Alumna Disability Advocate

First year doctor and former pupil Grace Spence Green (class of 2014) spoke to students at a special assembly today, challenging perspectives on disability.

Grace’s life changed instantly in 2018 when she was crushed at a shopping centre by a man falling on her from three floors above. She now uses a wheelchair and, through her experience, has gained friends, greater empathy and a passion for changing people’s perspectives about disability. Grace recently featured on BBC Radio’s 4 Life Changing series, and has been interviewed in The Guardian. She also co-hosts a podcast called ‘This Is Spinal Crap’ about people living with spinal injuries.  This morning, we were thrilled to welcome her back to speak to the school community.

This summer, Grace qualified as a doctor and would like to train in pediatrics and work with disabled children. She explained that, when she encounters bias in professional and personal life, she is motivated to challenge people’s attitudes to wheelchair users. “I’d like to use my position to effect change – to fight back against negative views of disability. I encounter a lot of unconscious bias from those around me… sometimes I’m seen as the patient rather than the doctor because I have a disability.” 

During the assembly, Mrs Bingham remarked on Grace’s positive mindset.  She replied: “I view what happened to me in a different way to others… and I reject the idea of being a victim. I am so happy with my life at the moment and I wouldn’t take it back. Existing – living a happy, normal life – is activism in itself.”