Courtenay, age 17

I was born 2/3 months early and I have had hemiplegia all my life!!

I suppose in a way it frustrates me, because I find things more diffcult than my friends... always being at the bottom of sets in school... maths especially was a hard point for me.

I'm lucky in the sense that I dont have hemiplegia and cerebal palsy as bad as other people and I am grateful for that.

I was bullied a lot in secondary school. Looking back at it I sometimes wish I stood up for myself and made them see that I am like everybody else, but at the time you just don't have the confidence to do it.

I am 17 now and hope that I have overcome a lot of the bad things that have happened to me.

My friends don't judge me and I have an amazing family behind me, and sometimes that's all you need.

I suppose I would want to change a lot about myself... having hemiplegia to start with, but like I have been told - 'you wouldn't be you if you didn't have it'. That's when i look at the bright side.