולדחוף אותו לקצה מראה לכולם שאני יכולה לעשות כל דבר שאני רוצה! הריקוד מביא לי שלווה. אני מרגישה כל כך נינוחה אחרי שאני רוקדת. הכל מסתכם באיזון והשילוב הזה הוא מושלם בשבילי. הדרך היא קשה ללא תמיכה כספית של פדרציות או נותני חסות, אבל אני אגיע לשם! אני מסיימת את לימודיי כמרפאת בעיסוק ביוני ואז החיים האמיתיים שלי כאתלטית יתחילו! אני לא יכולה לחכות! The Road has been difficult, but i will get there eventually In 2014 I started solo dancing in ballroom-latin and freestyle. I won the bronze medal at my first European Championship that same year! In 2017 I finished the year as 2nd on the world ranking and in wheelchair tennis at the top 100 of the world. I am getting closer and closer to my goal each day. I want to compete at the Paralympic Games in 2020 for wheelchair tennis and win gold at the World Championships in wheelchair dancing! Tennis gives me the adrenaline I need so bad. Feeling my body work and being pushed it to its’ limit shows everyone that you can do anything you set your mind to! Dancing brings me peace. I feel so relaxed after I’ve danced. It's all about balance and this combination is perfect for me. The road has been hard, having no financial support from federations or sponsors, but I will get there! I'm finishing my education as an occupational therapist in June and then my real life as an athlete will start! I can't wait!

I overcame I have three disabilities; depression, learning disabilities, and PTSD. I got pregnant young, was homeless, in an abusive relationship and went to school. I finally got fed up and left the relationship, went back to school and got my associates in human services and am going to get a bachelor's in dietics so that I can be a registered dietician. I never gave up and I am going to continue to work through my disability if I can do it anybody can.

We've Come a Long Way, Baby! I suppose we could have never met, never crossed paths, never rolled right into love, but, for real though, what kind of story would that make? A boring one. Brady and I are lots of things. But we are not boring. We live by the words of the philosopher Atticus, "I hope to arrive to my death, late, in love, and a little drunk." Yes, turns out Atticus is pretty much our spirit animal. I digress... Brady and I both attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and met through mutual friends. We ran into each other every now and then, and we would exchange quick greetings, and laugh about the stories that our friends told when we all got together, but that was about it. I wish I could tell you that it was love at first sight, and that there were hearts shooting out of our eyes whenever our paths crossed, but that wasn't the case. In fact, I wasn't impressed with Brady, and found myself excessively rolling my eyes whenever his name was mentioned. I went home with a friend to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving 2000. To be honest, I didn't even really know where Cincinnati was, and it’s spelling confused me. However, it sounded sort of exotic, so I was excited. During my visit, Brady appeared on the scene. While I still didn't fall in love with him, I did fall in love with two things on this trip: LaRosa's pizza & Brady's yellow Cadillac, AKA "Buttercup"- RIP "Buttercup". The years passed, and somehow, Brady and I kept in touch. Through phone calls, texts, and later through the magic of social media, we stayed connected. It wasn't until 2013 though, that we started communicating regularly, and as it turns out, the communication never stopped. Years ago, I remember telling my mom, "I've never met a guy who I could stand for more than five minutes. If I find one, I'll marry him." It took Brady and I awhile to come to terms with marriage. We avoided the topic for some time, eventually swearing off the idea completely. Honestly, we just wanted to have fun, and enjoy each other's company. After all, I was a girl with Cerebral Palsy, who crossed over to the dark side in connecting with someone with Spina Bifida. When we first started dating, we endured some criticism about dating outside of our disabilities- "Why do you have to take one of our most eligible men, Meg? Can't you just date one of your own people?" Wait, I'm confused. You mean someone as awesome, confident and adventurous as me? Check! We pretty much just decided we couldn't live without each other one day, and the rest is history. Brady and I will finally be married on May 5, 2018, and we couldn't be more excited. I often ask him how "this" all happened, with him replying, "It just did." He's definitely a man of few words, but it's true, it just did. Maybe we don't have an epic love story to share, but all that matters is that "this" happened for us both, and so we'll move forward together.

