When I was diagnosed with Parkinson's it floored me. The life I had planned for myself suddenly seemed like rocky ground. The future I had carved out, my career, my relationships etc all thrown into question.
Surviving became important. Thriving became a luxury. The goals moved in my head to adapt to the new expectations I set myself. Getting up in the morning and going to work would now be a challenge, anything I did when I was there a bonus, and as someone who'd always pushed themselves I found this frustrating.
But as time passed I discovered that the ceiling is only there if you put it there. With a little bit of time and a lot of stubbornness you can achieve the things you had planned. You can do well in a job rather than just stay in a job. You can still achieve.
So finding out I had made the BIMA 100 list was a big deal for me.
· BIMA is the British Interactive Media Association, the industry body that represents the UK digital and tech industry
· The BIMA 100 recognises the industry’s most influential people
· I join the BIMA 100 in the Entrepreneurs and Visionaries category
It means that other people can see beyond my condition to what I have achieved. And that's massive for me.
'Tonight is about celebrating the people who are leading the industry right now. It’s about the people we look up to. The people with the imagination, technical skill and creativity to take us forward; and the new talent that can keep our sector strong.' Nat Gross, BIMA Co-President.