Paralysed at 20, she now fights for disability rights in Singapore
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Paralysed at xx, she at present fights for inability rights in Singapore
Quadriplegic Fathima Zohra tells CNA Lifestyle that she hopes Singaporeans volition "showtime treating disabled people as a role of society, because we tin co-exist".
Fathima Zohra (Photo: Fathima Zohra)
At 20 years old, Fathima Zohra was a fit and salubrious student, role-time model and social media influencer. The immature Singaporean was on the cusp of her life.
And then one solar day, during a trip to India, the machine she was riding hit a tree.Zohra was instantly thrown from the backseat to the windshield.
Life as she knew information technology changed forever.
"I was instantly paralysed from the neck downward. I had a minor brain injury, and a very astringent spinal string injury – every musculus that is beneath my neck was paralysed, meaning the muscles that should assistance me breathe, were afflicted besides," shared the 24-year-former, who also goes by the name Zoe Zora.
As she faced the reality of her injuries, she became "an emotional, mental and physical wreck".
"For a long time, I didn't actually desire to motility forward in life," she shared with CNA Lifestyle. "I didn't know who I was anymore".
Near people think she's a paraplegic, she explained, since she can move her arms.
"Only I accept limited part in my limbs and I'yard constantly in a lot of hurting. Any amount of paralysis in the upper limbs classifies you as a quadriplegic," she explained.
It may sound similar the scariest give-and-take in the world, but the fighter in Zohra has since come to terms and even embraced her situation.
Suddenly becoming disabled might be "one of the well-nigh heartbreaking experiences (Zohra) had to get through". What information technology took was a demoralising doctor with terrible bedside manners to turn things around for her.
A year and a one-half into her injury, she went to see an orthopaedist. At this point, she was recovering and starting to feel better.
"I was then joyful, I asked him when I was going to walk once more," she candidly shared. "And practice you lot know what he did? He laughed at my face up and told me I had very nifty ambitions."
Zohra went dwelling and bankrupt downwardly.
"I was 21 years former then and I was and then motivated to get better, but this put me downwards so bad. It made me feel terrible," she said. "Isn't a doctor suppose to make me feel better?"
The entire episode turned out to exist her biggest motivator.
"Yes maybe I can't ever walk again, only it's not like I can never practice anything ever again," she shared. " That's when I said to myself that 'I'thousand not going to let somebody else tell me what I am capable of' and I took it into my own hands.
"It was my turning signal. You know, he may have said this. And I dear proving people wrong," she added with a smile.
That'southward when Zohra'south whole fitness journey restarted. She decided to join the gym, did more than physiotherapy and took it upon herself to get stronger physically.
Four years after that fateful blow, Zohra now works total-time as a plan manager at Runninghour, a sports co-operative which integrates people with special needs through running. She's also an active inability and mental health advocate who still manages to find time to continue modelling. And run an Instagram account (@zoraaax6) filled with motivational captions, beauty favourites and her inspiring fitness journey for her thousands of followers.
Information technology'due south through the process of coming to terms with her condition that she found a new purpose and a voice. And she's been very vocal most it.
"I'm then loud about my disability because I want people to get comfy with seeing people with disabilities everywhere," said Zohra. "Yous'll see me at the beach, you'll see me at restaurants. And I practice this in hope that society starts treating disabled people as office of society too, you know? Because we can co-exist."
At that place accept been daily incidents which prompted her to speak up.
"I alive with a very visible disability. I work full-fourth dimension and I'm constantly outside in public places. And because I use public transport, it has called for a lot of questions from people who randomly approach me asking me what happened to me," she explained.
"Non many people realise that a personal question like this would mean that I'm being taken right dorsum to that traumatic feel in my life. It could bear on me mentally even if I was having a happy mean solar day before."
Other deeply affecting incidents include strangers coming up to touch her legs asking if she can feel it.
"It'south difficult being a woman in today'southward society, only can yous imagine being a disabled adult female?" she said. "And so I decided to fight for meliorate representation. I don't desire any female to ever feel the mode I did every bit a disabled woman."
Advocating for the disabled and educating the able-bodied most beingness inclusive has been key for Zohra, who received the Goh Chok Tong Enable Honour in 2019.
The award is a Mediacorp Enable Fund initiative that aims to recognise the achievements of persons with disabilities.
"Society immediately sympathises or pities the states, simply what we require more is, I think, just encouragement. It makes a huge departure for anyone with a inability," she said to CNA in 2022 after receiving the laurels. "This accolade is giving us a lot of power. Because with this, we are motivated to change the perception of society."
That's why it was of import for Zohra to be role of movements that enhance disability awareness. In fact, back in September, she took part in a fundraising activeness for the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD). The event was a 72km expedition beyond Singapore on wheelchairs and she was ane of two participants who were wheelchair users.
Despite suffering chronic pain and side effects from her medications, Zohra said lending her vocalism to diverse organisations such every bit SPD, the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Singapore and Make The Change keeps her going.
And so how tin can Singapore meliorate embrace the disabled community?
"Advocate for accessibility when y'all don't see information technology. Question and bank check with management, regime because it doesn't have to be just our fight," she said.
For Zohra, the most important thing she wants Singaporeans to know is that people with disabilities (PWDs) are "people first, before our disabilities".
"We are not what happened to u.s.a.," she said. "Singaporeans tin can be more agreement, kinder and endeavor to educate themselves by request the correct questions. Look at us without compassion, and every bit people who tin can achieve merely as much every bit everyone else."
The Mediacorp Enable Fund (MEF) is a charity fund that aims to help build a society where persons with disabilities are recognised for their abilities and atomic number 82 full, socially integrated lives. The fund is administered past SG Enable, with Mediacorp as its official media partner. ESM Goh Chok Tong is the Patron of the MEF. To back up persons with disabilities through the MEF, please visit www.mef.sg.
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