Advocacy and awareness

learn more about the people who educate and spread awareness around hidden disabilities

Ahmed Khalifa

“Helping the hearing world hear deaf people” - Ahmed Khalifa  

 Ahmed Khalifa was six when he was diagnosed as mildly deaf and moved from an Arabic-speaking country to Northern Ireland at age eight. Learning a new language and adapting to a new culture was tough, especially with a hearing impairment. As a teenager and young adult, he struggled to fit into the hearing world, avoiding bulky hearing aids to blend in. This desire to be accepted continued through university and into his early career, moving across the UK, living abroad, and working various jobs, all while managing the hearing impairment.

Recently, an audiology appointment revealed Ahmed’s hearing is deteriorating, pushing him to accept his deafness and advocate for others. He created 'Hear Me Out! [CC]' to share his journey and support others in similar situations. This platform is a space for acceptance, belonging, and mutual understanding. It’s a place to learn and help each other own our identities, regardless of our challenges.

Website: https://hearmeoutcc.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hear-me-out-cc-podcast/id1434562264

Petrina Barber

Petrina Barber is a fitness expert, model, and campaigner who champions inclusivity and accessibility for everyone. Her remarkable 9-year health journey is a testament to her unyielding strength, resilience, and determination to triumph over adversity. She has defied the odds through major health setbacks, including cancer and ongoing advanced incurable PRD. Petrina's mission is to break down the stigma and stereotypes around disability and fitness, encompassing hidden disabilities, less-abled individuals, limited ability, and everyone in between. 

Last year, Petrina made headlines worldwide with her groundbreaking photography campaign entitled 'Beyond the Stoma,' showcasing people displaying their stoma bags like never before. With unwavering dedication, she aims to make fitness accessible and inclusive, addressing issues such as a lack of confidence to go to the gym, beginner's guidance, pre/post-surgery needs, and other health challenges. 

Petrina B Fit is the first inclusive community offering tips, advice, and guidance for everyone in need of help with gym-related matters, exercise, and fitness. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petrinabarber/

Hannah Witton

Hannah Witton, an award-winning online creator and author, has been a pioneer in the sex and relationships space on YouTube. Often discussing the intersections with disability, chronic illness, and life with a stoma, her journey has been one of inspiration and empowerment for many. Hannah was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when she was 7 years old and at 24 she needed emergency surgery to remove her colon and now lives with a stoma. Since finishing her sex ed work at the end of 2023, after over a decade of content, she now focuses on consulting and mentoring other online creators. Her YouTube channel has garnered over 730k subscribers and 110 million views, cementing her status as a prominent figure in the online content creation landscape. Additionally, she continues to make content around fashion, books, body image, feminism, work, and parenting, drawing from her diverse range of knowledge gained from her successful years on YouTube. 
 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahwitton/?hl=en 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hannahwitton

Corinne

"I’m a disabled self-portrait artist based in Worcester. My self-portraits are produced from this same 2 by 1.5 metre space; my bed. This year marks my 6th year of bed confinement. The Forget-me-not flowers in this piece depict my fear of society forgetting about people like myself who are confined to our homes and beds."  - Corinne

 Corinne is a Midlands based artist who creates artworks, especially self portraits in response to their mental illness and physical disabilities. Corinne uses art as a therapy tool, enabling self expression and creation in response to their physical bed confinement.

Corinne has previously held an artist in residency position at the New Art Gallery Walsall. Visit Corinne’s current exhibition display at the George Marshall Medical museum.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinnesdiary/