A student is campaigning to get the blue disabled badge changed to include a standing figure - to make it more inclusive. Sam Vestey, 20, has been lobbying his local MPs for the change on the badge to represent unseen and 'invisible' disabilities.
The student has a chromosomal condition called DiGeorge syndrome and survived a pineoblastoma brain tumour as a child. He says he is often challenged by people about how disabled he really is - especially over parking spaces.
Sam, who has been campaigning for a more inclusive disability badge at Cleeve school since he was in year eight, said: “There are many people like me with disabilities that effect our mobility over time which means we need wheelchairs for when we are tired. However, because we can walk a lot or a little of the time, we get many people questioning our need for a disabled badge asking if we are disabled or not, especially if we don’t look disabled on the outside.”
Sam, who has a disability badge, says DiGeorge syndrome has given him a cleft pallet and scoliosis, with the former affecting his speech and the latter affecting his back. He explained he has no learning disabilities, but people often misunderstand his condition because it appears invisible.
He added: "Just because people can’t see my disability, they don’t understand how much pain I am in and how fatigued I get. That’s why I have a disabled badge. I’m not blaming anyone as even I do this, but over time I have learnt that we need to think outside the box as only people that know you very well know that how your disability affects you on a daily basis.
"If we had a stick figure standing up as well as one in a wheelchair, people would understand that there are people with hidden disabilities who get worse over time or hidden disabilities in general. I would also like more information talking about this on the sign as well."
National Star, a Gloucestershire-based charity which supports young people with complex disabilities and learning difficulties, is backing Sam and his campaign. Chief Executive David Ellis said: "National Star is passionate about helping young people with disabilities become equal and active citizens in control of their own lives.
"We applaud his determination."
Sam is due to start his second year at National Star next month. He has already contacted his local MP Laurence Robertson and Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk and will continue his campaign until he sees the change come into play.
