Community Stories

Watching the Paralympians take to the track in Paris can be inspiring, but not all of us can be professional athletes. However, exercise can play an important role for many of us when it comes to managing our symptoms. Whilst Purpl member, Jay Marie Ashby has no plans to go for Gold in the Paralympics, […]

Three years ago, Purpl member Toby Richardson’s life changed forever – but he hasn’t let it slow him down. In fact, he’s getting faster and aiming for future Paralympic glory. We managed to grab Toby for a quick chat about his story and ask him some questions about his aims to be a gold winning […]

Hello, I’m Claire and I have MS. My journey to diagnosis took approximately 9 years. I began with numb legs and arms which would come on periodically then go. You may recognise the uniform I’m wearing but may not recognise that I’m actually sat in the engine of a 747 aircraft and you certainly won’t […]

X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disorder that primarily affects males, as it is caused by mutations in genes located on the X chromosome – meaning that females are usually carriers of the mutated gene but do not typically exhibit symptoms themselves. The condition leads to progressive degeneration of the light-sensitive cells in the […]

I was born with a visual impairment. Some members of my family have a rare genetic condition that results in us having detached retinas, glaucoma, cataract, poor night vision and sometimes, like in my case, really poor peripheral vision.  Because of this, I’ve been around braille my whole life, there wasn’t a time when a […]

Hello, I’m Funmi Lawal, a passionate entrepreneur and inventor, and I’d like to share my journey with you. Born in Camden, London, on October 16, 1967, my life has been a testament to resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of individuals facing mobility challenges and disabilities. My Educational and Professional Background […]

Hello all, I’m Gavin. I’m currently the CEO of a technology company, but it wasn’t always this way. This article talks about my journey from working with Guide Dogs to launched WelcoMe to help empower the disabled community. My Time at Guide Dogs for the Blind For 18 years, I worked for Guide Dogs for […]

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) just after my 21st birthday back in 2018. I was actually on my year abroad from university, living and working in Paris – having the best year of my life. Experiencing Symptoms From one day to the next, I started to experience symptoms which involved numbness, fatigue, difficulty […]