Each note helps

Jakub

„I’m 31 years old. I have been living with a disability since I was a child due to cerebral palsy and my life requires the assistance of another person all day long. But I am very active, I lecture at the Faculty of Philosophy about the way of life of a person with disabilities and I am a lecturer in the Moravian-Silesian region in the project „Live normally 2“.

I consider the fact that some people treat me like a child to be an obstacle to my employment. I am not alone, some other people with disabilities also experience this. That’s why I want to work on raising awareness in this respect and explaining how to approach us. With a coach, I want to explore my strengths and find ways to make my life better.“

Helena

“My name is Helena Šestáková and I am a pharmaceutical laboratory technician with a focus on homeopathy. My approach to health is holistic – I believe that it is possible to live a healthy life without the excessive use of medicines. I try to work on myself and help people find balance.

However, fate has put me to a difficult test. My husband was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor (stage 4 glioblastoma). After three surgeries, he is now at home but completely dependent on my care. In addition, I had to undergo knee surgery myself. Nevertheless, I am determined to stay with him because I believe that being together helps him to keep his personality and dignity.

This experience has taught me that I also have to deal with my own psychosomatic problems that interfere with my life. I would like to find a way to impart my knowledge to people in a different way than in a pharmacy, with more emphasis on individual attention. I am already fulfilling this dream, but I need to move on so that I can live and work within my means.”

Johana

“As a premature baby, I suffer from cerebral palsy and autism which causes me to be hypersensitive. As an orphan, I grew up in an institution but longed to be independent. After two years of effort, I bought an apartment in Ostrava and am now learning to live a full life. I am 26 years old. I have no parents and my grandparents have also passed away and financially paying the mortgage and paying for my medication and rehabilitation is unmanageable. Without the contribution of Konto Barriers and Belong Together Ola, I would not be able to pay for the necessary rehabilitation. I would love to do the rehab again in the fall as it helps me so much, but I will not be eligible from insurance this year or next. I would also like to pay off part of the loan. A coach could help me find other avenues of help and most importantly find a surrogate family.”

Dagmar

“I suffer from many mental traumas due to the neurological syndrome Guillain-Barré, which repeatedly causes the body to collapse, a completely paralyzing condition.  I have been out of my wheelchair twice. But I still have mental conditions based on these experiences.

I don’t want to keep swallowing medication, it doesn’t work for my anxieties. They only cause dizziness and loss of appetite.

By working with therapist and coach Petra Chvátalová, I hope to be able to live without phobias. I want to feel motivated to live again and to be aware of nice things. As it is, I can’t do it without help. I need to unblock traumatic events so that they don’t come back into my mind and stop taking away my motivation for life.”

Alena

“I come from a dysfunctional family and grew up in orphanages. I trained as a weaver. I fell off a roof when I was 20 and have been paralyzed ever since. Since 1996 I have lived in a social services centre in Hrabyně, North Moravia. After the death of a friend who had a severe disability, I longed to become independent and succeeded. Since 2024 I have been living in Opava temporarily in a sublet. My dream is to live on my own permanently. I want to help more people in the Association of the Physically Disabled of Hrabyně (STP) and my friends in wheelchairs, and for this I need better technical means, such as a quality wheelchair and an additional drive. With a coach I want to find out what activities would be gainful for me, for example I enjoy doing graphic work on the computer. At the moment I am doing administration in a sheltered workshop and the earnings are very low, not enough for my plans.he future. I want a life change.”

Michal

“I am studying to teach German at a German university. With the help of a coach, I want to find ways to fulfill my dream of becoming an interpreter after graduation, despite my disability. Although I crave the company of people, I spend most of my time alone. With a coach, I want to clarify my ideas about making friends and partnerships, and I want to find out what I should do better to make more friends and find a partner to start a family with in the future. I want a life change.”