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.My family and I are obsessed with the singer-songwriter Forrest Frank. His music is catchy, happy, positive, and full of bite-sized Biblical truths. We especially enjoy listening to his song “No L’s” before sporting events to remind ourselves that the outcome of a game is a matter of…
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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, trivial, heavy, or uplifting my topic seems to be, I try to wrap it up in…
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 all the parts of my life — physical, mental, and emotional — and complicates them.
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, the miracle of the extravagant grace and love of God, Christmas music — and presents!…
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 together. We tend to do all-inclusive beach resorts because it’s easy with kids and there is…
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 of bike rides organized by the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance. People all around the U.S. work…
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 due to Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), it’s the people in my life who have to help carry…
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, God-willing, a mother one day. Instead, I had to face the harsh reality that I would…
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 and unexpectedly, bringing changes to both path and destination. Before my ankle break and reconstructive…
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 had already lived more than half of my life. And while my first 25 years had…
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