Hannah’s Blog – My Advocacy Journey

Happy New Year to all the families and supporters of Crann! For those who don’t know me, my name is Hannah O’Sullivan. I’m 23 years old. I live in a rural but scenic part of the country in Portmagee, Co Kerry. I have three sisters who have been very supportive. I really enjoy spending time with them. I value family life wholeheartedly.

I love to deeply cherish all the small blessings and pockets of joy in life because I know how life is precious and there is always somebody around the country or around the world every day experiencing a difficult situation, often behind closed doors. Advocacy is also a huge passion of mine. My love for advocacy is largely influenced by my lived experience as a full-time wheelchair user.

I live with cerebral palsy, which currently affects approximately 3,000 children and young people and 9,500 adults in Ireland. While I have heard the term “don’t let your disability define you” I also like to embrace my cerebral palsy as a core element of my identity because I believe that if I didn’t have cerebral palsy, my motivation for advocacy wouldn’t be anywhere near the level it is. I love nothing more than challenging myself and getting involved in anything that is offered to me, but when it comes to getting involved in different projects locally and nationally, I am always very open about my disability and that will never change.

I first started exploring advocacy when I joined an adult day service in 2021. I had the opportunity to explore  what advocacy actually is and was made aware of the opportunities to become more involved in advocacy. In 2022, the day service did a call out for people within the local service to be a representative for other people using the services and to share opinions on national projects happening within the service to improve the lives of people with physical disabilities.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to be involved in these committees because advocacy has opened huge doors for me. Being involved in the local and national service owner council, I realised the true power of advocacy in creating real change, not only for myself, but for others in similar situations. Being on an advocacy committee is quite rewarding because it gives me the opportunity to speak up to help others.

On the committees, we spoke on a range of topics, including lack of accessible transport, with a particular focus on highlighting the fact that a plane is the only mode of transport that doesn’t accommodate a wheelchair user to remain seated in their chair while on board. We spoke about the importance of such an accommodation being made available on all airlines and the importance of custom seating for posture management and maintaining comfort for an enjoyable journey. We also discussed the importance of the day service having an out-of-hours personal assistance service to give people with physical disabilities who may have difficulty accessing personal assistance services externally the opportunity to have more choice and control over their lives.

Self-advocacy is particularly important for people with additional needs trying to access support. As well as advocating for services and supports for people with similar needs to my own, I am also passionate about mental health. I am passionate about mental health because looking after mental health is as important as looking after physical health.

I also contribute to national projects promoting youth mental health on a broader level. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to speak about such an important topic because mental health cannot be dismissed and unfortunately there is stigma attached to mental health and as I mentioned at the start, many people struggle behind closed doors so awareness is crucial. I am also on a youth assembly where I have had the opportunity to attend assemblies online and have been involved speaking with the Department of Transport, Climate and Rural and Community Development.

I am a huge people person and love using my voice to help others. My voice is and will continue to be my superpower and I am really looking forward to continuing my advocacy journey in the future. I hope my article motivates you to use your voice too!