Amazing young woman who is an inspiration to all

A sense of humour is essential ...

How many people use experiences to grow rather than get stuck in their story, anger and past?

If you were not able to turn your head or feed yourself what would you want to change?

'People's attitudes towards disability' was Nicola's immediate response, swiftly followed by 'Having needs met appropriately when learning', 'not only from teaching staff but also from peers' in both integrated and segregated environments.


We may well now ask ourselves if it is possible to be more selfless upon hearing this crie de coeur from a young woman who was born to inspire others;  and for whom she volunteers what precious little time she has between managing her health appointments, treatments and also mountains of paperwork associated with her health maintenance programme.


One would think that a wheelchair services review would be simple for such a person, however, the appointment is still awaited from Herts Wheelchair Services at QEII. That said, the physio, acupuncture, neurological assessments are thesedays working well albeit only part of the said health programme.


The transformation of Dial-A-Ride's services is settling down, although the booking, double-checking and chasing of these appointments can sometimes be tiresome. Mum and Dad readily cover the journeys to-and-from health programme appointments and social gatherings too.


'My parents are amazing' was met with praise for Nicola by her adoring Mother, sharing her daughter's talent for language since 'she was 9 years old' when she asked her Father to help with a project entitled 'Bliss'.


Eighteen of Nicola's adult years have been spent volunteering at a Special Needs School where she shares her talents around speech and language, this being an invaluable therapy, not least, for those experiencing severe learning difficulties.


Nicola's Carer's keenness to support her enhances my own observation in that  'she can be a little too modest .... she is an inspiration to what can be done, when you are determined and willing'.


'Nicest man ever' my GP, Dr Femi Idowu, Stockwell Lodge Medical Centre, Cheshunt. 'If we get the foundation right, the GPs' consortia will work well'. 'Although, it is a great pity the forgotten disabled young people of 18+ have to fight for their support systems which should be automatic'.


'When Nicola's consultant retired, he wrote a beautiful letter to her' and this esteem is reverberated by love in the heart and hearth of the family home and in the photographs on the walls and mantelpiece.


Nicola's words echo in my mind as I head for home 'My Carer works hard' and 'I hope that The Coalition's assessment programme for those people in similar circumstances to my own are not punitive to me, as I wouldn't want to lose her'.


Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

Thank you Nicola, you are an inspiration to all who have the privilege of knowing you; as Prime Minister, David Cameron says, 'We are in this together'.