Disabled mum left ‘shaken’ after row over blue badge

A disabled mother was left feeling ‘shaken’ when she was confronted by a stranger in a car park over the use of her blue badge.

Hannah Campbell, 22, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago, was in total shock when a man demanded to know why she had the blue badge – and even suggested she’d stolen it.

Hannah, who lives in Oakwood, Derby, first learned that she had multiple sclerosis at 17.

MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of symptoms including problems with vision and physical movement.

Following her recent ordeal, Hannah says she is committed to raising awareness of the illness – which she says is not always obvious at first sight.

Hannah, who lives in Oakwood, Derby, first learned that she had multiple sclerosis at 17. She struggles with pain, weakness and fatigue due to the condition

She told Derybyshire Live: ‘I had just put the trolley back after shopping and made my way back to my car when the man stopped me and told me that someone had been taking pictures of blue badges in cars. Then he made out he was warning me to be careful and implied I had stolen it and he didn’t want me to get caught.’

Hannah said she was taken aback by the man’s comments and immediately removed herself from the situation by rushing to her car as quickly as she could.

She added that although she tried to ignore him, she was left feeling ‘really shaken’ and realised just how much she had been judged on her condition.

The former student warned that although people may not see her disability, it doesn’t mean it’s not there, and that she’d rather not wear a blue badge but she clearly needed to.

Hannah first suspected something was wrong when she woke up one day with double vision – which was later accompanied by severe headaches and fatigue.

It took six months for experts to work out what was wrong and make a formal diagnosis.

And although her father also has MS, The NHS states the condition isn’t directly inherited, but people who are related to someone with the condition are more likely to develop it.

Speaking on the impact the illness has had on her life, Hannah added: ‘The thing is, I have good days, and bad days when the pain is so bad I can hardly get about and need crutches. And another day when it eases, but it still isn’t right and I am determined not to use crutches – nobody wants to be disabled.’

She revealed that she was was finally ready to raise awareness of her disability which at times appeared to be invisible, while at other times very visible – and even recently took part in the national MS Awareness Week back in April.

She went on to say that young people also lived with MS, and that they too could also be labelled as disabled.

Her mother Jackie adds that although she was initially worried about cruel remarks from strangers, she is now very proud of her daughter who she says is doing her best to build herself up to face the future.