- Lottie Jackson
- lottiejacksonenquries@gmail.com
“To fully understand our patients, we ideally need to have shared experience with them,” paediatric trainee Sophie Jackson said. “Having doctors of diverse backgrounds and abilities is crucial because it shows the next generation what is achievable despite adversity. An innate understanding of disability is also vital—it means that kind actions are intuitive rather than reactive.”
My sister Sophie understood the power of diversity and what people can achieve more than most. During her early years growing up in Bristol she was diagnosed with a congenital muscle weakness. This brought logistical challenges and setbacks—ones that she navigated with aplomb. With the support of family, it became obvious that Sophie, as well as the people closest to her, would never treat disability as a hindrance. In fact, for many she was one of the most resilient people they knew.
Sophie began her education at Clifton High School, where on her first day—united by a love of sticker books and Disney VHS tapes—she made lifelong friends. It did not matter that she couldn’t easily climb stairs, or compete against them on the sports field, Sophie was totally accepted by her peers.
As she progressed through school, her intelligence was as clear as it was expansive. She excelled in diverse subjects from science and literature to art and drama—frequently winning academic prizes and, ultimately, a sixth form scholarship to …
