When I say disability what you do you think? Before my accident I would have said those with a mobility problem, such as me, a wheelchair user.

Well the official description according to the 2010 equality act is ‘a physical or mental impairment, the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities’.

Often disability awareness and rights involves increasing access – ramps, lifts, disabled toilets etc. To me these are the most important as they affect my life. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Us wheelchair users are actually well catered for.

It’s in public psyche and, despite the environment I live in being far from perfect, I find getting about and conducting normal day-to-day activities quite achievable.

This week I was watching a TV show called You Deserve This House. It’s a TV show for do-gooders who spend their lives helping others to the extent that that they ignore their own needs, namely doing up their house. It’s a classic DIY show where they do up a house in secret, but they use people who have been helped by the do-gooder to conduct the work.

This particular episode featured a lady who was a volunteer speech therapist. During the program they featured home videos of the people with speech impediments prior to being helped. I was shocked.

These people have a greater disablement than I do. Such severe stutters that often these people were unable to say their kid’s name, or even have a conversation. The impact of this meant that many of them were housebound, petrified, embarrassed and unable to interact with their environment and even family. It was a real tear-jerker and got me thinking. It’s obvious that I am disabled. I use a wheelchair. I can’t fake being able-bodied.

Disability can be mental illness, depression can lead to a life trapped in your home, OCD can be far more disabling than using a wheelchair. Imagine not being able to use public toilets, a door handle inducing fear. I’d probably stay at home.

So let’s take a leaf out of the volunteers that are featured on this TV show. You might not be able to build a ramp but if you have a few hours spare a week please find somewhere to volunteer.

Anyone whose life is compromised by a disability deserves the level of help that I have been given to live a normal life.

Disability is everywhere and you have the ability to make a real difference to someone’s life – go ahead and make a difference. You might even get a makeover!