HELLO! WELLBEING
TAKING CONTROL
Wheelchair basketball star Amy Conroy on goal-setting, self-care and silver linings
For three-time Paralympian Amy Conroy, the wheelchair basketball court is her sanctuary and the place that helped rebuild her confidence after she lost her leg to cancer when she was 13.
“I can forget about the outside world when I’m playing,” the 30-year-old mental health advocate – and brand ambassador for insurance company AXA – tells hello!.
Amy is opening up about her struggles in order to help others as part of this year’s AXA Mind Health Report into mental health and wellness issues in society.
“The study shows that 55% of people believe the stigma surrounding mental health is decreasing, which is amazing – but it’s not enough,” she tells us. “There is no shame whatsoever if you’re having a sticky patch.”
Here, Amy shares her strategies for managing down days and explains why self-care is much more than a bubble bath.
Amy, have you always been into sports?
“Back in the two-legged days, I was a very sporty kid. Whether I was any good or not, I would show up to all the school team try-outs. Then a pain in my knee made me start pulling out of things. I went back and forth to the doctors over the course of a year and was told it was down to flat feet or growing pains.