My Ablepreneur Journey - Gemma Davies 

If you had told me a few years ago that I would be running an award winning business, speaking at events, delivering workshops and supporting disabled people across the UK, I would never have believed you.

My journey began with a stroke.

The stroke changed my life overnight. I lost around eight hours of my memory and was left having to relearn many of the things most people take for granted. I had to learn how to walk again, talk again, dress myself, shower independently and even eat without assistance.

Recovery was long and challenging. It took around two years before I regained much of my independence. Even now, I live with the lasting effects. I have Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), chronic fatigue, migraines, cognitive difficulties, mobility challenges and fluctuating symptoms that can change from one day to the next.

Like many disabled people, I found that traditional employment no longer fitted the reality of my life. My health was unpredictable, and I needed flexibility that most workplaces simply could not offer.

For a long time, I felt as though everything I had worked towards had been taken away from me.

But over time, I realised that my experiences had given me something valuable. I understood what it was like to navigate disability, chronic illness, exhaustion, grief and the feeling of being left behind by systems that were not designed with disabled people in mind.

That realisation became the foundation of Wellness Without Barriers.

I created Wellness Without Barriers to provide accessible nutrition and wellness support for disabled people, people living with chronic illness and those with limited mobility. My mission is simple: to make health and wellbeing more inclusive and achievable, regardless of someone's circumstances.

Starting a business while managing a disability has not been easy. There have been days when symptoms have forced me to stop. Days when fatigue has won. Days when I have questioned whether I could keep going.

But entrepreneurship has also given me something incredibly important. It has given me purpose, flexibility and the opportunity to create meaningful change.

Today, I deliver workshops, write articles, speak publicly about disability and wellbeing, support individuals through their health journeys and work with organisations that want to create more inclusive spaces.

In 2026, my work was recognised with both the Newcomer Award and Rising Star Award at Business Awards UK.

Those awards mean a great deal, but the achievement I am most proud of is proving that disability does not mean the end of ambition.

National Ablepreneurs Day celebrates disabled entrepreneurs who continue to build, create and contribute despite barriers that many people never see. I am proud to stand alongside so many incredible people who are showing what is possible when talent, determination and lived experience are given the opportunity to shine.

My journey is not about overcoming disability.

It is about building a life and business that works with it.

And that has made all the difference.

Gemma Davies

WELLNESS WITHOUT BARRIERS