How MS and ADHD Inspired Georgina Colman to Launch Her Business - Purpl
Georgina Colman is a mum, MS warrior, ADHD champion, and the founder of Purpl, a bold and inclusive platform tackling financial barriers faced by disabled people. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in her twenties and later with ADHD, Georgina’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and creating impact from personal experience.
In this blog, Georgina shares the raw truth of navigating disability, building a business, and the lessons she wishes she’d known sooner.
Being Diagnosed with MS
I was diagnosed with MS in early 2003, just a few months after my son was born. I started having double vision and intense headaches, but I assumed it was from sleep deprivation and returning to work with a three-month-old baby.
After an MRI, a consultant told me I had white patches on my brain. He called it "likely benign MS" and sent me away with the advice to “forget about it” and not run any marathons. I was 26 at the time.
Back then, there wasn’t much information online, and I didn’t know anyone with MS. I thought it was something people were born with - I had no idea it could show up like this.
The Power of Words
In those early years, MS didn’t seem to affect much. I carried on as usual until 13 years later, when I visited a neurologist while planning for another child. The newly qualified locum neurologist told me I wasn't walking right. Without any updated scans or tests, he went on to tell me I had progressive MS. His tone and certainty shattered me. I always say: words have power, and those words had a huge impact on me.
A year later, I was told I had to choose between two disease-modifying treatments. No one told me I had options, and looking back, this is still something that frustrates me. Taking the MS treatment at that time changed the trajectory of my life. I had to leave my job and start working from home for my husband. I really wish I had taken a breath and asked more questions. I wish I’d known I could have focused on lifestyle, diet, exercise and stress management instead.
Discovering ADHD
I've lived with MS for over 13 years, but the final missing piece of the puzzle didn't come until last year when I was diagnosed with ADHD and suddenly, everything made sense.
My vivid imagination, relentless energy, and intense drive had always felt a bit out of place. The ADHD diagnosis was a lightbulb moment. It also explained how my nervous system had been under pressure for decades, possibly contributing to my MS.
Now I like to see my ADHD traits as superpowers. I doubt I could have built Purpl so quickly without them.
Creating My Business
The idea for Purpl, came while shopping with my son. He got a student discount and I, as a disabled person, got nothing. It felt incredibly unfair. Groups like key workers, NHS staff and carers were offered perks - but disabled people, who often face the greatest financial pressures, were overlooked.
I started researching, and when I found there was nothing else like it, I decided to create it myself. My husband suggested the name — Purple as it's often associated with the disabled community, and removing the "e" allowed us to trademark it. And just like that, Purpl was born. Maybe this is the journey I was meant to take.
Unless you live with a chronic condition or are close to someone who does, it’s easy to underestimate what disability really means day to day. When it happens later in life, the world you've grown up in suddenly feels unaccommodating - and it takes time to adjust.
I created Purpl as a movement, not just a business. Something that has a real impact on someones life, and shines a light on areas in the world that need to be better. I wanted to have a voice, and a platform, for those that sometimes feel like they are pushed under the rug.
People often tell me to stop and admire what I’ve built, but I rarely do! I am happy as long as I keep hearing the feedback from our amazing members. Knowing I’ve created something that genuinely helps people makes every challenge worth it.
Give Yourself Time
The hardest part of living with my disability was definitely losing my independence. I can’t go many places on my own anymore, unless it’s to visit a close friend who knows how to support me. That loss of spontaneity and freedom is tough.
That said, I'm very lucky to say, I’ve never really struggled with my mental health. That doesn’t mean things have been easy, or I haven't had down days, but my husband is my rock, and I recognise that without that support, life would feel very different.
If you’re facing a life-changing diagnosis or injury, then please, give yourself time.
Don’t be rushed into decisions. Do your research and talk to people in the community. Some of the most helpful tools and advice I’ve received have come from other disabled people - not medical professionals.
What’s Next
We’ve got some amazing brand partnerships in the pipeline - so keep an eye on our website for new offers. AND we are building an app!! This will make things so much quicker and easier for our members.
& this is just the beginning!
A huge thank you to Georgina for sharing her journey with us. To follow her work and shop inclusive discounts including from us - Cool Crutches, then head to the website now!
If you'd like to read more incredible stories, try out these ones:
