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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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…
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…
One of my favorite aspects of motherhood is getting a glimpse of the way young children experience the world around them by hearing their observations and fielding their questions. As the…
About three years after my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) diagnosis, the symptoms started to interfere with my productivity and safety. I acquired a disability parking placard and used it only when there were…
I think just about everyone has been told at some point in their lives to be grateful for what they have, to not wish the day away, and that people always want what they…
When I was a 25-year-old newlywed thinking about starting a family, the words “you have Friedreich’s ataxia” seemed like the worst life sentence imaginable, which would be followed by a painful and premature…
In 2006, when I was an 18-year-old senior in high school, I went skiing with my boyfriend, Kyle, and his family in Telluride, Colorado. While we were there, Kyle and I talked about how…
My love language has always been words of affirmation. When someone gives me a genuine compliment or a little bit of encouragement, it has the power to change my mood and affect my…
On Feb. 25, I attended the Fearless Mom conference at Lake Hills Church in Austin, Texas. There, I heard from Andy Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of “The…
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