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Thusara “Tish” Peiris

I never thought the words disability and Tish would be used in the same sentence. My only experience with people with disabilities was on “D-Day” when I was at school in Sydney.  That was until 1994, when I was seriously injured in a car accident in Sri Lanka.

Almost twenty years have passed since doctors told my family I had no hope of achieving a full life. And yet,  I have managed to complete two post graduate degrees.

In a way, having an acquired disability has had a profound effect on me; it’s exposed both the best and the worst of people, of humanity, of opportunity and of respect. I have a disability as well as many abilities and they’ve allowed me to thrive. I’ve been a disability officer, National Union of Students representative, I’ve sat on the academic board at my university, I’ve been on the board of the Disability Council of NSW. Today, I’m a filmmaker and journalist. I have been many things, but what I’d like to be known as, is pretty simple really; Tish.