6 years of Little People UK

Six years ago life was a million miles away from what it is today, I could never have imagined how much my life as I knew it was about to be turned around by one decision, one creation, and one group of people...On the 15th December 2011, a Facebook group was formed known by the name of Little People Uk. It aimed to provide support, advice, and friendship for people with dwarfism, their families, and friends. It was a place where people felt they could talk to people on the same journey, people who had faced similar challenges and had also overcome them. It was the start of what was only intended to be a small organisation but soon grew into so much more.

Understanding Dwarfism

A few things you may not know.....

·       People with dwarfism are usually no taller than 4 foot 10 inches.

·       Yes, you or your children can one day have a child with a form of dwarfism.

My first train journey...

With every new adventure comes new challenges, challenges which often take a long process to learn how to overcome...well today was the beginning of the process. I've never been on the train before, nor have I ever had to travel such a long way with no one to assist me. Well in two weeks time when my university life begins that's all about to change! No new journey is ever done without a trial run... today was that run! A trial run for me not only helps me know where the heck I'm going, but more so how the heck I'm gonna get there... and by that, I don't mean which direction to go, but instead...

Stepping back out there

As a child, I pretty much had what anyone would see as a normal childhood. With the exception of the obvious- as well as a few medical obstacles to overcome on occasions, I was just about the same as everyone else. My family never agreed to wrap me up in cotton wool, so I was always doing what any other child would. If there was an after school club you'd be certain I was in it- dance especially was one of my favorites. I'd go home every day from class and practice in front of the mirror until I got it perfect. As a club, we attended many festivals and competitions... I was in my element. I found confidence every parent would wish for their child. There was even a time I would fantasize about a career in my newly found hobby. 5 years of shows, routines, and after school practicing... I never would've thought the love I had for the stage could come to an end. But my primary school world soon got left behind... With my dance shoes in it!

My welcome to the working world

With preparations for leaving school underway, the feeling that I was entering the "real world" was growing rapidly. I had just got my head around the fact I was to leave my little school bubble and adventure out of my comfort zone..... I was just about okay with that... But little did I know, I was about to step out further than I could've ever imagined...

A week after leaving school, I received a message from a family friend, she knew I had just been accepted to study my childcare diploma in college and wanted to know whether I'd be interested in volunteering at her place of work, the local youth centre. I thought about it for a while but then agreed. Surely it was worth a try. The phone rang a week later, it was the manager. She said she was looking forward to me joining the team.. But by this point, I wasn't so much. The space where positive, excited, optimistic thoughts were clearly stored in her mind, were taken up in mine. Taken up by worry, anxiety, and nervousness about how I'd welcome my first taste to the working world, and above all how it'd welcome me.