Kendall Harvey is a wife and mother of two in Austin, Texas. She has been navigating life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) since her diagnosis in 2013 at the age of 25. She worked in marketing before “retiring” to be a stay-at-home-mom. She is an optimistic warrior fighting for a better future free of FA. Until that day comes, she aspires to inspire others with her column by detailing personal life lessons about grit and grace. Kendall shares a message of hope despite disability.I’m a firm believer that life should be celebrated. I love decorating the house for holidays, birthdays, the first or last day of school, and anything else that provides my family with an excuse…
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I recently binged four seasons of the television series “The Handmaid’s Tale.” I will spare you my enthusiastically detailed summary except for this: The main character, June Osborne, is a prisoner in…
When you’re a parent of preschool-age children, there’s a large focus on teaching the concept of opposites. Big and small, nice and mean, wet and dry, strong and weak, happy and sad, and…
When you live under the banner of a degenerative disease such as Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), you become well acquainted with fear. You fear what your body has in store for you tomorrow, next…
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is incredibly rare. So rare, in fact, that I’d never even heard of it before I was diagnosed with it in 2013. Getting that rare, 1-in-50,000-people diagnosis (given…
Life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) can feel daunting as we face hardships, struggles, and countless tribulations. Most FA patients I know have a positive attitude and try to keep moving forward despite what…
I’m frequently asked, “What happened to you?” The person asking usually points at my walker. What they’re really asking is, “Why are you using a walker?” People don’t tend to think of an obvious…
I often write about how important it is to have a strong village supporting you in life — not only for big things like parenting and disabilities caused by Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), but…
I am the first to admit that I am a Disney fanatic. I have always loved the replicated ideas in Disney movies that friends and family can come together and discover strengths they never…
Since the beginning of my journey with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), worries about the future have plagued me. Would I have a future? What would it look like? As I learned more about FA,…
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