“The future depends on what you do today.”
Gandhi
Since his diagnosis, Julian has been doing daily physiotherapy—sometimes up to three sessions a day. Early on, during one of our sessions, I noticed he was relying entirely on his able leg to stand. Correcting this imbalance while managing other aspects of the session—with only one pair of hands—was impossible. That’s when I came up with the idea of the laser gun to help him achieve better symmetry.
Julian was born three months premature, weighing just 1 kg (2.2 lbs). He spent his first month in intensive care and the next two in the neonatal unit, finally going home on what would have been his original due date. At one year old, he was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which primarily affects his left leg. His muscles remain constantly tight, making balance quite a challenge.
With each challenge Julian faced as he grew, it became increasingly clear how intuitive it was for me to devise and implement technical solutions to support his development. Over these years I have had an insatiable desire to learn everything possible about biomechanics to help Julian in the best possible way.
So, what I later learned was called postural compensation, is what sparked my fascination—and eventual obsession—with biomechanics and electrical engineering. It took three months to learn electronics to build the laser gun, platform, and target. It took Julian only three minutes to hate it. (But that’s another story!)
For 14 years, out of concern and fear for his future, I trained him as if we were on a military mission…because we were. The mission was simple: to not let his cerebral palsy ever gain the upper hand. And as time went on, Julian’s diverse challenges became the driving force behind all of my technical creations. Some were successful…others flopped miserably!
Now that he is gaining autonomy and managing his own needs more effectively, his reliance on me has shifted. While there’s a quiet sense of loss in that transition, there’s also great pride in his progress. As his need for direct support decreases, I find new space to channel the skills, insights, and innovations developed through our journey into solutions that may benefit others. What began as deeply personal work now has the potential to scale — to inform, support, and empower others facing similar challenges.
I’m genuinely interested in any role where I can use my skills to help others — especially through assistive technology or practical, user-focused solutions. My experience has been hands-on, driven by necessity and love, but the tools and solutions I’ve created have broader potential. I’m eager to contribute to a team, or mission, where my abilities could make a meaningful impact.
Julian is the most amazing person I’ve ever known. Despite his physical challenges—he has never once let them affect him or define who he is. He has faced every obstacle with quiet determination and strength; an unstoppable spirit fuelled by a brilliant sense of humour. Nothing ever slows him down—he just keeps bulldozing forward, no matter what the challenge. He has always been our everything…our absolute inspiration.
