NO MORE HIDING

The odds are against her, but Brittanie lives an independent life and wants to be open about the rare condition she was born with

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EVERY morning she wakes up in her home, dresses herself and heads out to work as an adjudicator in the customer service centre at her local bank.

Everyday activities most people do without much thought, right? Well, yes – but then most people aren’t Brittanie Wilson.

The 33-year-old from St Paul in Minnesota in the USA is living with a condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), which occurs when a baby doesn’t move correctly or enough while developing in the womb. This causes joints to become fixed and can lead to such catastrophic disabilities that parents are often advised to abort the fetus.

Brittanie’s parents, Troye and Philip, refused termination – even though the prognosis was bleak.

“When I was born the doctors told my parents I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself at all, in any way, shape or form,” Brittanie said. “When I look back on this it makes me very upset that they set the expectations for my life so low.