Social media platforms such as Instagram can often feel like soulless places, saturated with attention-seeking influencers – usually celebrities or models – being paid to promote designer clothes, fancy cars and, in general, unattainable lifestyles.
But beneath its superficial and filtered surface, there are some genuinely extraordinary people who are eloquently influencing, inspiring and fighting for real change in the world.
Today Your Life shines a light on three incredible disabled influencers from across the north and north-east who are using Instagram to have their voices heard.
Karen Cox
When Karen Cox tried out her specially adapted electric bike for the first time, it gave her a life-changing sense of freedom.
Crippled by Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a debilitating condition that affects the connective tissue in the body, as well as arthritis and fibromyalgia, the 56-year-old from Lossiemouth never imagined in a million years she could ever ride a bike.
But through adaptive cycling, Karen, a mum-of-three, has found a new lease of life.
The Wobbly Cyclist
And now, through her Instagram page – The Wobbly Cyclist – Karen is inspiring others to follow her lead.
“The goal of my Instagram page is not necessarily about encouraging people to cycle but for people to just get outside and to be brave enough to try something new,” says Karen.
“I want to get people to think differently about what they can do and what they can achieve and how they can achieve things to make them feel good.
“Instagram has been a positive platform for me as has Facebook. I’ve had a lot of positive interaction from people who can relate to me.
“I share the negatives and the positives.
“And even when I share the negatives, I try and do it in a positive way by explaining how I’m feeling and what I’ll maybe try and do to overcome that.”
Specially adapted bike
It was through her work at local charity Outfit Moray that led Karen to try out accessible cycling.
“One of the things we do a lot of at the charity is accessible cycling,” says Karen.
“So my colleagues kept encouraging me to have a go, but I was scared I would fall off and hurt myself.
“But the charity was hosting a bike festival in Elgin and that’s when I finally decided to give an electric bike a go.
“It was mind-blowing to be able to move so fast.”
Sharing the ups and downs
Borrowing a bike from work, Karen says cycling helped her to get through lockdown.
“It made me feel better, more confident and obviously it improved my overall health and wellbeing,” says Karen.
Keen to raise money for Outfit Moray, Karen set up her Instagram page, sharing her cycling stories plus the ups and downs of her life.
“I got lots of engagement from people who could relate to what I was going through with my health conditions,” says Karen.
“So I continued talking about my cycling journey and I’ve been really open about the struggles I’ve faced and the progress I’ve made.
“I want to share the ups and downs.”
Outfit Moray
Taking her love of cycling to new heights, Karen and her colleagues from Outfit Moray scaled Ben Rinnes, the highest free-standing mountain in Moray.
“I got an electric mountain bike made for me so I started training with my Outfit Moray colleagues.
“On the day, I was pushed and pulled up there, it was a real team effort.
“When I got to the top, it was an incredible feeling, it absolutely blew my mind.
“To be able to stand at the top of that hill and see Lossiemouth gave me such a huge boost.”
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
As well as encouraging others to try out new challenges, Karen has also used her Instagram page to raise awareness of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the other health conditions she suffers from which include ADHD and autism.
“I’ve got hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the way I would describe it is that my body just wants to flop, so I have to work very hard to keep it upright,” says Karen.
“I’m using up energy every day just by sitting up, it feels like I have weights attached to my hands and legs, so I’ve got chronic fatigue and a lot of joint and muscle pain because of the way my body reacts to things.
“I have a lot of different types of pain because my body doesn’t know how to handle pain.”
100k cycle
Determined to push herself again, Karen is set to complete the Cairngorm to Coast, a 100k hike and bike event.
“It’s an event I’ve been organising since 2015 but this year I’m going to take part by doing a 100k cycle,” says Karen.
“To be able to do this event means so much to me.”
Flying high
It’s not only on the ground where Karen likes to test herself though as her challenges have also taken her into the skies.
“Back in 2016 I was lucky enough to get a scholarship through Flying Scholarships for disabled people,” says Karen.
“The aim of that scholarship is to enable people with disabilities to re-focus, learn how to grab opportunities and rediscover who they are and get their lives back.
“It was an incredible experience.”
Looking to the future, Karen, who says her family including her husband Rob and her grown-up children Natalie, Charlotte and Christopher have been a huge support, has more challenges on the horizon.
“This summer I want to get to the top of the Cairngorms, that’s my plan,” says Karen.
“I also want to try something with the local surfing charity too and I’m going to go gliding again.”
Frankie Butler
Frankie Butler is tenacity in human form.
Left wheelchair-bound and in excruciating pain after a catastrophic hockey injury, the 24-year-old Aberdeen University student has faced more adversity than most.
But four years on from the life-changing ankle injury that left her unable to walk and suffering from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome – a persistent, severe and debilitating pain – Frankie feels stronger than ever, determined not to let her disability define her.
“I feel that for me the only way to deal with something like this is to try and find the positives every day,” says Frankie.
“It has been incredibly hard and I’ve been through some periods of severe depression, but the only thing that actually got me out of it was exercise and getting outside.
“I’ve found that when you’re outside, you realise that there’s a lot more to life than just what you’re dealing with in your own bubble.
