Photo of Joanne O’Riordan speaking to a United Nations conference yesterday in New York

Thought on Friday – April – 27/04/2012

‘I do not look at the word impossible as being impossible. I look at that word and my life and say I am possible.’ ~Joanne O’Riordan

Yesterday was a historic moment when 16 year old Joanne O’Riordan from Millstreet, spoke at a meeting of the United Nations in New York. She is the only person with a disability to be invited to this exclusive conference entitled “Girls in Technology”. Joanne was born without any limbs, a condition known as Total Amelia. Joanne continues to inspire people worldwide by her positive, upbeat and bubbly attitude to life. Her speech yesterday received a standing ovation and was richly deserved. Joanne’s motto is “no limbs no limits”. She has never allowed her disability to hold her back. Technology is her best friend. Even without limbs she can type up to 36 words a minute. She said: “All my life I have struggled and overcome barriers. I have surprised doctors, nurses, strangers, friends and even my own family by what I have achieved. I am very lucky that I have the support of my family. They have done everything in their power to ensure that I would not lose out on my education and technology was the key in helping me. Technology is the limb I never had and has opened up a world of possibilities through which I have excelled. I am asking the girls of technology who are here today and who are the leading women within their field to start doing what I do in my life: think outside the box. Think of ways and means that you can make technology more accessible to those who really need it, because let’s face it we all know women are better than men at most things, so why not technology! Life is about living and technology is not just a way of life, it’s a way of living. Just because I have no limbs does not mean I will be limited and neither should you.”