It started when she began tripping more and had increasing difficulty climbing stairs.
In the decade since, she’s endured challenges many couldn’t comprehend but still tried to maintain a positive attitude throughout.
“If you are positive, it makes things a lot more pleasant,” she said.
Doctors can’t quite identify the neurological condition she has had for the past decade. It is one that has taken away her ability to stand and walk, and left her with only partial use of her left arm.
She now requires 24/7 care and spent 10 months of last year in hospital.
Currently in her first year studying law at Southern Queensland University, she said people’s perceptions towards those with physical disabilities needed to change.
“They see the wheelchair and assume I’m no more than the wheelchair,” she said.
She described how people in the street would often speak to the people she was with, rather than her.
“People in wheelchairs can see you staring, so if you are going to stare you may as well say hello,” she said.
It is her personal experience of living with a disability that is motivating her to study law.
“I want to help those with disabilities navigate the legal system,” she said.
Miss Cahill requires the use of a power wheelchair, meaning getting around can be difficult.
She is currently raising funds for a wheelchair accessible vehicle through GoFundMe. She estimates a second-hand one could cost anywhere between $30,000 and $90,000.
Having access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle would provide her with a lot more independence.
Currently, there are five wheelchair accessible vehicles in town — and only two that she feels comfortable in with her larger wheelchair.
This means sometimes she has to factor in a wait of half an hour or more or risk missing out on attending appointments.
Then there’s the financial cost of relying on wheelchair taxis. Miss Cahill will often spend between $60 and $100 a week on transport.
A wheelchair accessible vehicle would also allow her to go on longer journeys to Melbourne to visit her sister or go to the beach, something she currently can’t do.
Miss Cahill is grateful for the support she has received from the wider community, but also her family.
“It’s immeasurable their support, I’m lucky to have them in my corner, they mean everything to me,” she said.
To donate to the GoFundMe fundraiser, visit tinyurl.com/33xvyk2r
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