As you may know, July is Disability Pride month and it has been celebrated every July since 2015.

I am proud to be disabled, I couldn’t imagine my life with not having a disability.

All my life I have fought. I was born with Cerebral Palsy thanks to an accident with banana skin. The doctors said that I would never walk.

When I was about 4, mom and all my family were outside in the front garden and I was in my chair with plaster casts on to straighten my legs. They thought I couldn’t walk and nobody had noticed that I escaped. I managed to walk to the phone box by the shops on my heels. This was like going from St Lawrence Centre to the church – a short distance.

A man in a blue van saw me and bought me back. The doctors said that I would never walk, and I proved them wrong.

All my life the doctors have been trying to straighten my legs and they have never been straight; I love having to wear my spare legs (leg supports).

There have been a lot of things throughout my nearly 39-year life I could write a book.

I never let my disability stop me from doing anything. I always try first and then accept I need help or accept that things take me longer than other people.

I go to the caravan our holiday home in Wales, the caravans are down in the valley the farm is up a big hill it takes me ages and I can’t do anything for the rest of the day, but I love seeing the animals and the sheep love to see me!

I’m proud to be disabled because I taught myself to walk, I taught myself to lip read but most of all I’m proud because it has given me my job.

I am extremely grateful that I have got 4 jobs, 2 voluntary jobs which I am really proud of. Citizens Panel Member for the Include Me Project and Advocacy Matters, I am really grateful as said that I have been given the chance to volunteer for these 2 charities and share my experiences and skills with other people.

I am also really proud of my job at CASBA and I’m really grateful that Joe gave me the opportunity to work with him on the Education is Special Project and everyone at CASBA for keeping me on and giving me further opportunities to help others with a disability.

Jennifer Brown