My name is Katharine R. Driscoll fondly known and gone by Katie Bird for my whole life. I am 33. I will be 34 on March 30th. For 20+ years I have been dealing with the effects of genetic disease. I have had Brain surgery, a tumor removed from my lower backside/upper buttock, I have had both hands operated on, my shoulder was also operated on, I have had growths removed from both breasts, and one on my hip as well. I have hypertension and dialated cardiomyopathy and I was just informed yesterday that I am in heart failure and may need a difribulator implanted in my chest. I also deal with chronic widespread pain due to fibromyalgia and an inflammatory disease.

I want to join this March because Donald Trump goes against everything that I believe in. I am a Jewish women with immigrant great grandparents, I am disabled, I believe that I have the right to choose what to do with my own body. I have Muslim friends and gay friends and transgendered friends. I want to March for for so many reasons! I want to March for ALL of our freedoms.

I used to be a chef before I got sick. Went to culinary school, got a degree in management as well but I had to leave it behind when the pain stopped me from functioning. I went into sales for a while but again the disabilities got in the way. I’m now considered disabled by the state of Massachusetts. I spend most of my days confined to my bed or shuttling myself too and from doc appointments. It’s been a very long road. I am now writing a children’s book about a little giraffe named Zoe who wants to become a chef and she and her sidekick James Douglas travel around Africa talking to animals about what they eat. It’s part children’s book part cookbook for parents to interact with their kids.