What Took Me So Long to Use a Mobility Aid?– by Raimy Rose
I remember being on crutches every year from grade 3 to grade 7. Like clockwork, it was a yearly event, with torn ligaments and sprained ankles. They were uncomfortable, a little painful and annoying to use but it never felt weird using them. It wasn’t uncommon to see someone hobbling around on crutches, especially an active child. As a kid, you would even get praised for having crutches. It was new and different, everyone wanted to have a turn with them and you would receive extra attention as if you had achieved something incredible by injuring yourself.
Journey to a Wheelchair Part 6 – by Ferris Knight
Am I leaning into the fact that every title has been different because of brain fog? Absolutely. Did I initially miscount, so made a 5ive joke which no longer works? Kinda. Maybe. Definitely.
I thought we were near the end of this journey. I felt comfortable going out with support workers as well as independently with the chair. I’d even made significant – not steps, but wheels – towards conquering fears of getting on trains and in elevators, both of which had reduced me to tears early on. Still afraid of buses, but we’re all works in progress.
Just call me “disabled” because disability isn’t a dirty word – by Zoe Simmons
Disabled people represent 20% of Australia’s population, and yet, despite being it 2025, I’d say a lot of people still feel uncomfortable when it comes to talking about disability. As a disabled person, I can say this, because I experience it often, despite how powerful it was for me to actually identify as disabled.
Navigating Assistive Technology for Neurodivergence: A Personal Perspective – by Michelle Worthington
As a late-diagnosed autistic woman with ADHD and OCD, navigating life has often felt like solving a puzzle without the picture on the box. Adding to that, I am also a carer for my two autistic children, one now 23 and the other 10, which means I’ve witnessed first-hand how much support, understanding, and technology have evolved over the years.
Reflections on the Paris Paralympics Part 2 – by Susan Seipel
My Paris Paralympic campaign was going to plan until I tested positive for Covid after the opening ceremony.
Covid
Summer Cruising to the Land of the Long White Cloud – by Lindsay Nott
Visiting New Zealand, the "Land of the Long White Cloud," had always been a bucked list of mine. Recently, I had the chance to turn that dream into a reality aboard the Diamond Princess with Princess Cruises. This 14-day roundtrip cruise from Brisbane was the perfect way to experience New Zealand’s beauty, with stops in Fiordland National Park (including Milford Sound), Dunedin, Wellington, Tauranga, and Auckland.
Till the wheels fall off – by Alicia Kapa
Running marathons is one thing, but running marathons while pushing a wheelchair is another. You may wonder who would be crazy enough to do that, well let me tell you my dad is!! My dad and I have been running together for about 2 years with the Christchurch Marathon being our annual event.
One size/fidget spinner doesn’t fit all – by Ferris Knight
When shopping for jeans you have a few expectations. One is that they’re sorted out by style and colour (your millennial friend here is still partial to acid-wash skinny jeans). Then you expect they’re organised by size, allocated by weird numbers. And even then, you don’t expect that you will necessarily fit you assume into them because all cut them differently, maybe at the waist, hip, or leg or length. Every day, you expect that the world isn’t cut in one particular way, and that it’s not a case of right or wrong but that different jeans fit different people.
Footpath Frustrations - my experience with accessibility barriers during roadworks – by Natasha Astill
Recently I have experienced some barriers when accessing the footpath while I am on my mobility scooter.
In my local area near where I live, there were roadworks as they were upgrading the stormwater drainage. The council did notify the community back in September 2024 that they were going to start this project soon.
Fast forward to December 2024 a few weeks until Christmas they decided to start the project.
No Strings Attached: The Reality of Living Life My Way – by Marlena Katene
It was recommended I watch a movie the other day on Disney, “Out of My Mind”.