31 Days of SMA: High School and SMA

by Kevin Schaefer | August 16, 2019

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Day 16 of 31 Days of SMA⁣⠀ Topic: High School and SMA⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ This is Ashley’s Story:⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ Everyone’s high school experience is different, some can love it and some can hate it. I was one of the few that loved every second of it. Before my freshman year even started I had decided I was going to try out for cheer. I told my mom and she gave me a funny look, but then asked what I had to do. Fast forward to a few months later to the night after tryouts. I was sitting with my family and had opened my phone to check. Before I even looked I was terrified I didn’t make it, I had thought that they wouldn’t let me make the team because of my chair. We had fought with the athletic director so many countless times, that I figured it would be a definite no. But, then I opened the results and saw my little black number with 30+ others. For the next four years I was known as the cheerleader in a wheelchair. Did I mind that label? No, not really. Truth is,I pretty much embraced it, I was the first person with a muscle disease to do a sport. I had broken down a barrier that could’ve very well still been up if I hadn’t. But more importantly I had proved people wrong. ⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ For so long society has had this idea that those with disabilities don’t do anything fun. That we just sit home and do nothing or we can’t do things because of our physical limitations. Truth is, while yes we still have limitations we can still do a lot of things any able bodied person can do (Gasp. Shocking I know) We can cheer under those Friday night lights, we can travel to other countries, we can own a small business, we can help write bills with governmental officials, we can do anything. All we do differently is slightly modify whatever it is so we can do it. We’re not inspirational, we’re just people living our lives and doing the things we love. ⁣

A post shared by SMANewsToday (@smanewstoday) on Aug 16, 2019 at 11:56am PDT

About the Author

Kevin Schaefer Kevin Schaefer (he/him) is a writer, podcaster, and lover of all things pop culture. Diagnosed with SMA type 2 at the age of 18 months in 1995, he shares a vast array of hilarious and eye-opening stories from his life with a neuromuscular disability. He works as the associate director of community content for this site’s parent company, BioNews. He also hosts the SMA News Today Podcast. Kevin is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives with his parents in Cary, NC. People regularly mistake him for Tony Stark, on account of his intellect and advanced technological equipment.