My interview with Humans of UCL

On 28 November 2013, I was elected the Marketing officer for the UCLU UNICEF on Campus society. The day after, on a fundraising drive to raise support for a Fun Run UNICEF on campus was organising, I was interviewed by the genius and creator of Humans of UCL, the interview is below: 


 “I have a medical condition known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta. It’s more commonly known as ‘brittle bone disease’. Essentially the proteins that comprise my bones are formed imperfectly, so the bones form in a raggedy fashion and that means they can snap very easily. I’m the first in my family to have it so it’s difficult to deal with. It’s also a very rare condition, especially in the UK, so it’s very hard to get advice about it.”

“Has your disability impacted you to be the person you are?”

“If I didn’t have a disability I wouldn’t be the person I am now. It’s driven me to be successful and to be motivated and to not give up. Because it’s so easy to give up with a disability, especially when you’re in the hospital and you live a shit life. But I think I’ve used it to my advantage to try and motivate myself to be more determined to be the best I can be.”

At this point his friend noted that he was the marketing officer for UNICEF on Campus, among other things. So I asked: “What are you involved in now?”

“I’m the marketing officer for UNICEF on Campus, and I’m also the SSEES Committee welfare officer, and I’m a member of the Youth Advisory Panel for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – I advise the UK government on healthcare policies involving children and young people. I administer and do talks across the country, advocating the voices of young people, which are voices that aren’t often heard. And I lecture at King’s College and Greenwich University to medical and nursing students, teaching them about how to best manage long-term medical conditions. Lastly, I teach people conversational English at the language centre.”

“And what do you study?”

“I’m a first-year BA Politics and East European Studies student – I’m 19.”