Sandra lives in Leeds with her husband and eight-year-old daughter.
Before her accident, she thrived in the fast-paced world of events management. She loved the unpredictability of the role, the challenge of solving problems under pressure and the opportunity to work with a wide range of people.
The accident changed many practical aspects of her life. After spending nearly a year recovering and adapting to life as a wheelchair user, she faced the challenge of returning to work and rebuilding her professional confidence.
Sandra is often the person who keeps everything running smoothly. She remembers birthdays, organises celebrations, keeps projects on track and somehow knows everyone’s preferred coffee order. Friends describe her as practical, dependable and impossible to fluster.
At home, she balances work, family life and supporting her daughter’s growing independence. She is determined that her daughter sees disability as a normal part of everyday life and learns to judge people by their character and abilities rather than appearances.
One of Sandra’s proudest achievements was returning to employment after her accident. Securing her first role as a wheelchair user felt like reclaiming a part of her identity and proving to herself that her career ambitions remained intact.
Although she sees herself as a professional first and a wheelchair user second, she knows that is not always how employers see her.
