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.So much of living with a progressive, lifelong disease like Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is mentally processing and accepting the physical changes it brings. But with the widespread degeneration of my body and the…
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Those who have been following my column about my journey through life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) have probably noticed that I try to bring every entry to a positive conclusion. No matter how bleak,…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Life with the progressively degenerative disease, Friederich’s ataxia (FA), is hard. Having FA means adapting to relentless disease progression that sneaks into…
It’s December, a month that means so many things to so many people. For me, it means family time, festive fun with friends, traditions, busyness, beautiful twinkling lights, Christmas movies,…
My family and I went to Tulum, Mexico for Thanksgiving. We love to travel on Thanksgiving because, to us, the most important part of the holiday, and any holiday, really, is to spend time…
After I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) in 2013, I was desperate to make a positive difference in my future with the disease. That search led me to rideATAXIA, a nationwide program…
In my opinion, one of the worst things about living with a disability is feeling like a burden to others. Although I am the one going through the progressive degeneration of my abilities…
When Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) came into my life in 2013, I thought all the hopes and dreams I’d held would be wiped out. I planned on being a fun and adventurous wife and,…
If life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) were charted through a GPS navigation system, it would constantly say “recalculating.” The relentlessly progressive nature of this disease affects all areas of my life, both expectedly…
The first thing I experienced after my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) diagnosis in 2013 was fear for my future. I remember reading words like “wheelchair-bound,” “terminal,” and “average life expectancy of 35.” That meant I…
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