DailyStrength welcomes our newest Expert, Laurie Stephens!

Please welcome our newest Expert, Laurie Stephens! We are honored to have on our panel such a distinguished blogger who is not only a paralympic gold medalist, but also an ESPY award winner for best female athlete with a disability. Laurie Stephens was born with Spina Bifida. Her interest in sports and recreation took hold at a very early age, and with the support of her parents , she was able to excel in local adaptive sports programs and thrive in the competition. Here is an excerpt from her incredible bio: "Every summer, as the family vacation, her parents and brother would take her to compete at the Wheelchair Sports, USA Junior Wheelchair National Championships ... While accomplishing her Paralympic dreams, she was also a full time student at the University of New Hampshire. She received her degree in Recreation Management and Policy with the option of Therapeutic Recreation. She grew up with a full life of recreation and sports which became very important to her. She studied Therapeutic Recreation because she wanted to be able to help other people with disabilities enjoy and receive all the benefits of sports and recreation that she had experienced."
To read the rest and learn more about Laurie, visit her profile page.
She writes on thriving with disabilities, available services and resources, and her experience with achieving her goals in the face of challenges. We hope that her stories and articles will inspire everyone, everywhere. Read her first articles on DailyStrength: How To Find Adaptive Recreation and Sports For Athletes With DisabilitiesA Complete Guide To Flying With A DisabilityChanging Perceptions and Stereotypes Around Disabilities With "Person First" Language
Thank you, TeamDS