My Background My name is Megan Hammond and I live in Wooster, OH. For the past 10 years, I have been working at a residential facility for juvenile criminals as a math teacher, Intervention Specialist. These students are challenging, but the growth I see on a regular basis is astounding. Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher, and I graduated with my Master's Degree in Special Education in 2010. In May 2017, I was hired in at MetroHealth Medical Center, and started in June. I was hired as a Research Assistant, through the Center of Health Research and Policy department for the NIDILRR Model Systems Grant that MetroHealth was just awarded in the fall of 2016. In July, 2007, I was in a motorcycle accident that severed my spinal cord and left me paralyzed from the upper waist down. Since then, I have grown passionate about proving to people that I can still live a fully independent life and about helping others with acquired disabilities live as independently as possible. This is why I started working toward a MS in Mental Health Counseling, specializing in Career Counseling. I have advocated on behalf of the disability community in Ohio on a national level by participating in United Spinal Association’s Roll on Capitol Hill in 2012 and 2017, and was recently elected as the first Great Lakes Regional Advocacy Coordinator for United Spinal's Grassroots Advocacy Program they are just launching. I also serve as the Vice President for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of United Spinal Association, where we offer education and recreation opportunities for those with spinal cord injuries/disease. My Blog on having a spinal cord injury One year ago, I decided to start a blog about my journeys, adventures, mindsets, and struggles. The Wheel Life Blog is meant to be an inspiration to others with physical disabilities. I talk about challenges related to having a spinal cord injury, time management and productivity habits and routines that I use, and how to shift your mindset from a Negative Nancy to a Positive Polly. My hope is that I inspire and motivate others to live an independent life, even after a spinal cord injury. But, these tips and habits can be utilized by others, regardless of ability level. Healthy/Fitness Journey After my injury, I put on some weight, which I think is a pretty normal thing as depression, anxiety and other factors come into play. About three years ago, I started a health and wellness journey. To date, I have lost 30 pounds, gained a bunch of muscle, but (more importantly) gained so much confidence, courage, and knowledge that has oozed into other areas of my life, including work/career and relationships. I am learning what works for my body and what I can still do. Sure, there are things that I won't be able to do because of my SCI, but there are so many MORE things that I am able to do, and that's what I choose to focus on. I have competed in 5ks where I am the only wheelchair participating (a couple with a few other people in chairs) and workout 5-6 days a week in a gym where (at my time of the day) I am the only wheelchair in there. I do know others in chairs utilize the facility, but not usually when I am there. Mindset is key in anything you do, and I am glad I have learned all the knowledge I have (and still growing) and gained the confidence to put that knowledge to work.

הקרבות לא כל כך גדולים אחרי הכל - להילחם בשיתוק מוחין רובכם יודעים ששיתוק מוחין נושא עימו אתגרים. אני נלחמת מדי יום כדי להוכיח לרופאים ולאחרים שאני יכולה לעשות יותר מאשר להיות צמח. נלחמתי וזכיתי בזכות לנהוג ולקבל את התואר הראשון שלי כנערה. לכולכם, שיתוק מוחין נראה כמו אתגר גדול מספיק בפני עצמו, אבל שיתוק מוחין אפילו לא מתקרב לאתגר איתו אני נלחמת מאז ה-16 בנובמבר 2011, אז הציבו לי מוטות ברגליים כדי להפוך אותן לישרות יותר. נאמר לי שזה ישפר את איכות החיים שלי ושאוכל לעמוד למחרת. Battles Aren't so Big Afterall- Fighting Cerebral Palsy Most of you know Cerebral Palsy comes with its own challenges. I fight daily to prove to doctors and others that I can do more than be a vegetable. I have fought and won the right to drive and obtain my first college degree as a teenager. To you all, Cerebral Palsy seems like a big enough challenge to tackle on its own, but Cerebral Palsy doesn’t even come close to the challenge I continue to fight since November 16, 2017 when I had rods placed in my legs to make them straighter. I was told this would improve my quality of life and I could stand the next day. החיים לאחר ניתוח שיתוק מוחין שלושה חודשים לאחר מכן ביליתי חודש בבית החולים, עזבתי את הקולג לשישה שבועות, חזרתי הביתה כדי לחזור לקולג' והיו לי פגישות בלתי צפויות רבות בתחילת תקופתי בבית. נאמר לי גם שאני לא יכולה לזחול יותר כדי לזוז כפי שעשיתי במשך 20 שנה, כי זחילה