Derby MS sufferer seeks to raise awareness of condition after car park incident

A 22-year-old Derby woman, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), has been left shocked and upset after a total stranger approached her in a supermarket car park and suggested that she was not entitled to have the blue badge she was displaying in her car.

Hannah Campbell was just 17 when she was diagnosed with MS and now she wants to raise awareness of the illness and how it is not always obvious that someone has the condition.She said: "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 and then made out he was warning me to be careful and implied I had stolen it and he didn't want me to get caught. "I was completely taken by surprise that he should say that and I did my best to ignore him and get into my car as soon as I could. But I felt really shaken and realised how much he had rushed to judgement about my condition."

"I would like to raise awareness of sometimes invisible, sometimes visible disabilities that people can have and no one would know. Not all disabilities are visible and just because we’re young, it doesn’t mean we’re fine and doesn’t mean we can’t possibly be disabled."Multiple sclerosis is caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It cannot be cured, but medicines and other treatments can help ease some of the symptoms.Hannah, who lives in Oakwood, said: "Every day can be different and it has affected my mental health. In fact, I had been coming out of a very long and dark tunnel mentally when the old man approached me in the Morrisons car park."But I tried not to let it affect me. He was showing his prejudice. Just because you can't see someone's disability, it doesn't mean it's not there. I don't want to have to have a blue badge or park in disabled spaces but I need to. Nobody wants to be disabled.