Eleanor Simmonds, born with achrondroplasis, dwarfism, has never let her long-term condition stand in the way of her sporting talent or ambitions.
Now Eleanor has given her backing to Staying Positive, a free workshop for young people aged 12 to 18 years living with long-term conditions run by the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company (EPP CIC).
She said: “Staying Positive is a workshop with a difference. It’s run by young people, (aged 15 to 25) who actually live with long-term conditions, for young people – making you feel part of the group from day one. Just spending time with people that understand you makes a huge difference to your confidence and it gives you the feeling that anything is possible. I train extremely hard and don’t let anything get me down, and if the Staying Positive workshop helps just one young person to feel like me then I think it’s brilliant!”
The award-winning, free workshops, which take place across England, are aimed at providing young people with the skills to improve the management of long term-conditions from both a health and social perspective.
An external evaluation, conducted by Oxford University, confirmed that Staying Positive workshops increase young people’s skills, confidence and ability to manage their health condition.
If you would like further information on Staying Positive (EPP CIC) visit www.staying-positive.co.uk