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 recently wrote a column detailing my initial thoughts about the latest chapter in my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) story: the process of accepting that I need to transition to a wheelchair. This shift is incredibly daunting, not…
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When I was young and, frankly, naive, I had a lot of misconceptions about people with disabilities. I thought that the only people who used walkers were senior citizens or those recovering from leg injuries. I also thought that…
As I approach the 10th anniversary of my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) diagnosis, I’m struck by an explosion of complicated and contradictory feelings. In August 2013, when I learned that the poor balance, fatigue, and slower speech I’d…
Summer is in full swing for my family. My daughter, Collins, 6, and my son, Brooks, 8, finished school the last week of May, and it’s been nonstop chaos ever since. With camps, trips, sports, tutoring, working, exercising, chores,…
Living in a disabled body in a predominantly able-bodied world is a rare experience that, frankly, I never anticipated having. Especially in my 30s. But thanks to my progressing Friedreich’s ataxia symptoms, it’s an existence I’m now, unfortunately,…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Skyclarys (omaveloxolone). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. When I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) in…
When I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), my greatest worry was how it would affect my future. What would living with a disability look like? What would FA add to my future? What would it take…
In my experience, much of what it takes to be a mother is the opposite of what’s required to live with a disability. As a mom, I constantly pour my all into my family. I manage the calendar…
Although biology is a fairly standard requirement in the American educational system, and genetics is a frequently covered topic in biology, I’m realizing how little understanding most of us have about it. I was blissfully unaware of how little…
Living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) has created for me a complex relationship with the concept of help. I believe it’s important for everyone — not just people with disabilities — to humbly and graciously learn how to ask…
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