Meet People with FA

Stephanie

In life everyone has a choice; you can either enjoy what God has blessed you with or choose not to see the joy and beauty in every day, even the hard ones. I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia in January of 2004, at the age of 22, after being incorrectly diagnosed with a similar disease for ten years. While it has been anything but easy, I have learned to accept what I cannot change; I love my life and consider myself to be truly blessed. Last year, I decided I was finally ready to share my experiences with FA and venture into fundraising to fund research to find treatment and a cure for Friedreich’s Ataxia. My family and friends have been an incredible support to me and have done so much to make our fundraising events a success; I couldn’t do any of this without them! This summer we are planning to continue our efforts in hopes of a cure being found for FA.

In January of 2006, I decided to go back to school and finish my education after putting it on hold for a couple years. I am currently attending Regent University online pursuing a degree in Psychology. This Fall I will be graduating with a B.S. in Psychology and a concentration in substance abuse counseling. After graduation, I will be enrolling in graduate school and working towards a Master’s degree in counseling so I can be a private counselor for children with disabilities. It is my dream to counsel children dealing with all the difficulties that come with living with a disability, helping them to be secure in who God has created them to be and see all their strengths and limitless possibilities in life. After all, everyone has a disability, some are just more obvious than others. Life is a gift, no matter what shape it comes in, and I have chosen to enjoy every minute of it! Be Blessed!