When I first learned about Diana Shafer, a 30-year-old
woman from San Jose, California, I was immediately impressed. Besides her awesome Martial Arts photos, one
of the things I found really interesting was that
she first discovered BPI in college. When she was born, her mother didn’t speak English very well, due to the fact that she had emigrated from Vietnam. Diana's research on Erb's Palsy began when she was preparing
for an oral presentation. She chose for the topic to be about herself so she could discuss her injury openly for the first time.This says a lot about Diana's self-confidence. It’s not easy to talk about something, in front of your peers, that has been a lifelong struggle. But Diana did that and succeeded.
Since then she has gotten involved in Martial Arts and has created an Instagram account and YouTube channel. Her motivation is to help others who deal with similar struggles and inspire them to soar beyond their dreams.
In addition to these great accomplishments, Diana is getting married this month and is a stepmother to two children.
You can find Diana on Instagram @onearmjiujitsu, subscribe to her YouTube channel, or add her on Facebook to follow her journey.
Q & A
Hi
Diana! Thanks so much for sharing your story with me. Can you tell me when your Erb’s Palsy symptoms began and how your arm is affected?
I
have had a Brachial Plexus Injury to my right arm since birth. I was injured by
the doctor during delivery. My right arm has limited movement due to severed
nerves. My
right arm is slightly shorter and smaller than my left. I cannot raise my arm
at the shoulder, but I do have the ability to raise my arm at the elbow to 90
degrees. I do not have a strong grip in my right hand and I have
minimal feeling in my hand as well. I have waiter’s tip, which is a deformity
of the affected wrist. I also have Horner’s syndrome, which affects my right
eye, in which it droops slightly.