על הברכיים שלי יכול לגרום לי לצורך בניתוחים נוספים. אני עדיין לא יכולה ללכת באופן עצמאי. בשלב זה איבדתי אמון. "האם אצליח בבית הספר עם כל הפגישות האלה או שהם ייקחו ממני את בית הספר שוב?", "האם אמצא דרך להיות עצמאית או שאהיה תלויה באחרים שיעשו דברים בשבילי עד סוף ימיי?", "האם הרופאים צדקו?", "מה עשיתי שזה מגיע לי?" - כל אלה הן שאלות ומחשבות שחברים ב-yoocan שאלו בשלב כלשהו בחיים. יש לי כל זכות להרגיש כך. Life After Cerebral Palsy Surgery Three months later, I spent a month in the hospital, left college for 6 weeks, returned home to go back to college, and had many unexpected appointments in the beginning of being home. I was also told I could no longer crawl to get around as I had done for 20 years because crawling on my knees could cause the need for more surgeries. I still can not walk independently. At that point, I was losing faith. “Will I be successful at school with all of these appointments or will they take school away from me again?” “Will I find a way to be independent or will I be dependent on others to do things for me for the rest of my life?” “ Were the doctors right?” “ What did I do to deserve this?” These are all questions and thoughts that yoocan members have asked at some point in their lives. I have and had every right to feel this way. מדוע הסיפורים ב-yoocan מעוררים בי השראה הניתוח לא הלך כמתוכנן ועכשיו אני צריכה ללמוד דברים מחדש בצורה אחרת. אני יכולה לרחם על עצמי ולא לנסות לעשות את הדברים שהייתי עושה או שאני יכולה לעורר השראה באחרים עם התגברות על אתגרים לא צפויים, כפי שהם עשו עם הסיפורים שלהם ב-yoocan. אני לא יודעת את הציונים הסופיים שלי עבור סמסטר זה, אבל למרבה המזל הסיפורים ב-yoocan נותנים לי השראה להמשיך ולבצע את כל המטלות שלי באופן הטוב ביותר גם אם הם נראים בלתי אפשריים. אני מקווה שהדברים שראיתי בעבר כבלתי אפשריים מעוררים בכם השראה מעצם הידיעה שאפשר להתגבר על הבלתי אפשרי. Why yoocan stories inspire me Surgery did not go the way I planned and now I have to learn things all over again in a different way. I can feel sorry for myself by not trying to do the things that I used to do or I can inspire others with overcoming unexpected challenges as they have done with their yoocan stories. I do not know my final grades for this semester, but thankfully yoocan stories have inspired me to continue to give all of my assignments my best ability even if they seem impossible. I hope what I thought was once impossible inspires you in knowing that your current impossible can be overcome.

My Health History Based on my history, I am the last person you'd expect to see getting on a ski lift, and speeding 20+ mph down a mountain. But that's what I did last week. Why is it so unlikely? I have Spina Bifida. While it's a significant aspect of my life, it's only part of what makes my trip to Big Bear last week so unlikely. When I was 7, I thought I was having a heart attack. When I was 11, I wouldn't eat while home alone in case I choked, and no one was there to do the Heimlich maneuver. When I was 13, I avoided eating in the lunchroom with my peers because noise made me anxious, and I knew the subsequent hyperventilation would lead me to choke. From ages 13 to 18, I rode the bus to school despite my constant battle with the anxiety it brought me. Once, I couldn't hide my panic, and the bus driver asked me if we needed to stop. I was mortified. At one point during my teen years, I became anxious just leaving the house. It was a lonely and self-shaming time. A Diagnosis: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Finally, when I was 18, my anxiety was unbearable. I was miserable, and couldn't continue to live this way. I saw a therapist, and was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Growing up, I was often told it was "just in my head" and that "there's nothing to be afraid of". I was ashamed of my phobias, and thought it was my fault. Discovering that I had a disorder, and putting a name to my symptoms was a huge relief. I started going to regular talk therapy and taking medication, the combination of which made a significant difference. My symptoms are much less prevalent in my life today, but still show up when I do things like attend a loud sports game, fly on a plane, or drive through canyons. And yet, despite all of this, I went skiing in Big Bear last weekend. How an Anxious Person Became an Adventure Within the last 8 years, I've also gone tubing down a two story slide, adaptive surfed and skateboarded, learned to ride a bike, and given mental health and disability presentations to large groups of people. I don't think there is a specific answer as to how an anxious person became an adventurer, but here are my ideas: 1. I have a desire to get the most out of life, almost to a stubborn extent. When I was younger, I remember thinking, "it's not my fault I have a disability, so why let it stop me?" 2. The idea of something like skiing is exciting to me. The reality is overwhelming. I bawled as I was put on the ski lift! If you can get past the fear of the idea, and to the point of actually trying, you are almost there. Once you are about to get on the ski lift, it's pretty difficult to turn back. It also helps to have a supportive ski instructor who makes you feel like you won't fall off the lift and die, even if that's a distinct possibility. 