Balancing Dreams and Diagnosis: Life Goals and My Professional Career

Balancing Dreams and Diagnosis: Life Goals and My Professional Career

It’s been a while since I last wrote about my personal life goals, beyond the usual medical and lymphoedema-focused updates. Since then, I’ve graduated university during the national lockdown and gone on to audition and secure three professional contracts in the performing arts industry.

Straight out of my degree, I spent a lot of time questioning whether dance was truly the right path for me, especially with the weight of lymphoedema care intensified during the COVID-19 outbreak. In time, I came to accept a difficult truth that this condition isn’t going anywhere. If I allowed it to dictate my path, I’d be giving up the vision I had of my life.

My first professional contract was with Disneyland Paris, performing both character roles and dance tracks in their daily and seasonal parades. Living in France for 18 months taught me something I hadn’t experienced before-what it feels like for lymphoedema to be part of me from the start, not a surprise or an afterthought. For the first time, people met me and my condition simultaneously. There was no awkward “reveal.” My castmates at Disney never treated me any differently and the costume design (large and character-based) meant that covering my compression garments was rarely an issue.

After Disney, I landed a six-month cruise contract on AIDAnova, sailing across Northern and Western Europe. This was an entirely different challenge. The rehearsal process and show schedule were the most intense I had ever faced. It involved long days on my feet, dancing in heels and dealing with blistered toes. Despite my best efforts to care for my leg, it felt like a constant uphill battle. I later learned that cruise ship cabins are slightly pressurised which may explain the worsening swelling and discomfort I experienced onboard. I had packed my usual compression allowance but quickly realised how unprepared I was for this type of contract. Although I completed it safely, the difference in my swelling when I returned to England was undeniable.

Armed with that knowledge, I accepted another contract. This time with AIDAcosma for seven months around the Mediterranean and Canary Islands. I nearly doubled the amount of compression garments I brought and developed more proactive self-management strategies. Like my previous experiences, I was fortunate to have a supportive cast and creative team who were open to making thoughtful adjustments: two different shoe sizes for my right and left foot, costume alterations to fit both legs comfortably and full support for wearing my compression on stage.

I know my career is far from over, and I am incredibly lucky to still have the mobility and strength to do what I love. I hope my journey through the performing arts with lymphoedema continues to be met with the same understanding, flexibility and kindness I’ve received so far.

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