“I never thought I’d make it this far. I never thought I’d be able to write the words ‘I feel safe’ and mean it. I have come so far from the broken, hollow girl who sat in the corner and rarely spoke.”
‘Every night for 3 years, I prayed someone would see my pain and advocate for me.’: Human trafficking survivor ‘repurposing pain’ to help other victims
‘I support Simone Biles. Why? Because I was where she is.’: Woman shares importance of choosing mental health after quitting ‘dream job’
“I had the dream job. Behind the scenes, it was becoming a nightmare, and no one knew. For the sake of my health, I couldn’t do it anymore. I had to walk away.”
‘He’s called a hero or a saint, simply for being with me.’: Woman with Osteogenesis Imperfecta advocates for disability awareness
“He doesn’t see ‘past’ my disability because my disability is part of me! He sees it, he sees me, and he loves all of me.”
‘WHY of all people, was the nicest made to suffer? I was angry at the world.’: Sister honors brother battling Glioblastoma, thanks community for acts of kindness
“The staff member told me, ‘If it’s Franco’s he wants, its’ Franco’s he’s having!’ I’ll never forget the kindness strangers have shown us.”
‘Disabled is INCORRECT. Do a better job.’ My daughter CHOSE this word.’: Mom to disabled daughter says ‘I will continue to raise her voice’
“An able-bodied person sent me a DM and told me to ‘do my research.’”
The Chronically Ill Patient: 5 Ways To Advocate For Yourself
“You deserve to be heard, at the bare MINIMUM.”
‘He WILL have a good brain, so make sure he uses it.’: Man with rare Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva seeks to ‘normalize ALL disabilities’
“’It’s SO important for him to have as normal a life as possible while he physically can.’ I am ALWAYS raising the bar and crushing my goals.”
‘The teacher called home. ‘Vanessa is not paying attention in class.’ I failed every hearing test. ‘What are you saying?!’ I started to think I just wasn’t smart.’: Woman with severe hearing loss receives eye-opening diagnosis after 33 years
“We took my daughter for a routine hearing test. I impatiently asked my husband, ‘What’s taking them so long to start the test?’ His eyes widened. ‘Vanessa, are you kidding me? We’re half way through!’ I couldn’t hear a thing.”
‘We were two women, thrust into the positions of caregiver and lover. The trajectory of our lives forever changed.’: Partners of quadriplegic men pioneer global support community for others
“They were more than their new wheelchairs. They were the guys we fell in love with. We lost our home, careers, and the life we once knew. There was nothing available online, no resources for women like us. Then, we found each other.”
‘Open your eyes. Be my mommy again,’ I wailed. Was it possible to lose both parents on the same day?’: Woman shares journey after losing parents to brain cancer, ‘We are not guaranteed time’
“I tucked her rosary into her hands as I played her favorite song, leaned over, and kissed her forehead. And with that, she was gone. With the same quiet softness with which she cradled me in her arms as a babe and whispered me a lullaby, she slipped out of this world and onto the next, where my dad was waiting to greet her.”
