• Connor Murphy, pictured with his boss, Freo MP Melissa Parke, is determined not to let his disability define his life.
FOR Connor Murphy, simply trying to change the TV channel with a remote control can be challenging.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is characterised by aggressive muscle degeneration, which results in an inability to walk and, in most cases, death at a young age.
The 23-year-old, an electoral staffer with federal Freo Labor MP Melissa Parke, deals with DMD by acknowledging it’s part of his life, but not its focus.
The Beaconsfield local is wheelchair-bound and requires around the clock care but he didn’t let that stop him flying to Canberra last week to speak at the Rare Voices Australia parliamentary BBQ.
“It has been difficult growing up with the disease, because you are faced with new challenges all the time,” he told the Herald.
“A year ago I could play a computer soccer game and now I can’t. But you find your way around these challenges and you are not going to get anywhere without a positive attitude.
“My personal achievements have made me realise that determination and a positive mindset can truly overcome life’s most difficult journeys, particularly when faced with a chance of dying at such a young age.”
The Murdoch university arts and history graduate was first diagnosed at the age of three.
He said it, “marked the start of a constant battle against his own body”.
Even though people suffering DMD rarely live past 25, Mr Murphy says dying young “is not an option”.
“Despite this difficult life journey, I have managed to have a strong positive outlook, expressing a sense of ambition and drive for success which has led me down some incredible paths,” he says.
“I hope that through my work, and my involvement in Rare Voices Australia, I can be a true inspiration for young Australians who are burdened by rare disease and are making their individual aspirations become a reality.”
Ms Parke describes Mr Murphy as a valuable member of her team.
“I think this proves that there is no reason why people living with disabilities cannot lead fulfilling lives in a range of occupational fields.”
by BRENDAN FOSTER