By Safira Ali

Last updated at 11:54, Monday, 10 November 2008

Bubbly, confident and inspirational are words that come to mind when speaking to teenager Ana Crome.

Ana Crome

At the age of 18 she has overcome bullying and other obstacles to help others and reach her goals.

Despite her disability, which limits her mobility, she has become a role model to other youngsters and she is keen to dispel myths surrounding her using a wheelchair.

Ana, of Crosby Villa, has a condition called arthrogryposis, which means she has mobility difficulties.

These include problems with her back and moving her arms and legs. She finds it difficult to get around without the aid of her powered wheelchair.

Her bones are likely to get stiffer as she gets older and she says walking can be “quite a challenge”.

But she says with a smile: “That doesn’t stop me. If you want something you go for it despite your disability, even if you are severely disabled.”

Last month Ana was honoured by Lakes College, Lillyhall, and was given an inspirational winner award for the progress she had made during her two years at the college.

She received a round of applause when she went to the stage in her wheelchair. But then she stepped out of her chair because she did not want to be “lazy” and collected her award while hundreds of people gave her a standing ovation, and many were tearfully congratulating her.

Modest Ana says she did not realise why people were clapping at the time. “Everyone clapped for me. I thought they were clapping because I took so long!

“When I walked for my award I was shaking. I felt rude going up to collect the award in my chair and I wanted to be photographed standing up.”

She is keen to dispel people’s stereotypes over why she is in a wheelchair, and says she often has parents moving their children away from her because they are afraid.

“The stereotypical view is that I have been in an accident or have brain damage, so that’s why I am in the chair. We don’t choose to be like this. People should have more respect with disabilities. Not just for me, but others too. There are some people who can’t speak. They can’t express themselves when someone sniggers at them.

“One young girl thought I was a monster when she saw me. She is okay now.

“I think it is to do with the parents.

“Sometimes they walk past and will move their children so they don’t come near me.

“The children will grow up not understanding disabilities and be in fear of them.”

She says it has spurred her on to one day become a teacher and work with young kids.

She started an Aimhigher programme and completed a work placement at Allonby Primary School earlier this year where she shadowed a teaching assistant.

She is now taking a break from the course while learning life skills at the Copeland Occupational and Social Centre in Maryport and improving her maths to a level where she will be able to teach.

She adds that, despite people’s perception of her, she still wants to spend her life reaching out to others.

Ana says she decided she wanted to help people when she was seven.

At the age of 16 she enrolled on a national diploma course in health and social care at Lakes College with the aim of becoming a counsellor. But now she wants to inspire youngsters and tell them nothing should stop them achieving their goals.

She said: “Even if you are 15 and have autism, or a little behind in school you can over come it. It’s in my nature to help. I want to teach kids that they can do it.”

First published at 11:25, Monday, 10 November 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk