THIS STUDENT scientist who was told she was ‘FAKING’ her disability when she got out of her wheelchair admits she feels nervous asking someone to give up their priority seating on the bus because of DISCRIMINATION but hopes to diminish the stigma around invisible illnesses and one day find a CURE.

Graduate student, Sara Whitestone (24) from Ohio, USA, who is currently studying in Bordeaux, France, developed POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) in 2010 yet the condition had been undiscovered in her for two years.

Sara had never heard of POTS before but when her symptoms developed, she went from being able to run a half marathon to suddenly being unable to walk between her bedroom and bathroom without fainting.

While studying her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, Sara’s POTS diagnosis played havoc with her studies, preventing her from attending classes.

In 2012, Sara began using a wheelchair to get around campus more in order to prevent POTS from hindering her day-to-day life. It took years for doctors to diagnose Sara because she wasn’t believed for a long while, but she admits that when people see her in a wheelchair, they assume she must be paralysed. Although, people who have seen Sara get up from her wheelchair have also accused her of ‘faking’ her illness.

Disability discrimination is something that Sara hopes will lessen over time as people become more accepting of illnesses you can’t see straight away. Assuming that Sara is healthy at face value can work both positively and negatively as she admits that it can help her in job interviews, yet she feels nervous to ask someone to give up their priority seat on the bus.

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