YOUR stories
Deborah Coleman hears how Emma Kinsella overcame blindness and OCD to pursue her love of writing, using electronic Braille machines
More photos:
AN ARKLOW WOMAN who has battled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since childhood has reached an important personal goal by documenting her story on a Braille machine.
Emma Kinsella ( 25) who lives in Avondale Crescent with her mother Margaret and her partner Don overcame a number of personal challenges to spend the last number of months completing ' My Life with OCD'.
Blind from birth, Emma started her early education in the UK and moved to Ireland at the age of 11.
She attended school in Merrion in Dublin and them in Templerainey N. S. and Arklow Community College where she received all the support and services she needed to use manual and electronic Braille machines.
' I found the schools great. I had a teaching assistant in Arklow who was very good and help me a lot,' explains Emma.
A visiting teacher from NCBI was also assigned to Emma who gets out and about with the help of her cane and the support of Margaret and Don.
The toughest challenge growing up for the budding author, however, was her battle with OCD.
' I found it difficult to express myself. I would bring strangers aside and tell them what I thought were my troubles. They weren't troubles, they were rages and with medication I am getting it under control.'
Music was another way that Emma has found to help her and she now plays with popular Co. Wicklow group Annie's Choice of which Don is also a member.
' I play the tinwhistle, keyboard, bodhrán and concertina and I love it. I play music in two nursing homes with the band.'
Having graduated from a course at the National Learning Network in Arklow, Emma decided to expand her writing which was always a popular hobby to produce her memoir which she hopes will be published.
' I always loved to write. The course was very good and I was able to do computers, anger management, art, drama and personal development. I would love people to be able to read my story and that's why I decided to write it.'
It took Emma a number of months to complete the work but now she has plans to continue her writing and hopes that her next project will be a play.
' I always loved drama and I did it at the National Learning Network course so I would love to write some plays.'