3. I have a father who knows when I need him to be the voice of reason. For example, I was terrified of just the drive up to Big Bear, spitting out my gum for fear of inhaling it, and squeezing it between my fingers as a coping mechanism. I told him that I worried the air was too thin on the mountain. He stayed calm and explained that it wasn't THAT high. I saw children getting out of cars, and throwing up as we ascended. I worried that this must be from being too high up. He said they were probably looking down at a phone game and got carsick. My dad has, for the most part, learned not to tell me "there's nothing to be afraid of" because I know my fears are often irrational, and it doesn't help. I would never have driven to Big Bear alone, so having a supportive person in your life is an important aspect to overcoming fears. from an anxious kid to a less anxious & more adventurous adult It's not necessarily bravery, as family and friends sometimes suggest, that pushes me out of my comfort zone. It's been a long process of recognizing that my barrier was (anxiety), asking for help, and learning coping strategies (distraction works best for me). Ultimately, I believe the progress I've made from an anxious kid to a less anxious, more adventurous adult, is a collaborative effort between me, and my desire to experience what this world has to offer, and others' encouragement and help along the way.

It All Started With "HeartChild" When I was 24 years old, down and out in life from having my heart broken from the woman I loved, I was approached by Matt Hawkins, an amputee from Kansas City who had seen my 2nd feature length documentary "HeartChild". He had asked me if I wanted to make a documentary about his adaptive sports clinics. I saw this as a beacon of light. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I had never worked with the disabled community before. All I knew about disability was from my mom who had anterior horn cell disease, which left her hands nearly paralyzed after 36 surgeries. Tin Soldiers, yoocan & a new idea The film was only supposed to be 10 minutes, but it turned into a 1 hour film called "Tin Soldiers" featuring Zack Ruhl, Alana Nichols, Quinn Waitley, and more. But the journey didn't end there. I was then hired by yoocan to produce 40, 1 minute videos on people in the disabled community. It was a great joy in my life, and boy oh boy did I meet alot of amazing people. But the biggest blessing that came out of it for me was meeting AJ Murray. After AJ's interview, he said to me "Ben, you should do a documentary on love and sexuality within the disabled community". I was like whoa.....thats one heck of an idea! But I was so down and out once again. I was trying to give up on filmmaking, I tried working at a grocery store....and I had a mental breakdown. I quit the job after 3 days and I felt completely screwed. My New film on love and sexuality within the disabled community One day, I said to myself, you know what....as I started to cry....let me just freakin try to make this thing! I was sitting on my friends couch, just a few days away from being homeless. I called my friend in Austin, TX, and I asked if I can stay with him for a month. He said .... "well...whats your plan?" I said..."I'm going to try and raise money on Indiegogo to make this damn film. I know I can do it." Being the amazing friend he is, he let me come down and stay. And I worked my butt off to get this film underway. From that point on....man oh man, its like the stars were aligned. Take a look at this heart: love and sexuality in the disabled community EVERYONE wanted to be a part of this film. Chelsie Hill, Ali Stroker, Tamara Mena, Angela Rockwood, Spike Kane, Patrick Ivison....everyone was completely on board from the moment I asked them to be a part of it. From that point on...again everything worked out perfectly. I flew out to california with my cinematographer, with my last 600 bucks, and I shot a good 70 percent of the film within 10 consecutive days. It was like a scheduling miracle. Now I present to you, my latest and my favorite film I've ever made "Take a look at this heart". A film about the very taboo subject, love and sexuality in the disabled community.

Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome: Why I Am An Amputee My name is James, and I’m a left leg below amputee – lost my leg in a shark attack a couple years ago – great white came out of no where and the rest is history. Just kidding! I lost my leg when I was 18 months old – my twin and I were born at 28 weeks (3 months premature). We developed a condition called twin-to-twin transfusion. This is where one twin feeds from the other. In our case I fed from my brother so I was overloaded with nutrients, oxygen and blood and Tom was deprived. As a result of this when we were born, Tom was born grey because he has such little blood and I was purple because I had too much. As I had so much blood, this led me to get blood clots in both my legs. I was also showing signs that my vital organs were failing. Originally I was going to lose my right leg to my thigh and my left leg just above the knee. After treatment at Great Ormond Street I lost my left leg below the knee and thankfully managed to save my right leg. However, my right leg was left very severely damaged – no main artery, bad circulation so my foot is constantly cold, lost all fat and muscle tissue from knee down and as a result of this I find it very difficult to walk on hard surfaces without shoes on, foot is in a fixed position, corrective surgery on my toes twice and lost half of my big toe. Apart from that it’s a perfect leg!! I just want to put in perspective how ill me and my brother and how unlikely it is that were are both here today by breaking down the odds of all of the events happening. Roughly 1.5% of babies that are born are twins, and only 20% of those are conceived identically (i.e. not through IVF). Out of those 20% only 5% of them are identical and 10% them have the condition that we had. If you’re unlucky enough to get TTTS (Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome) the chances of both twins surviving is only 10%. Also, there was a 20% chance of us developing Cerebral Palsy and a 15% chance of developing brain damage. If you add all this up, the odds that I am standing here with my brother today is 1 in 1,041,667. The doctors had never documented a case like ours before; they never thought we’d end up in a mainstream school, let alone University. Challenges I've faced as an amputee Throughout my life, I have had to face and overcome many challenges that have been put in front of me. For example, I have had over 30 operations, all with general anesthetic, due to several problems with my legs. I worked out that on average, each operation takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes. This means that I’ve been in surgery for 105 hours, which works out to be roughly 4 ½ days of my life, in which I’ve been under anesthetic. The main operation that I had was bone revision surgery. My bone grows faster than my actual leg, so if it is not trimmed, the bone would penetrate my skin. This would usually occur once a year. Luckily, I’ve stopped growing now, and no longer need to have this done. After these surgeries, I was not able to wear my prosthetic for up to 3 months, which meant that I had to be in a wheelchair or on crutches. On average, it took me 2 months to recover- 30 x 2 = 60 months. This means that for 5 years, a quarter of my life, I have been recovering from surgeries. This did not just affect me physically, but it also affected me mentally. Trying to stay upbeat and positive with the many appointments was very tough. It was hard for me as I was growing up. Seeing all the other kids in the playground running around, playing football and doing what kids do. I couldn’t join in, but always tried to keep my head up and remember that I was going to get back out there, and that it was only a matter of time. I did have a lot of time off school, particularly when I was 15/16, when I was taking my GCSE’s. I was hitting puberty, and growing quite a lot. I think I had 2 operations in 14 months. From all the time off, I had really fallen behind and had to catch up. My attendance was at 68% in the first term of my GSCE’s. I was so determined to do well, that I worked my ass off leading up to the exams. I wanted it so badly. Not just because I wanted to do well, but in order to prove to myself that I am not going to let anything stop me from achieving what I want to achieve. Results day came around, and I remember opening up the envelope with my grades, looking at them, and just being so proud that I did it! I came out with 1 A+, 8 A’s and 3 B’s. That was a special day in my life. I think that if I hadn’t had to deal with all of these problems in my life, I wouldn’t be the person who I am today. Accomplishments I've Experienced As An Amputee Having a “disability” hasn’t really stopped me from doing anything. For the past 8 years, I have played in an all inclusive football team, and I love it. However, there aren’t many people that have physically disabilities – only people with mental disabilities (e.g. ADHD, autism and Asperger’s). I am the only one with a prosthetic leg. I don’t like to brag, but I am our top goal scorer too. Despite my health problems, I’ve also done quite a few extreme sports. For example, skydiving (twice), white water rafting, canyoning and paragliding. I also went on this one trip that I really think changed my life. When I was 15, I went skiing in America for a week with 9 other people like me, who had disabilities. These people were also missing limbs too. Before I went, I was very self-conscious about my leg, I never really wore shorts, and when I played football, I used to pull my football socks all the way up so no one saw that I had a prosthetic leg, or that I was different. I remember one Christmas when I was about 10 years old, I wrote a Christmas list. On that Christmas list, I didn’t write down that I wanted toys or anything that a kid my age would usually write. For me, I had one thing on that list, one thing that I felt everybody else had that I didn’t, one thing that wouldn’t make me feel so different