Welcome to Kate's Nook!
My name is Katie, I am 26 years young and I'm from Coventry in England. I have a disability called Friedreich's ataxia which is a rare, progressive disorder which affects the nervous system. Friedreich's ataxia has many symptoms including increasing difficulty with walking and I have used a wheelchair full-time for the past 10 years, extemely clumsy hand/arm movements, and slurred speech. Read more in the my disability section. 
In October 2008 I became the proud owner of a Balder F290 after much effort to raise the funds. If James Bond had a powerchair he'd have one of these babies. In my Balder I can stand to stegnthen the tendond in my legs and ankles, move in a standing position to paint the ceiling, lie down to do bench presses in the gym, rise up in a seated position to buy drinks at the bar (doesn't happen often), recline to catch some rays and tilt to take the pressure off my rear! I've always found it confusing how the wheelchair is society's symbol of disability, and yet I owe my total ability to mine - let's face it, without it I'd be shuffling around on my arse... Check the my powerchair page for more....
| Mama Mia |
| Billy Eliot |
| Westside Story |
| Chicago |
| Cats |
| Blood Brothers |
| The Phantom of the Opera |
| We Will Rock You |
| Dirty Dancing |
| The Lion King |
| Simply Red |
| Madonna |
| Spice Girls |
| Jack Johnson |
| Lionel Richie |
| UB40 |
| Elton John |
| Will Young |
| Kylie Minogue |
| Sheryl Crow |
ome theatres can only be got into via a lonely side door or series of slow-moving lifts, but it can always be done and staff are always very helpful.
I love live music and have a very diverse taste. The table on the right includes some of the acts I’ve seen. I think that as long as my life is about the things that I can do, then my life will naturally move in the right direction.
I love going to the movies and have a Cinema Exhibitors' Association Card which entiles the person accompanying me to a free ticket. To apply for the card, you need to be in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance. I had to send copies of my DLA entitlement letter with my application form. Application forms are available from cinemas 
across the UK supporting this card or you can download one from www.ceacard.co.uk. There is a processing fee of five pounds.
Travel is also a big feature in my plans for the future - I have made plans to do it as much as possible! Check the my travels section to read about where I've been so far...
I think it is *so* important to stay challenged - to have something to get out of bed for. Even if that something is just purely something you enjoy and it's not particularly constructive - I love theatre and live music and I always have at least three tickets pinned up on my notice board for shows I'm going to see. It's become a continuing stream of things to stay positive for.
For me, getting out and about has the added complication of not 
having access to a car. As you can see this hasn't acted as much of a deterant though! My mum did learn to drive when I was diagnosed, but after a short time on the road she lost her confidence and gave it up. For me this worked out pretty well in the end, as I then had to work out how to get to places myself, and now when it comes to getting out and about I am pretty much self-reliant. There is a lot of suspicion about the usability of public transport throughout the disabled comunity. I use buses several tims a week and train several times a month and most of the time I do it without difficulty.
I have just completed Counselling Skills and Counselling Studies qualifications at college, but since my local college didn't get funds to do a diploma course I decided to leave it at that and not become a fully-fledged counsellor. The dream was to become a disabled counsellor, specialising in disability and seeing disabled clients. I have become aware of the growing need for emotional support whilst coping with disability and I became passionate and had a real belief in it. It's a shame it all has to end here.