A young woman who overcame the challenges of being born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus to win a place in the Tayside Special Olympics team will launch her autobiography at Carnoustie Library on Thursday.
When Sarah Anderson (22) and her twin brother David were born, their parents were told that the baby girl’s chances of survival were small.
Despite the bleak early prognosis, and warnings that she would never be able to walk, Sarah proved everyone wrong by learning to walk and then attending schools in Carnoustie, followed by a spell at Angus College.
Since leaving school four years ago, Sarah, of Carlogie Road, has been a volunteer at the Cats Protection centre at Kinaldie, near Arbroath.
Some years ago, she discovered the world of Special Olympics, and has a haul of medals from her many successes in ten-pin bowling as part of the Tayside Special Olympics team.
She has gold, silver and bronze medals and numerous ribbons from her wins in the UK, European and international games in Shanghai, Leicester, Rome and Glasgow.
In 2007, she won the Angus Sports Personality of the Year for People With Disabilities award.
Sarah said, “If it wasn’t for the Special Olympics I wouldn’t be as confident. I didn’t used to be confident in speaking to new people and was very shy and had low self-esteem.
“That has changed a lot now thanks to the Special Olympics. I am still a bit shy but not as much as I used to be.
“I wrote this story to prove that people with a disability can reach for the stars. We should all try to do our best in everything we do.”
Sarah’s autobiography is published by WomenWord Books, Carnoustie, and is available from the pet shop in Carnoustie High Street; Wallace Veterinary Practice, Barry Road, Carnoustie; Angus Association of Voluntary Organisations, High Street, Arbroath and the Volunteer Centre Angus, Guthrie Port, Arbroath.
Profits will be donated to the Arbroath and District Cats Protection and Tayside Special Olympics.