'I wanted to walk after my accident, strangers said they'd rather be dead'

When Amelia Peckham was 19, she endured a life-changing quadbike crashthat left her battling to recover her mobility. During one of her physiotherapy sessions in hospital, a visitor she had been speaking with casually remarked: "Honestly, you are amazing for carrying on. I'd rather be dead."

She said: "To hear that was earth-shattering. It made me think, why am I bothering with all this if someone else would rather be dead?

"I was so focused on trying to regain movement and feeling in my legs, I was totally focused on physio. I didn't want to be dead, I wanted to be alive, independent, and ensure that myself and everyone around me was given the best shot at returning to daily life independently."

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This marked the first of numerous "earth-shattering" remarksAmelia would encounter as she departed the hospital requiring mobility aids, like 4.3 million other people in the UK as mobility issues is the most commonly reported form of disability. Sadly, many confront a harsh reality of being scrutinised, experiencing shame and sometimes even suffering abuse when utilising their aids publicly.

Research conducted by Amelia's company Cool Crutches & Walking Sticksfound 93% of people feel scrutinised in public for using walking aids, whilst three in five have encountered negative or abusive remarks.

A Bupastudy highlighted the psychological toll these incidents take as disabled people experienced increased anxiety levels and reduced self-esteem. The survey revealed that Amelia wasn't alone in experiencing such harsh comments from strangers, with other disabled people reporting accusations of faking their condition or receiving cruel remarks about their age, weight and various other personal attributes.

One participant shared a shocking incident: "I've had my stick pushed from underneath me and been lightly pushed to see if the 'cripple' would fall". Another was accused: "You're faking it for benefits. You're a write-off. Your family would be better off without you."

The survey also uncovered instances where women were subjected to sexually abusive comments linked to their mobility aids, including disturbing remarks like "at least you can't run away from me". One respondent recounted: "I was told I haven't had sex with the right person and that he'd f*** it right out of me."

Amelia remembered how she had to quickly develop a thick skin when she first became disabled and was suddenly exposed to this new world filled with judgement and stigma. She expressed: "The world wasn't ready to see someone young, disabled, and visible, and it still isn't.

"When I left the hospital, disabled people were barely visible in the media, unless it was tied to tragedy. Walking aids were portrayed as something to hide or fear. And while that's slowly changing, there's still so much work to do."

Amelia is on a mission to change perceptions about mobility aids, hoping they will be seen as symbols of independence rather than objects of shame. She said: "One day, I hope walking aids will be viewed like glasses: something that helps you live better and look great while doing it.

"How someone reacts to your disability says everything about them, and nothing about you. I just hope more people realise that. Disabled or not."