18��������ҹ����

"I am now celebrating ten years of working with animals — ten years after being told by medical experts that such a life would never be possible. 

I first fell in love with 18��������ҹ���� during three separate open days. It wasn’t just the historic buildings, or the facilities like its very own Natural History Museum — it was the feeling of belonging. The mountains, the coastline, the landscape itself seemed to call me home. Inspired by Sir David Attenborough, I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps: to bring the wonders of our natural world, and the urgent need to protect them, to future generations. Bangor, renowned for its biological sciences, its museum, and even its own research vessel, was the perfect place to grow. 

But my journey to get there was not a straightforward one. 

I was born with Bilateral Congenital Talipes Equinovarus — “clubfoot.” It’s a condition where your feet turn inward, affecting mobility and causing pain. As a child, I spent countless hours in hospitals, hearing limitations placed on what I might never do. When I was just 13, doctors told me that by the time I was 30, I would likely be in a wheelchair, and that working with animals was impossible. For a child who dreamed of being a zookeeper, those words felt like a door slamming shut. 

Yet, I refused to give up. 

My grandparents took me to zoos, to nature reserves, to the Jurassic Coast where I searched for fossils. I walked through natural history museums wide-eyed, imagining the incredible creatures that once walked this Earth. These experiences built a fire inside me that no prognosis could extinguish. 

I started my path at Rodbaston College, completing a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management and graduating with Distinction***. I even helped set up the college’s zoo — a hands-on experience that confirmed I was right where I was meant to be. 

18��������ҹ���� then opened a new chapter. I studied Zoology with Herpetology and traveled the world — from searching for reptiles in Corfu, to researching pilot whales in Tenerife, to standing in awe as elephants walked past me in Kruger National Park, one even mock-charging our group. Those moments — raw, powerful, unforgettable — shaped not only my studies but my soul. 

It was in South Africa, during a wildlife filmmaking internship, that I discovered my true calling: storytelling. Under the guidance of Ryan Johnson, a filmmaker for the BBC and National Geographic, I learned how to film and present the marvels of the natural world. My dissertation film, documenting the wildlife of Treborth Botanic Garden, even caught the attention of BBC adventurer Steve Backshall, who wished me luck on Twitter. For someone who once felt invisible, that recognition meant everything. 

Beyond my studies, I gave back to the university — volunteering in the Natural History Museum, guiding open days, and even being invited to speak after the pro-vice chancellor at a major event. From a shy schoolchild to addressing hundreds of families, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. 

After graduating with a 2:1, I filmed whales and dolphins in Tenerife, taught animal care at Rodbaston College, and became a safari guide at West Midlands Safari Park. Eventually, I was promoted to Education Officer, conducting animal encounters and teaching schools about conservation. Then the world stopped — COVID-19 shut everything down on my 24th birthday. 

When restrictions lifted, I became a VIP Safari Guide, giving once-in-a-lifetime experiences: feeding lions and tigers, and even spending days as a rhino keeper. It was work that reminded me daily of the privilege it is to stand so close to nature. Along the way, I even found myself on national television, competing on ITV’s The Chase. 

Over the years, I have walked the length of the Jurassic Coast for charity, raising money for STEPS Charity and Save the Rhino International. That walk made me the first non-celebrity ambassador for STEPS, chosen because I wanted to show a different perspective: that people with disabilities don’t have to be defined by athleticism or stereotypes — they can follow any dream. 

But life brought another twist. 

My condition worsened, and in June 2024, I underwent a below-the-knee amputation on my right leg. After nearly three decades of pain, I could finally walk freely with a prosthetic. It was not an ending, but a rebirth. Today, I also wear a brace on my left leg, but for the first time in my life, I can move without agony. 

This change shifted my path once again. While I no longer work directly with animals, I now support young people with learning needs and disabilities as a Learning Support Assistant at my old secondary school. I help them on their own journeys, just as others once helped me. 

In October 2024, I had the privilege of being a team leader at the world-renowned Wildscreen Festival, meeting industry legends like Hamza Yassin and reconnecting with Steve Backshall. Each encounter felt like a signpost on the path I am meant to follow. 

And now, I am preparing for my greatest adventure. Inspired by Sir David Attenborough, who has dedicated more than 70 years to the natural world, I plan to travel the globe to find every species named in his honour. This journey — to the UK, Africa, Asia, America, and Australia — will become both a book and a YouTube series. My goal is to honour his extraordinary legacy, but also to step into my own: to become the first wildlife presenter with an amputated clubfoot. 

My journey has not been easy. I have carried pain, setbacks, and surgeries. But I have also carried determination, passion, and hope. And now, 10 years into a career I was told would never exist, I am proud to stand as proof that limitations are not destiny. 

This is not just my story. It is a story for anyone who has been told “you can’t.” Because with enough passion, perseverance, and belief in the wild beauty of life, you can."