My Name is Sophie and I have MS (multiple sclerosis) While the diagnosis is relapsing remitting, each relapse has taken a bit of me that has not returned and means that my condition, my disability has progressed.

Following my diagnosis I was bombarded with people’s opinions about how people with health conditions didn’t need to work, shouldn’t work even. I was told by one, I’m sure well meaning person of my age who also had MS “Don’t worry, you won’t have to repay your student loan!’

My ears pricked up at this but she followed it with ‘Because you will never earn enough, you won’t be able to work. Your friends will abandon you but don’t worry, we have coffee mornings!’

I was 25. Coffee mornings didn’t interest me at all, much more comfortable in a pub, drinking with my wide circle of friends.

I was more determined than ever when my employer made me redundant.

I had stuff to do. Friends to keep up with and a life I simply wasn’t ready to say goodbye to.

Fast forward 20 years. I am now CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of a charity, a Disabled People’s User Led Organisation called Disability Assist.

Last year I was approached by the University of Kent about the Kent Research Partnership, between the university and Kent County Council. They had seen me speaking at an event. And were keen to hear about any research ideas I had.

I have been very keen to understand disabled people’s experience and attitudes towards paid employment. Within Disability Assist we know how hard it is to recruit disabled people with the skills and experience we need, while at the same time my team and I appreciate the benefits, opportunities, confidence and personal growth that employment provides. So now, I am splitting my time between my CEO role and a Research and Training Fellowship at the University of Kent in Canterbury. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding.

I still try to find time for my other interests; horse riding, seeing friends, theatre and live music, with Bruce Springsteen and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in my diary.

It is my intention to start to travel again, before the pandemic I very much enjoyed exploring the world. My last big adventure being a Toronto - Boston road trip taking in Niagara Falls and some national parks along the way and more recently long weekends in Paris and Rome!