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I'm proud to announce I've been nominated for the National Diversity Awards 2025 - Vote for me by clicking here

Just a Barbie girl in an inaccessible world...

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Living life boldly: the realities of chronic illness, business, and beyond.

Fentrepreneur
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Living with disability
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The Sun
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Daily Echo

I’m a proud Wife,
Businesswoman, and Disability Advocate based in Dorset. 

I’ve been chronically ill since I was two, and over the years, I’ve found my passion in disability awareness.

I love opening up the narrative around chronic illness and consider myself an ‘open book’. Creativity is my happy place, so I’m usually knee-deep in some kind of project.

When I’m not working on something, you’ll probably find me with a cup of tea in hand, surrounded by my enormous Barbie collection.

About Me

Recently on Instagram

  • Vote for me by tapping the link in my bio/stories I've been nominated for a National Diversity Award as a Positive Role Model for Disability - can you believe it?! Nominations close on the 14th May 2025. ID: A woman with pink wavy hair, sitting a wheelchair wearing a floral yellow dress.
    5 hours ago
  • The Many Faces (and Chins!) of Steroid-Induced Cushing's Syndrome - for Cushing's Awareness Day 2025 This is what happens when you’re on steroids long-term - and let me tell you, it’s as uncomfortable as it looks. T/W: Talk of weight and eating. The swelling, the neck hump, the constant hunger, the bruising, the moon face, the chin that just… keeps going. People assume it’s just weight gain, but the fluid retention from Cushing’s doesn’t distribute normally - and that means people notice. Strangers comment. Friends say, “You’ve put on weight.” Some even say, “You look ill.” And the truth is, they’re not wrong. The hunger is insatiable - like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Yet, you’re gaining so much weight that you feel silly for eating. You find yourself thinking, “I don’t need it.” The strange thing is, even if you don’t eat as much as you feel you could, you still gain the weight - it’s totally out of your control and leaves you feeling constantly on edge. The way it makes me look isn’t a filter or an angle issue - it’s a medical side effect from medication that’s been the only thing keeping me functioning, while all the alternatives have caused awful reactions. It’s hard. It’s embarrassing. But it’s also important to talk about Cushing’s Syndrome. When we make it a taboo, more people feel alone. Nobody should be ashamed of how ‘coping’ looks for them - and right now, this is me. I’m told once I come off the steroids, I may return to something resembling my former self - but thanks to the malnutrition, stoma surgery and Cushing’s, I’m not sure I’ll recognise her. My doctors don’t. This one’s for the other Steroid-Induced Cushing’s Syndrome patients out there. I see you. I’m with you. And I promise your worth is not measured by your side profile (or your chins) 💖 Eat the food. Snack if you need to. Your body is going through a lot. @pituitaryfoundation
    1 week ago
  • What’s in my stoma supply cart? @ikeauk edition ✨ VD: A young white woman with pink hair, sitting next to a fully stocked white Ikea cart which is stocked with Stoma supplies. #StomaStorage #Illeostomy #Stoma #ChronicIllness #CrohnsAndColitis #WhatsInMyCart #MyOtherBagIsGucci #Stoma #StomaLife #Ostomate #StomaGirl
    3 weeks ago
  • Vulnerable post: My body has completely changed in the last year, and here’s why… Up until March last year I was on a hefty concoction of medication to manage my ulcerative colitis. Then came my surgery and a promised ‘end in sight’ - finally, the potential to be medication-free. What followed however, was an unexpected change in my joint health and yet another huge diagnosis of enteropathic arthritis. By July, I was back on steroids, and thanks to a plethora of allergies and miscommunication, I’m now in my ninth month of having to take them. Nobody talks about the side effects, nobody tells you what will happen and the worst part? There’s nothing you can do. You have to stay on them to remain functional until an alternative is found, but you feel dreadful. I don’t see enough people talking about Cushing’s - or the mental and physical side effects. Let’s get the conversation flowing - if you have questions, ask me! @pituitaryfoundation is a great resource for more information. @versusarthritis and @crohnsandcolitisuk also have various support pages it you’re wanting to learn more. VD: Listed in the comments. (Hashtags) #Steroids #Prednisone #Cushings #SteroidInducedCushings #SteroidUse #SickGirl #Disability #Crohns #Colitis #Arthitis #Stoma #Illeostomy
    1 month ago
  • International Woman’s Day at the House of Lords with @fentrepreneuruk 
Big shout-out to @joliemclarenx for being my carer for the day and doing an absolutely fabulous job. I couldn’t have made it without you! 
 Something that’s been on my mind is that you as the reader see the things -I do- through the lens of the online world - but not the things I have to cancel, turn down, or pull out of last-minute because of my health.
 Being invited to the House of Lords for International Women’s Day as a disabled woman in business was an incredible moment, as has been the whole experience of being in the f:entrepreneur #IAlso100 this year so far. However, what’s easy to lose sight of is the rest time beforehand and the recovery time afterwards, the meticulous planning, and the unsureness over if my body will co-operate on the day. For someone with chronic health issues, attending an event isn’t about ‘just showing up’ - it’s a huge feat of logistics and planning to leave the house. It often means factoring in mobility, accessibility, medical needs, fatigue, carer availability, and recovery, knowing that one good day can take days or weeks to bounce back from. As a disabled founder, every opportunity I take is carefully measured against my health. For every ‘yes,’ there are ten ‘no’s’- events, meetings, even personal plans I’ve had to turn down, cancel, or step back from just to make this one moment possible. It can be easy to fall into the trap of feeling guilty when you make it to one event over another, questioning if you’re doing enough or if you’ve let other people down. In reality though, without proper pacing and management, you wouldn’t be able to make it out at all - even just to the supermarket. So, as I now recover from the epic day that was yesterday, I sit deep in thought over the balance of outings to health. It’s a ratio I’ll never truly master, but being able to enjoy days like yesterday is an enormous win. I’m so proud of it and @inkfirelimited VDs in comments. (Hashtags) #IWD #IWD2025 #SmallBusinessBritain #DisabledFounder #DisabledLed #DisabledNetworking #WheelchairUser #DisabledLed #DisabledOwned #DisabilityAtWork
    1 month ago
  • I have finally got a rheumatology appointment 🎉 Southampton Hospital Update! VD: Imali super imposed over a screenshot of an email from the CEO of Southampton Hospital. (Hashtags) #Hospital #Update #Disability #Rheumatology
    1 month ago

One year of Merlin & Bruno Happy Stomaversary!

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Disability

Introducing my new wheelchair

Press

I was interviewed on Radio 1, talking about accessible housing

Disability

Sharing my latest Barbie – with hearing aids!

Disability

I reached out to the CEO of Southampton University Hospital

Disability

It’s International Wheelchair Day

A tablet displays the "Mai & Me" blog homepage, which focuses on living boldly with chronic illness, business, and life. Around the tablet, there are speech bubbles showing messages from readers, expressing gratitude for the blog’s content. The messages mention topics like feeling less alone with an ileostomy, mucous fistulas, and finding help for stoma care. The header reads "Creating Conversations..."
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