As an HR Director, I spent my career helping create inclusive workplaces. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and developed lymphoedema following treatment that I truly understood disability through lived experience.
Cancer changed many aspects of my life. Alongside treatment, I experienced visible changes that affected my confidence and self-image. Today I continue to manage lymphoedema, a long-term condition that requires daily management and serves as a permanent reminder of my cancer journey.
What surprised me most was the gap between how I felt about my disability and how others may have perceived it. Living with a visible reminder of cancer made me more aware of how vulnerable colleagues with disabilities can feel and how easily assumptions can be made. That experience reinforced something I have long believed - if we want to build truly inclusive workplaces, we must listen to the people who live that experience every day. The most effective solutions rarely come from policies alone; they come from creating opportunities for colleagues to share their experiences, challenge assumptions and shape change together.
This insight inspired me to establish Abri's Disability & Chronic Illness Forum, creating a space where colleagues can support one another, share experiences and help us better understand how we can build a more inclusive workplace. The forum has already helped shape practical improvements, including more inclusive language in our Workplace Reasonable Adjustments Procedure, changes to the make-up of Accessibility Panels to ensure they are representative and the introduction of an appeal stage, better protection for equipment like chairs and screens to avoid them being move or adjusted, and a stronger, more joined-up approach to reasonable adjustments so colleagues and managers can access support more easily.
For me, one of the most powerful outcomes has been the colleague voice the forum has created. By listening to colleagues' lived experiences, we have been able to make improvements that might otherwise have been overlooked. It is a reminder that inclusion is not something that is designed behind closed doors; it is built through partnership, trust and a willingness to learn from one another.
One lesson I have learned is that many people are still reluctant to disclose a disability. Some worry about how they may be perceived, whether opportunities might be affected, or whether they will be treated differently. Yet most disabilities do not prevent people from performing at their best and often require only simple, reasonable adjustments.
During Disability Pride Month, I encourage all leaders to reflect on a simple question - are we creating environments where colleagues feel safe to disclose, supported to thrive and confident they will be judged on their contribution rather than their condition?
Inclusion is not just about policies and adjustments. It is about creating a culture where everyone feels seen, valued and able to be their best. And that starts by listening to, learning from and acting on the voices of those with lived experience.
I'm grateful to every colleague at Abri who has shared their story through our Disability & Chronic Illness Forum. Your openness is helping create a workplace where more people feel seen, supported and able to thrive.
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