Michaela Hollywood

Michaela is a 30-something woman living in County Down, Northern Ireland. The youngest of four girls, she loves being surrounded by family and enjoys listening to music, and watching snooker, Disney, and Harry Potter in her free time. She also loves to attempt to predict talent show winners.

She has a diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy type 2 and was also born without ears. She’s a full-time powered wheelchair and hearing, aid user.

Michaela is a renowned campaigner and activist for disability rights. She’s been recognized by UK Prime Minister David Cameron with a Point of Light, was part of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2015, she was given a Spirit of Northern Ireland award and in 2019 was identified as an Emerging Leader by the US State Department and International Fund for Ireland.

Michaela has many areas of interest including access to health care, access to Personal Assistants and being an employer, how the entrepreneurial mindset is important to disabled people, accessible public spaces (especially bathrooms!), and government interventions to improve the lives of disabled people.

Click here to read all of Michaela's articles on SpinalMuscularAtrophy.net.