My name is Debbie, and I was born in February 1965.
Just a few days after I was born, I became seriously unwell. I wasn’t feeding properly and was very unsettled. After several visits from doctors, I was eventually diagnosed with meningitis, which I believe may have been caused by group B Strep. and admitted to hospital. My parents were so concerned about my condition that they were advised to have me baptised.
Thankfully, I recovered and returned home, but my health challenges were not over. At just ten weeks old, I was admitted to hospital again and later transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. A shunt was fitted to relieve the pressure on my brain.
The outlook given to my parents was bleak. They were told that I would likely have significant physical disabilities, might never walk independently, and could experience learning difficulties that would prevent me from attending mainstream school.
But those predictions did not define my future.
I went on to attend mainstream school, learned to swim and discovered a love of writing poetry. Despite the challenges I faced early in life, I was determined to live life on my own terms and prove that a diagnosis does not have to limit what someone can achieve.
Looking back, my story is one of resilience, determination and exceeding expectations. The obstacles placed before me at the very beginning of life did not decide who I would become.
