Disabilities

I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at approximately six months old as a result of a stroke prior to being born. This means I can't use my left hand and I walk with a bit of a limp. I was also diagnosed with epilepsy after birth and I was seizure free until I was 18 when it came back.

At the time, I didn't recognise I was having seizures and it took many years to be able to tell my consultants and essentially get help. I'm currently on treatment where in the past 2 years, I went 19 months seizure free. Since then I've been in hospital twice and I'm now back to square one where I live in fear every day.

I receive help at home through a support worker but it doesn't mean the fear goes and I certainly can't do everything for myself. I feel constantly on edge especially when doing simple basic tasks like sitting at the table or if I'm on my own walking. In a nutshell, since my seizure free run ended, I have lived in fear, and I don’t know when I will feel normal and more free again, but I hope and I mean really hope it’s soon because I cannot describe the feeling inside and to be completely honest I don't like living like this, I just want my life back.

I am able to walk short distances but I deal with a lot of pain particularly in my hips and even though it can be quite bad, my life motto on the outside is "Just get over yourself Gina.'" I don't like people worrying about me and definitely not seeing me in pain because I want to be known for being strong not weak. No matter if my brain is damaged and my left side doesn't function fully. When I'm at my worst, I use a wheelchair (mainly to cover the pain) and it's the most strangest feeling in the world but the best thing of all strangely is when I get pushed by someone as I feel like I'm royalty! (I know I'm not really!)

Sometimes due to my disabilities, I get frustrated when I can't do something because I wish I could but over the years, I've accepted my CP will never go and I will never be able to use my left hand or walk 'normal.' I also can say things I don't mean but I don't recognise I've done it until much later on when it continuously plays over in my head and often I question myself why but I don't get it.

The truth is the non-disabled community don't always understand or appreciate the challenges faced by us and if I'm completely honest, unless you got to know me on a 1:1 basis, you wouldn't know the level of impact some aspects have on my life.

Challenges in life

Having disabilities is all I've ever known and it's all I will ever know. Yes because of it, I deal with many challenges daily, but I clearly don't let it stop me as I live life to full because if I didn't, I would have no life which isn't really my style.

I'm also determined to speak up for those who can't. If I don't who will?

Mental health first aider

We all know mental health is known as a stigma, and I think it’s fair to say we’ve come a long way, but we’re not quite there yet.

I’m not afraid to admit that I have anxiety issues myself, particularly in new environments, people and life overall.

That is why I’ve always wanted to become a mental health first aider and I’m proud to say in July 2021, I achieved that.

Health Education England/NHS England

From August 2020 - March 2023, I worked for Health Education England in a number of roles from PA Support Administrator for the Midlands Deanery, Overseas Sponsorship Administrator and as a Faculty Support Administrator and in September 2022, I was also proudly appointed one of the co-chairs on HEE’s Disability Staff Network.

During my time in post, I had been expanding my comms skillset working with HEE's Midlands and National Leadership comms teams with examples of my work shared in my portfolio.

Following the NHS England merger with both NHS Digital and Health Education England which took place on the 01 April 2023, I'm working as the Midlands Pharmacy Administrative Assistant and one of the Interim Disability and Wellbeing Network co-chairs for NHSE.

CASBA Advocacy

Since November 2021, I've been appointed a trustee of a disability advocacy organisation CASBA Advocacy supporting people with a learning disability across the South Birmingham area to speak up for themselves.

With over 13 years advocacy experience in particular for disability rights, this role is extremely important to me to ensure everyone's voice are heard. I'm proud to play a role in supporting a fantastic organisation.

West Midlands Cultural Leadership Board

Between December 2020 and November 2021, I was appointed a board member of the Cultural Leadership Board based at West Midlands Combined Authority.

West Midlands Young Combined Authority

Between August 2019 - November 2021, I served as an inaugural board member on the West Midlands Young Combined Authority where I met some incredible people who taught me a lot about me and themselves. They showed me not everyone in the world is judgemental and they were always supportive.

Disability and Ambitions

In July 2021, I delivered 'Disability and Ambitions' at TEDxWolverhampton.

I'm not going to lie it was the most nerve wracking experience of my life but I'm glad I did it!

Changing Our Lives

From July 2010 to December 2012 and then July 2015 to April 2016, and more recently now I’ve been involved with a disability charity that supports people with disabilities of all ages on a local/regional and even on a national scale to speak up for their rights.

I participated in the National Children’s Commissioner Takeover Day challenge, carried out quality of life reviews and services used by people with disabilities from a person perspective, delivered training, and given presentations, co-chaired transitions based meetings with local councils, delivered a peoples parliament for adults with learning disabilities.

In 2022, I was involved in a number of publications surrounding mental health and the oral history for people from a BAME background.

Both these publications can be found in my portfolio.

Legal Ombudsman

Between December 2017 until January 2019, I worked for the Legal Ombudsman as an External Affairs Apprentice where I first developed my passion for the area and learnt lots from my colleagues.

Communications passion

Comms is what I do and probably will do until my last day on this beautiful planet.

I do a lot of work personally and a few areas in my day job but I really would like it to be something I do full time particularly in the NHS.

In my short professional career to date across my roles, I've shadowed a number of colleagues in order to learn from the best. I've learnt how to schedule tweets through Orlo scheduling tool, using marketing software Mailchimp and recently Pure 360 for designing, producing and scheduling newsletters to the followers of Chronically Brown, Postgraduate Doctors in Training in the West Midlands on behalf of the Deanery, NHS Trusts and internal staff at HEE, setting up invites for MS Teams Live broadcasts, leading the camera production and support team for all staff webinars across MS Teams and even getting the opportunity to present the Disability History Month 2022 comms plan to the CEO of HEE.

I love writing blogs and articles as even people often tell me I'm a good writer. I've written articles for the legacy HEE's intranet to mark Disability History Month 2022 on both the carer's perspective and line manager's perspective for supporting people with disabilities, preceptorships, and the positive involvement of legacy HEE which also features on the legacy HEE website and many more. Additionally I've used Subcap Apple software, Kapwing online software and InShot Apple software to edit videos and to add captions.

Previously, I've learnt how to schedule posts for Instagram through Later scheduling tool and Hootsuite for all social media platforms consisting of Linkedin, Facebook and X and designed graphics through Canva, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator software. On top, I also do my own personal work for my socials as I'm keen to educate society all underrepresented characteristics.

Examples of all my work across all roles are included in my portfolio which I hope you'll like and I really welcome both positive and constructive feedback as without it, I can't grow and I'm really keen to develop myself.

I'm really eager for a comms career so I hope my work impresses and conveys who I am as a person and what I can bring to the table.

My future desire is to work within a supportive environment to enable me to flourish and achieve my full potential I know I am capable of.

if you are interested in following the work I do elsewhere, please do follow my social media platforms in the links below.