‘Anastasia Tempest sounded like a really powerful woman’

I was officially registered with a new name. Goodbye, Anna Smith. Hello, Anastasia Tempest!

Changing my name was liberating. For years, other people had put their labels on me, which were never positive. But at last I’d taken charge and invented my own label.

I changed my name to change my life.

Now when I met new people and told them my name, they commented:

‘ What a lovely name, you sound like a film star.’

I can remember the first time I filled it in on an official form. I wrote it with a flourish. I loved the way it sounded. The way it looked. Glamorous. Strong.

Of course, even with my new name, I still had problems. Everyday life isn’t easy for people with a physical disability. Just getting around and gaining access to where you want to go, can be a challenge.

In younger years, I used a manual wheelchair. But my hands were never strong enough to be able to go far. In more recent years, I’ve had various electric wheelchairs.

People think state-of-theart electric wheelchairs are freely available via the NHS. But they’re not.

It’s a postcode lottery what type of electric wheelchair you get. Some NHS wheelchair services only offer outdoor powerchairs. Others may offer a chair that works both indoors and outdoors.

In recent years, I’ve been using a chair that’s cumbersome and keeps breaking down.

In July 2019, I began crowdfunding for a replacement £11,000 electric wheelchair, and I’ve so far raised around £1,475.

I find it hard asking other people – some of them complete strangers – for help. But what choice do I have?

The only way I can think of to get a new wheelchair allowing me to continue to make the most of my life, is to appeal via the internet.

I certainly won’t be expecting help from my own family.

My birth mother is still alive, as far as I know – although I haven’t seen her for 30 years.

My life has never been easy. But I’m 54 now, I’ve been Anastasia Tempest for the past 14 years and I stand on my own two feet.

To support Anastasia, search Gofundme for ‘Anastasia Tempest’.

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