In 2018, at 22 years of age, Bernadette was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that ultimately led to her right leg being amputated.
“Cancer completely changed how I see myself and the world,” explains Bernadette. “Losing my leg forced me to figure out who I really am and to step out of my comfort zone.”
How Wrapsthetic was born
This experience inspired her to co-found Wrapsthetic, a company specialising in producing customisable wraps for prosthetics and other disability aids.
“I got to a point where I didn’t want to just ‘accept’ my prosthetic as it was being offered. I wanted to actually love it, style it, make it part of my identity,” explains Bernadette.
“The lightbulb moment was realising… why doesn’t this exist already? In fashion, we customise everything, so why not prosthetics?”
After a period of trial and error while trying things out herself, Bernadette turned to Carson Perry, owner of a car wrapping company, called Art in Motion.
“Over time we were figuring out what worked best on disability aids. This wasn’t only on my leg, we were personalising prosthetics free locally for children going through treatment and people that wanted to experience customisation for the first time.
“The demand grew too much. So we developed a template to customise prosthetics and now our kits are worn around the world. We customise various different disabled aids like walking aids, crutches & AFOs (ankle-foot orthosis) but we’ve also just launched our new Wheelchair Discs.
“There’s been a lot of learning, from design to production to understanding what people actually want. But seeing someone wear a design and feel proud of their disability aid makes every step worth it.”
Being visible
Throughout the journey, Bernadette has shared her experiences on social media to inspire others.
“Seeing someone who looks like you, living a full life, makes such a difference. I didn’t have a lot of that at the time, so I wanted to become that person for someone else – whether that’s through fashion, motherhood, sports or just showing up as I am.
“For me, it’s about creating a space that feels real, not perfect. I share the good moments, but also the messy ones and the learning curves.”
Changing the narrative
“I want Wrapsthetic to change the narrative,” Bernadette says. “Disability shouldn’t be something people feel they have to hide or minimise. We stand by the message, it’s okay to look different.
“If we can help even a small number of people feel proud, stylish and seen, then we’re doing something right.
Like her prosthetic, Wrapsthetic is a part of Bernadette, a demonstration of how she approaches life. “As someone that has experienced life with & without a disability, I’m so much happier now.
“My disability has never held me back. Sure, sometimes I have to do some things differently, but that’s okay. I love my prosthetic leg, it’s my favourite accessory and I hope that others learn to embrace their disability aid in the same way.”
And her final words of advice: “Try new things, live your life to the fullest and be proud of your disability.”
