My Journey to Independence – by Marlena Katene
Have you ever wondered how I can sit in my wheelchair for up to ten hours a day? It wasn’t something that happened overnight. My journey toward independence and control over my own body began when I was just six months old.
Winter Paralympics 2026. Let the Games Begin - by Susan Seipel
The Winter Olympics have sadly come to an end, but now that the ‘warm-up’ is over, I am getting excited for the main event, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. The games will be held from the 6th to the 15th of March with 79 medal events across six sports, consisting of para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para snowboard, wheelchair curling, and my personal favourite, para ice hockey.
A Small Wedding A Perfect Day – By Alicia Kapa
On a beautiful sunny spring day, I became Mrs Saro!
They say that you shouldn’t expect your wedding day to be perfect as things go wrong. I don’t think those people either planned very well or maybe they were planning an extravagant fairytale wedding because our day was absolutely perfect and nothing went wrong.
Invacare Europe and Asia Pacific Combine with Direct Healthcare Group Creating DHCare, to Better Serve Individuals with Reduced Movement
Rhône, a global private equity firm, has completed the acquisitions of Invacare Holdings S.ar.l. (Invacare Europe and APAC) and Direct Healthcare Group (DHG) through holding companies held by its Fund VI, combining the two businesses and associated brands to create DHCare, which will be one of the international leaders in designing, manufacturing and distributing medical devices in the mobility and post-acute care sectors. The transaction completed on the 30th January 2026.
10 Christmas Gifts You Should Never Give Someone With a Physical Disability - by Marlena Katene
This article uses humour and lived experience to explore gift giving and disability.
I love Christmas. It’s a time when we connect with family and friends to share a story or two — or better still, banter and take the mickey out of each other. Despite having a disability, I’m lucky that the people in my life fully embrace the banter and fun.
Am I Just a Participant? - by Marlena Katene
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the word participant.
If you look it up in the dictionary, it simply means “a person who takes part in something.” Straightforward enough.
But here in Australia, if you search for that word online, it almost always shows up alongside the NDIS. Suddenly, participant isn’t about being involved — it’s about plans, funding, and services.
And to be honest, that word has started to feel a bit strange to me.
IDPWD exhaustion - by Zoe Simmons
Can I be honest? As a disabled person, I am exhausted with the mental load of disability awareness days
Disability is not a Halloween costume - by Susan Seipel
Every year Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October. Halloween originated from Celtic beliefs around the human and spirit worlds crossing over at the end of the harvest season. The festival inspired the tradition of dressing up in scary costumes to ward off roaming spirits. While not as popular in the southern hemisphere trick-or-treating, Halloween theme parties, and scary house decorations are becoming more common in Australia and New Zealand.
Halloween poses both opportunities and challenges for people with disabilities.
The Greatest Halloween Outfit - by Marlena Katene
Every Halloween, my mind drifts back to 2003 — the year I went trick-or-treating in a hot, smelly, bright pink body cast.
Having a hip replacement at the tender age of twelve wasn’t exactly what most kids dream of. Three months in a body cast that stretched from my hips to my toes was a strange new reality. I spent my days lying flat on my back in the living room, my parents turning me over every few hours like some awkward rotisserie chicken. It wasn’t quite the school holiday I’d imagined.
But my friends had other ideas.
Flying with a Wheelchair - by Alicia Kapa
Flying with a wheelchair is an experience which can be different every time and for everyone. Luckily for me, my experiences have been relatively positive as my wheelchair has always made it to the destination and has been usable.
Planning and Booking: