Growing up With a Disability

With my doctor, Nick Merrifield

When growing up with a disability, you become quite use to hospitals and doctors waiting rooms. Having check ups, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and much more, has become part of my weekly routine, along with operations to stretch, straighten and strengthen my muscles

A lot of people that know me as I am today don't know the struggles I've had growing up with a disability but  I've had 18 years to figure out the best ways to deal with and work around my condition. Through the years, I've found many ways to adapt situations that I might find difficult and make them situations I can handle. I've worked out these adaptations through a lot of trial and error as well as using what I call 'life hacks when you have a disability'

Many people who don't have a disability or know somebody with one, will not understand or consider the daily struggle just to get out of bed and leave the house. Not only do I have to perform a daily physio routine just so I can stand up and function each morning, I also have to pre-plan my day and consider certain things that I might struggle with and find ways to work around them. For example, I struggle to get a bus or train, which most people wouldn't even need to think about.

When doing anything I always have to consider my physical capabilities. My friends can just decide to do something or go somewhere and it's not always that easy for me. This is why for my upcoming challenge there had to be a lot of meetings, discussions and doctor's appointments before I could officially agree to participate in the London Marathon 2016. I have a very dedicated team to help me complete my challenge with success and I have a great support network to help me through my challenge. 

For this blog, I thought you would like to hear from somebody who has been involved in my story for many years. He has a good insight to me, my condition and just how hard my challenge really is going to be. Dr Nick Merrifield is my local GP and I see him most often out of all my doctors and surgeons. Nick has very kindly offered to comment  in support of my enormous challenge that I am trying to undertake for 2016.  

Here are Nick's thoughts on my London Marathon 2016:

"I have known Zoe for a number of years and have seen the ups and downs which inevitably come with her condition; cerebral palsy. She has borne them with strength, dignity and hope for the future which is remarkable given that every day life for her can be more physically and mentally draining than most of us will ever experience. I have heard a little about her work with Sparks over the years and it is not a surprise at all that she has been such an inspiration to so many other children and young people with serious illnesses such as she has. When she told me about the marathon idea I was a little nervous, given she sometimes can look like she can struggle to walk to my office from the waiting room! Despite this, I have never doubted her huge determination and spirit and after hearing how she has managed to obtain support from professional paralympic trainers, Team Sparks and Team Deutsche Bank (huge credit to them too!) then I'm sure she is unstoppable. We are all behind her at Holmwood Corner Surgery and hope that plenty of the patients see the posters and sponsor her too."

I am grateful for the support being given to me by so many. Not long to go now, 44 days and counting!

Please sponsor me here