Greetings to all readers , first , I would like to deeply thank our friends at Mélange magazine for giving us the space to make known a little about who we are and what we do for our society .
My name is Karen Koch Ferrer Aquino , I am 33 years old , I am a finalist candidate and proud representative of the country of Mexico in the Miss Wheelchair World 2022 pageant for women with motor disabilities .
Who is Karen Koch Ferrer Aquino ?
Well , I am a proudly Mexican woman who had to face situations , perhaps very hard for a girl , but as time has passed and through experiences , I have learned to value what is truly important , to pay attention to the significance of the simple details that life gives you ; but , above all , to convert what for everyone can be a weakness , into pure strength to reach my goals .
I acquired my disability at the age of 10 , due to a disease called Guillain-Barré Syndrome ( GBS ), in medical terms known as radiculomyelopathy . It is an autoimmune disease , that is , the immune system is out of control due to various factors ( among them , and as it was in my case , a recurrent throat infection and the excessive use of antibiotics ), which causes neurological damage . where the neurotransmitter that covers the terminals as well as the nerve connections called myelin is affected and destroyed , this is called demyelination ; thus , causing the loss of functions such as the motor , sensitive and organic functions . The sequelae of GBS can range from mild , such as the loss of mobility of one or several areas of the body , to severe , such as loss of total mobility of the body ( quadriplegia and vegetative state ) and loss of lung function , for which the person may have a cardiac arrest . respiratory for which the intubation process is carried out , unfortunately in some cases of this syndrome people reach death .
In my case , I consider myself a very lucky person , because despite the fact that the consequences or the neurological damage left by the evolutionary process of the disease were severe and the prognosis for my recovery was always that I would never recover the ability to walk , I am a GBS survivor and being able to see the face of my mother and my father , who passed away two months ago , day by day , carrying out my personal and professional projects , is what makes me happy and move forward day by day .
And this , plus the support and love of my family , has helped me a lot to grow morally and spiritually as a person , to really generate empathy in many ways and give importance to situations and problems that as a person with a disability I live daily due to the social barriers , and that as a person without disabilities I was not able to perceive due to age and lack of information on the subject , since in 1999 the word inclusion was not known both in my country and in my state . For which I have dedicated myself to social activism for 7 years , for part of my professional career and for the defense of the rights of Persons with Disabilities ( PwD ).
What are the goals and achievements you have achieved in your life ?
I have been with my motor disability for 23 years and that has not limited me to fulfill myself as a professional , I currently have a degree in Naturotherapy , working in my private office applying alternative medicine , in which I apply therapies such as acupuncture , homeopathy , massages , physiotherapy , among others . I have a doctorate in Education , and I dedicated myself as a teacher to teach at some university institutions in my city . I work as coordinator of the health area of the Institute of Professional Studies of Sciences and Health of the Southeast ( IEPCS ), I am the host and collaborator in the organization of the “ Friday of Sciences and Health ” program of said institute .
In the field of sports , I practice adapted Calisthenics and is part of the Chiapas Wheelchair Sport Association , A . C ., as well as the mixed adapted basketball team “ Chiapas Selection ”, an association whose objective is to spread adapted sport to the municipalities of the Chiapas state .
I am a social activist in defense of the rights of Persons with Disabilities ( PwD ), a speaker and workshop facilitator whose objective is to raise awareness and sensitize society in general about the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities ; work that I undertake independently and in collaboration with some municipal and government institutions . And I hope soon to be able to establish a civil association for the benefit of my social sector .
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Miss Wheelchair World USA 73