Learning To Walk Again, Endometriosis & A Killer Attitude : Nirusha The Wonder Woman
This interview is with a vibrant, fierce and endlessly determined woman, Nirusha, someone our co-founder Amelia had the absolute pleasure of meeting at an extraordinary women’s health event hosted by the incredible charity Mortal and Strong. They connected over the want to empower people living with illness, trauma and adversity by creating safe, supportive spaces for connection and honest conversation.
Despite surviving a life-altering motorbike accident just one month before her wedding, Nirusha radiates strength, humour and the kind of resilience that stays with you long after hearing her speak. Her journey is one of survival, reinvention, stubborn optimism, and the courageous process of learning to rebuild both mobility and identity after trauma.
We are so honoured to share her story with you.
"I Broke The Entire Right Side Of My Body"
I’m Nirusha, I’m 41, I live in Colchester, and if I could live underwater, I probably would! I’m a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, and being in or around the water has always been where I feel most myself. It has brought me joy for as long as I can remember, but after my accident, it also became one of the biggest tools in my recovery.
Four years ago, at age 37, I had a serious motorbike accident just one month before my wedding. I broke the entire right side of my body; my hand, arm, pelvis, and leg, and lost 15cm of my femur. I was airlifted, rushed into emergency surgeries, and for a long time there was uncertainty about whether I would ever walk again.
I spent 18 months in a wheelchair.
I’ve had nine surgeries so far.
My recovery became a full-time job.
Alongside the physical trauma, the accident triggered a worsening of my endometriosis and adenomyosis, and I now also live with an autoimmune blood disorder that puts me at greater risk of clots.
Recovery has been anything but linear. I’m a “glass half full” person, which means I celebrate every milestone with my whole heart, but when setbacks come (and they still do), those moments hit hard. One month I’m doing Tough Mudder, and the next I’m suddenly non-weight-bearing again. The mental whiplash can be intense.
But almost four years on, and three months post my latest surgery, I am back on my feet, (with the help of crutches), and still determined to keep moving forward.
"I Risked My Safety To Hide My Mobility Aids"
My early experience with mobility aids? Honestly… rough.
When you go from planning your wedding to trying to balance in sand on one leg while hiding NHS crutches in photos, everything feels overwhelming. Looking back, I absolutely risked my safety because I didn’t want my mobility aids to be seen.
After the wedding and many months in a wheelchair, I spent a lot of time customising my wheelchair wheels to feel more like me. But somehow, I had never considered that crutches could be beautiful too.
Then Cool Crutches appeared on my social media feed.
Before that, I’d bought lightweight folding crutches online for a holiday, but they never felt stable enough for long-term use. When the NHS had delays shipping me a Fischer-grip stick, I found the Black Glitter Cool Crutches walking stick, and everything changed.
For the first time I wasn’t hiding my mobility aid in photos, I was matching it to my outfits. Strangers stopped asking “What’s wrong with you?” and instead said:
“Oh my god, where did you get those?”
It gave me so much confidence, I entered a pageant!
And not only did I compete, I won Best Catwalk and placed 1st Runner Up Mrs Ocean World UK, with my glitter walking stick in hand.
A disabled woman on stage, using a mobility aid, winning Best Catwalk… it still feels surreal.
Since then, my Cool Crutches have been everywhere with me... nightclubs, beaches, festivals, and even a Tough Mudder. I change between a walking stick and my Sapphire Storm or Black Crutches. They’re not just mobility aids; they are part of how I reclaimed my confidence and my identity after my accident.
"Those Memories Remind Me That Dips Don’t Last Forever"
The water is my number one mental health tool.
Being in, near, or under the ocean is my calm, my reset, my clarity.
Beyond that, I am extremely lucky to have an incredible support network. My family, friends, and husband have literally carried me through the hardest days. They've changed plans on the spot, made boardwalks work, and found accessible paths to the water when I needed them.
They know I’m terrible at asking for help, so they step in before I have to.
And because they help me squeeze joy into my life whenever I can handle it, even on bad days I have a catalogue of happy memories to ground me. Those memories remind me that dips don’t last forever.
Society & Disability
Society is improving, albeit very slowly.
Physically, we’re seeing:
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More lifts
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More ramps
- More accessible entrances
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More blue badge spaces
But there are areas that claim to be accessible, but they merely tick a few boxes - they certainly aren't built for those living with disabilities. A gym I went to claimed to be fully accessible for people with disabilities, it had disabled parking bays and an accessible shower, but once I was in, I couldn't access half the equipment or the studio.
Attitudes, though, are the biggest barrier.
People still treat accessibility as a “nice bonus” rather than a basic right.
People park in Blue Badge bays “just for a minute.”
People block wheelchair spaces with luggage.
People sigh, huff, or make it clear assisting you is an inconvenience.Accessibility is not optional.
And disabled people should not have to fight to exist in public spaces.
"Work is a difficult topic for me"
Before my accident, I was a successful international academic events manager and part of the senior leadership team at a European charity. I loved my job, and it was such a big part of my identity.
At first, wishful thinking, and an element of denial led me to believe I'd recover quickly and be back on my feet within a few months. My attempts to refocus on my career after my initial surgeries started to impact on my recovery and treatment schedules, so I made the difficult but right decision to take a career break and focus on my recovery instead.
I’d love to work again, and am keen to find an employer who recognises the additional value I bring to the table but, it’s been so hard to know when the “right” time is to disclose my disability during applications. There are many misconceptions from people about whether I can handle the travel or physical demands but they don't realise all the superpowers that are a direct result of my lived experience of my disability: my resilience, planning for the unknown and proven ability to adapt to moving goalposts.
Thank goodness for diving and first aid. It reminds me that my skill, value and purpose didn’t disappear when I became disabled.
My Tips
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Get yourself some High Performance Ferrules! A small accessory that has changed my winter. I'm actually excited for the snow for the first time!
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Take photos of your recovery. The good, the bad, the messy. Seeing how far you’ve come is powerful. You may not be ready to look back now, but one day you will.
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Celebrate progress. No matter how big or small, every step forward is a step in the right direction!
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Be kind to yourself through setbacks. You will move forward again, but for now, you just need grace and rest.
What’s Next for Me
I’m still on my recovery journey, but I’m excited for the future. I continue teaching scuba diving, including adaptive diving for disabled divers, something I trained for years before my accident and am now deeply grateful for.
I also teach first aid and First Aid at Work, adapting techniques when needed, and I absolutely love empowering people with those life-saving skills.
And then, my secret side gig… I am a qualified mermaid!
Yes, tail, underwater performances, children’s events... the lot!
(@mermaidscubasiren if you’re curious!)
The ocean has given me so much, and now I hope I can continue sharing that joy with others, disabled and non-disabled.
Thank you so much, Nirusha, for sharing your powerful, emotional and beautifully honest journey with us. If anyone is interested in learning to dive, with or without a disability, you can reach out to her via her socials : @nirusha_vigi
And if you'd like to read more inspiring stories, then hit the links below:
