Nora Gainey

Nora is from Hermosa Beach in California and moved to Australia in 2003. She found Toowoomba, which she says is where she will stay, although every summer she wonders why.

Nora has ADHD, ASD (autism spectrum disorder), sensory differences, PTSD, osteoarthritis, ME/CFS (chronic fatigue), and fibromyalgia. Nora has also experienced anxiety and depression for most of her life, but didn't get an official diagnosis until she was in her twenties.

Nora has become a QBlogger because she would like to see people accept that disability is part of the human condition. She says people with disability have the same hopes and dreams as the rest of humanity. She says many of our disabilities are simply things that most people don't have.Nora is passionate about pretty much everything (ADHD to the core she supposes). In her life Nora has experiences homelessness and addiction. She is involved in alcohol anonymous and narcotics anonymous groups, which she says have saved her kid’s lives. She is passionate about changing the stigma around addiction, as diseases instead of moral failings.

Disability rights have been on her radar for a long time. She did a short course on disability studies in the 90s where she learned a lot about other people’s disabilities. She is interested in changing misunderstanding and stigma around disabilities.

Nora has an Associate of Science degree in horticulture and over the years has worked in a variety of jobs from landscaping and landscape planning, a nursery, an irrigation and plumbing supply, office work, website design, flaw sewing, and more! She has spent a lot of time as a student as well.

Nora is skilled painting, drawing, embroidery, sewing, knitting, cooking and baking, working with animals.