anymore, and that one thing for me, was a leg. I wanted to always be able to run around with my friends, and not have all these doctor appointments, whether it was check ups or going down to Dorset to get my legs made. I wanted a normal life like a normal 10-year-old boy would have. However, that all changed after a week in America learning to sit ski. Being around the people who I was with, made me realize that there are other people out there just like me. It made me feel not so different after all. I remember after coming back, I got the courage to wear shorts, and I was walking down the street and there were people who would look and stare. I thought to myself, I never thought that I was that good looking! Having a “disability” really wasn’t so bad after all! Perks As An Amputee I get to start driving a year early when I’m 16. A scheme called motability, where you get a free car, free insurance, free tax, and no congestion charge! All I have to do is fill it up with fuel, even though it left me as the taxi for a year while all my friends were still learning how to drive. I get a blue badge, which means that I can park wherever I want for up to 3 hours, and I’ve only just learnt this, but if I take it into a cinema, I get a free carer ticket. Not too bad for dates eh? I also get to skip to the front of the queue at theme parks. Once someone told me I had to take my leg off because it counts as a “loose item,” and that didn’t go down very well. Life really isn’t all that bad! Upcoming Surgery: osseointergration Although, I have managed to cope and achieve the things that I have, I still am in a lot of pain. There is this new ground breaking surgery in Australia called ‘osseointergration,’ that could really change my life. The procedure is similar to a tooth implant, and involves removing the bone marrow in my leg, and inserting a metal implant into it. The metal would then come out of my own skin, which I would then screw the leg onto, acting like a permanent one. Having the surgery would mean no more sockets. This would then prevent sweating, neuromas (trapped nerves) and sores (all of which I suffer from). All of this would cut down on all the appointments I have. I have to drive down to Dorset Orthopedic which is a 200 mile round trip, and have been doing that since I was 18 months old. I think I’ve had around 70 appointments, which work out to me driving 140,000 miles for appointments, plus all of the ones I have to go to in London. This works out that I have driven over 150,000 miles in my life going to appointments. To put into perspective of how far this is, I could have gone around the Earth’s equator 6 times. I am only 20 years old. To get an idea of how life changing this is, a woman who was in a wheelchair for 10 years, as she couldn’t get a leg to fit her properly, had the procedure, and within 4 months after surgery, she was walking up and down the beach every day. For me, the most special thing about this is the fact that I will finally be able to stand up in the shower after 20 years. I don’t wear my prosthesis in the shower because it’s such a nightmare to change, so this is something that I cannot wait for. I have spent 20 years crawling in and out of the shower. The day I can walk in and walk out of the shower will be very special to me. However, in order to have the operation, I was told that I would have to have the procedure done to my right leg too, meaning that I would have to amputate it. This is because I’m in so much pain with it, and when it comes to rehab my right leg simply will not be strong enough to hold my weight. This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life, but the positives to it all are so amazing. This would be something I may regret if I didn’t take the opportunity. The surgery is very expensive. Originally, it was going to cost £90,000 for both legs to be done at the same time, but only recently have I found out I could only have one done at a time. The price of one is £68,000, which I would have to get done twice. I have been fundraising to raise the money. So far, I have reached just over £40,000 in the 8 months I’ve been doing it. I have used social media, and have been giving talks like this at schools. The flights are now booked. I’m flying to Australia on 26th May to have the surgery on 30th, so if I could raise the money by then it would be incredible. It’s not just for me though, part of the campaign I’m doing is really to help raise awareness for other amputees like me, who don’t even know the surgery exists as it has only been done on just over 1,000 people in the world. Also, the operation isn’t available on the NHS yet, so I’m trying to raise as much awareness as possible, so they can pick it up, and help other people. I’m donating 10% of all donations to GOSH, as I feel that without them, Tom and I wouldn’t be here. Future Hopes For other amputees Due to all my experiences in life, I have decided once I’ve had the surgery on both legs, I’m going to set up my own charity called AMP (anything made possible). I would like to help amputees who are in need of prosthetics, and help them put money towards buying them or even towards the operation I’m having. I was fortunate enough to get my legs funded the majority of the time, so if I can do this for the less fortunate, then I will. I just wanted to end my piece by saying that if you take one thing away from this, I would love it to be that no matter how hard life gets, or how unfair it seems, never stop being positive. Your head is the biggest asset you have, so if you can keep that strong and positive, you can do anything you set your mind to! I always think that if I’m having a bad day, it could always be worse. There is always someone worse off than you, so be grateful of what you do have. Doing these talks have really helped me gain confidence, and I really hope to inspire people. I love the quote “Don’t inspire people with what you do have, inspire them with what you don’t have. I hope I’ve done that today. Thank you.