Meet People with FA

Stephanie

In life everyone has a choice; you can either enjoy what God has blessed you with or choose not to see the joy and beauty in every day, even the hard ones. I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia in January of 2004, at the age of 22, after being incorrectly diagnosed with a similar disease for ten years. While it has been anything but easy, I have learned to accept what I cannot change; I love my life and consider myself to be truly blessed.

Two years after receiving the correct diagnosis, I decided I was finally ready to share my experiences with FA and venture into fundraising to fund research for treatment and a cure for Friedreich’s Ataxia. My family and friends have been an incredible support to me and have done so much to make our fundraising events a success; I couldn’t do any of this without them! Every November we create Stephanie’s Hope Holiday Boutique to continue our efforts in hopes of a cure being found for FA.

In January of 2006, I decided to go back to school and finish my education after putting it on hold for a couple years. In July 2009, I graduated from Regent University with a B.S. in Psychology, a minor in Religious Studies, and a concentration in substance abuse counseling. Graduating from a four year University is one of my proudest achievements.

The way I look at it, everyone has a disability, some are just more obvious than others. Life is a gift, no matter what shape it comes in, and I have chosen to enjoy every minute of it! Be Blessed!