Bullied for being sick - Wheelchair user attacked while trying to enjoy life

Approximately two-and-a-half years ago, Sophraya Price was a vibrant woman. She had recently completed her studies at a community college and was about to embark on her first year at the Northern Caribbean University.

However, just three weeks into the first semester in 2016, Price's life was changed forever. In addition to being extremely ill and partially paralysed, she is now faced with multiple episodes of cyber bullying and unwanted stares whenever she is out in public.

"I have lots of marks on my body because of the medication that I am taking, so some persons think I am bleaching and that it is the reason behind my illness. They will send me private messages to ask me which of the mixtures I am using. Some inbox to ask if I am not ashamed of my condition," she said.

"There are changes with my body, where I am swollen, and people will say that I am so fat and ugly. I try not to pay them any mind, but it still hurts as I am a human being," she said.

The Internet attack doesn't stop there, as Price said she is often trolled by perverts who are sexually aroused by the fact that she is wheelchair bound and partially paralysed.

She stated that while she will block the Internet bullies from her social media pages, she is still hurt and disturbed by some of the messages and comments.

Still, Price tries to live a normal life, and even attends parties and other entertainment events. But the vibrant and upbeat 22-year-old is often criticised for doing so.

Price explained that before getting ill in 2016, she would participate in numerous activities during high school and in college.

"I slipped and hit my back on the bathroom counter one night, but I didn't received any major damage. I went to the doctor, and a lot of tests were done and I was OK. After that, I had a limp, but it was going away. I decided to try out for the netball team even though I had a little limp, and while we were doing some small drills, my legs just gave way and I collapsed and that was it," she said.

UNKNOWN CAUSE

Price stated that after she regained consciousness, she had a very high fever and could barely feel her limbs. Doctors initially thought she had contracted the Zika virus, but that test came back negative. Tests for spinal injuries also came back negative, but she experienced multiple seizures.

"I keep telling myself I had a cramp and my legs would go back to its regular self, but, two days later, I realised that this was not so. My right leg went first and then my left leg. My organs began to shut down, and I lost bowel and bladder movements. All of this happened within two weeks. I was paralysed from head to toe," she said.

Although she has been seen by numerous doctors in Jamaica and Cuba, she is yet to get a full diagnosis. What is for certain, though, is the multiple massive epilepsy episodes, excruciating pain, autoimmune disorders, and other neurological conditions.

Price's mother, Sophia Evans, stated that the family would continue to fight until her daughter returns to her normal self. She stated that they partnered with the Sizzla Youth Foundation to host fundraising event for her daughter but it has been postponed.

"She has a very bright spirit and she goes out and post pictures a lot because she doesn't want to feel depressed. But it tends to pose a lot of controversy because persons are saying that she doesn't look ill in her pictures. It has caused some issues with sponsors and so on. We just had a death in the family, so when she even kept a pool party for her birthday, she was just trying to get these things off [her mind]," she said.

"It kind of went down bad with the media, so we, the family, just decided to put off the whole thing. We didn't want people to be looking at Sizzla Youth Foundation as a scamming thing. I hope he [Sizzla] really understands it because when it comes to the point where your integrity is questioned, we decided to just hold off on it for a while," Evans added.