I contracted polio in Kampala, Uganda at age two and a half. My right leg and arm became weak. My right leg always has been shorter than my left requiring special shoes and bracing at night. My parents were not well off and had to scrape together money for braces and orthopedic shoes.

My parents were my role models for dealing with disabilities. They made sure I did my exercises every day. Their unwavering attention to my needs led to my sister telling me that she felt sidelined as a child. I got more attention than her which she thought unfair.