Turning my disability into a positive

Georgina Colman, the founder of Purpl, a new discount programme for disabled people, tells us her story since being diagnosed with MS over twenty years ago.

In 2003, when I was 26 years old, I was diagnosed with MS. It was just a few months after my son was born which seems like a lifetime ago now, but fast forward 13 years and my walking started to deteriorate. By 2018, I was adjusting to the fact that I was now disabled. My life changed, I went from being a very independent person to having to rely on my husband or friends when I went out and about. As with most people who become disabled later in life, it took a little while for me to adjust to my new life. However, I am someone who sees solutions where others see problems, so I took it in my stride. I was still me, but just me who faced more challenges.

A new motto: have wheelchair, will travel

Since the day I got my first wheelchair, I have had the motto ‘have wheelchair, will travel.’ This positive outlook on life, once got my husband and me into a tricky but very funny situation. We were on holiday in Guernsey (a beautiful place to visit) and decided to take a boat trip to Herm Island. After getting off the boat, we followed a sign to the beach without considering if the route was wheelchair-friendly. It was not. We encountered mud, sand, grass, slopes, and rocky pathways. Despite my laughter and my husband’s exhaustion, we made it to the beach and some lovely people helped my husband carry me down a steep decline to the sand. Someone recommended an alternative route back that was quicker, they just forgot to tell us how hilly it was. We definitely deserved the drink as we waited for the boat to take us back.

Planning and accessibility

The lesson here is to do your research before heading out. Resources like Euan’s Guide can help you plan for accessibility. Being disabled takes away the spontaneity of just going anywhere, as you need to plan ahead. I’m fortunate that I’m not completely wheelchair-bound and can manage a few steps with handrails, but it’s frustrating when places aren’t as accessible as they should be. You definitely need to be way more organised when you live with mobility issues.

The extra costs of being disabled

The biggest thing I have learnt since becoming disabled is that living with a disability is really expensive. According to Scope, being disabled costs an average of almost £1,000 extra a month compared to a non-disabled person. I live and breathe these costs every day so I totally understand the extra burden on our lives. A couple of years ago I realised that there was no discount program for the disabled community like there is for key workers, students, and carers. This led me to launch Purpl, a discount program designed to help offset the costs of living with a disability.

Introducing Purple

Our website went live in July this year and we have already partnered with over 40 brands to give our community money off everyday products and services.

To join Purpl, visit Purpl Discounts and register with your proof of disability. We accept government and council documents as well as Access and National Disability ID cards. For more information, you can read our blog post on How to Get Verified on Purpl.

Building a community

My goal with Purpl is not just to help our community save money, but also to build a supportive community, just like Euan's Guide has. I want us to share our stories, offer relevant advice and guidance, and give back to disabled charities. Eventually, I hope to create our own foundation to provide grants directly to those in need of extra financial support. Please join Purpl and share the site with your disabled friends and family.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason. My disability led me to create Purpl, and it has given me a way to help our community.

Tags: guest blog, blog, blog post, disabled access, disabled access information, disability