Catastrophic injury
Originally from Marlow, a town in Buckinghamshire, Frankie, whose mum is from Dundee, grew up spending her holidays in Scotland which inspired her to make the move up to the Granite City where she studies geology at Aberdeen University.
An elite hockey player, Frankie was only two years into her course when her world was turned upside down.
“I was an international hockey player but I suffered a very catastrophic injury while playing for the university which tore all the ligaments in my ankle,” says Frankie.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t caught early on so five weeks down the line I ended up having to have quite severe reconstructive surgery which didn’t go to plan.”
Excruciating pain
Frankie was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a condition triggered by an injury where the skin of the affected body part can become so sensitive that a slight touch, bump or even a change in temperature can cause intense pain.
Despite being forced to put her studies on hold and move back home, Frankie refused to give up hope, gradually moving from a wheelchair to crutches which she now uses to get about.
“I was in so much pain that I couldn’t focus on work so I tried to focus on sport, getting outside and finding a new way to reconnect with what my new body was,” says Frankie.
“In a way I’ve been really lucky as I’ve been able to re-learn things that people don’t get to re-learn, like learning to walk again.
“I feel that for me the only way to deal with something like this is to try and find the positives every day.”
Positive attitude
Although Frankie suffers from chronic pain 24/7, she has returned to university and has since got back into sport by using specially adapted wheelchairs and crutches.
“I actually did a marathon in my wheelchair to raise money for the NHS team that had been looking after me,” says Frankie.
“Now I go out for runs on my crutches so I’ve done the parkrun in Edinburgh and at home in Marlow and I really want to do the one in Aberdeen.
“There’s always a way through whatever the difficulty.”
5K followers
Frankie’s positive take on her experiences has amassed her over 5,000 followers on her Instagram page and she is also an ambassador for the international running brand Salomon.
“I’m the first disabled ambassador for Salomon Running which is really exciting,” says Frankie.
“It’s really empowering to feel part of the trail running community.
“I love being out in the hills being in nature, feeling your wheels on the ground and hearing the sounds and seeing the different scenery it’s all encompassing and calming as well as helping you work your way through difficult stuff.”
Source of hope
Being able to share her journey on Instagram has been cathartic for Frankie.
“I’ve had people contact me from all over the world which has been really nice,” says Frankie.
“I’ve had lots of great conversations with people who also have Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome which has been great.
“I just want to show people that there is hope in this recovery.”
Just last month Frankie won the Inspirational Award at Aberdeen’s Sports Awards.
“It was such honour, I still can’t quite believe it,” she said.
Asked what her plans are for the future, Frankie just wants to keep doing what she’s doing.
“I just want to keep being happy and keep doing things I enjoy,” says Frankie.
“We don’t have too long on this wee rock floating about space so if I can have the most fun I can while I’m here then I should try it.”
Brynn Hauxwell
As the first wheelchair user to complete the entire length of Hadrian’s Wall, Brynn Hauxwell is used to breaking down barriers.
The remarkable 17-year-old from Shetland, who has fixed ankle contractures, a condition that affects the motion in his ankles, as well as severe asthma, autism and ADHD, is on a mission to show people that wheelchair users can achieve things they might not have thought possible.
“To be the first wheelchair user to complete Hadrian’s Wall was amazing,” says Brynn.
“It gave me a massive boost and it proved that just because of your disability it doesn’t mean you can’t go and do anything outside.”
Sheer determination
Brynn’s never-give-up spirit shines through his Instagram page – Breaking Down Barriers with Brynn – where he inspires people from every corner of the world.
“I set my Instagram page up about three or four years ago as I was doing fundraising and I also wanted to show people the importance of getting outside to improve your mental health,” says Brynn.
“I also want to show that you can get outdoors no matter your ability.
“I get loads of messages from America, New Zealand and other parts of the world.
“It’s amazing to know that I’m inspiring so many people.”
10 Downing Street
In fact Brynn is so inspirational that earlier this year he was invited to Number 10 Downing Street.
“I was honoured to be invited to celebrate Burns Night and Scottish culture at the Prime Minister’s reception,” says Brynn.
“It was an amazing experience.”
Brynn’s number one cheerleaders though are his mum Kim and his sister Faith.
“Brynn just keeps going, he never seems to let anything get him down, he always picks himself back up,” says Kim.
“He struggled a bit when he was younger and it wasn’t until he got his adapted wheelchair that he realised he could do the same as everyone else and he found his freedom.
“Brynn also likes to help improve people’s mental health.
“He’s part of a lot of local groups trying to push the whole mental health message across.”
£36,000 for charity
So far Brynn has raised a staggering £36,000 for charity by completing various challenges.
“Brynn’s next challenge is to raise £20,000 by completing 2,000 miles for the charity Just for Children,” adds Kim.
“Our next door neighbour’s children have disabilities so he wants to raise money for them.”
While continuing his incredible feats, Brynn is also keen to bring wheelchair basketball to Shetland.
“I’m doing a coaching course as I want to see more sports over in the Shetland Isles, specifically wheelchair basketball,” says Brynn.
“I’m hoping to get into motorsports too.”
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