“Being 24” and “My motivations in joining the project” by Alice Waterman and Emily Woolford

Alice

I was diagnosed with Enterovirus 71 when I was only two years old. I have no memory of being in a coma, and my family do not like to discuss it, as it was a painful experience for everyone involved.  Taking part in the book project allowed me to understand the impact on my family. I have now accepted my illness, and it has given me the strength to move on.

I am now 24 years old, living in Adelaide in supported accommodation at SACARE. In life I enjoy shopping, watching movies, visiting friends and family, and I work twice a week at Blend Creative, a graphic design company. Alex from SACARE let me know about the book project and asked if I would like to participate. One of my goals in life is to find new ways of sharing my experiences as a person with a disability. I believe my story can give hope to those in similar conditions as me. I am just like any other 24 year old. I also wanted to improve my writing,  grammar and communication skills.

I hope that the book will provide real stories that appeal to a wide range of groups in the community, including all ages and nationalities. I have enjoyed participating in this project as I have grown, and have learned a lot about myself and other people with a disability.

Emily

Hi, I’m 22 years old and have recently graduated from Flinders University with a Bachelor of Health Sciences. Employed at SACARE as a Lifestyle Coordinator, I am also continuing my studies further  through a Diversional Therapy course. The field of disability has always been a passion of mine. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with and improve the lives of such inspiring people.

My manager at SACARE, Alex Killey, mentioned the book project, and it sounded interesting. I helped Alice Waterman with her story and enjoyed spending more time with Alice and getting to know about her life.

My motivation in joining the project was to help promote awareness of people living with a disability: their lives, their goals, their dreams and aspirations. I believe that the more information, stories and articles about people living with a disability that are circulated within the community, the better will be the awareness of the experiences they face.

I look forward to an appealing book with true stories about people that are amazing.