LAST UPDATE | 9 Jul

MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND disability advocate Nikki Bradley is to be appointed to the Seanad to replace Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty who has been elected to the European Parliament.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he wants to place a focus on disability during his tenure and this appointment will give a voice for people with disabilities in Leinster House.

Bradley was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer at 16. 

She has survived multiple surgeries, including a tumour removal, two hip replacements, a femur repair and an amputation.

Bradley is from County Donegal and has worked with some of Ireland’s leading disability organisations such as Active Disability Ireland, The Disabled Drivers Association, of which she is a board member and The No Barriers Foundation.

Disability advocate Nikki Bradley at the launch of Disabled Drivers Text Alert Campaign in April. Disabled Drivers Association / Andrew Downes Disabled Drivers Association / Andrew Downes / Andrew Downes

Bradley participates in regular physical challenges and became one of the first people to scale four Irish mountain peaks on crutches in 32 hours.

She also scaled the Sólheimajökull glacier on crutches in 2016, and attempted a Guinness World Record in Holland to become the fastest woman to complete a 5k on crutches. She has also abseiled from one of Ireland’s most iconic lighthouses, Fanad Head in Donegal. 

Bradley has also previously been awarded the ‘Most Inspiring Person of the Year’ award by Outsider Magazine. 

Speaking to the Irish Cancer Society, Bradley said thankfully her cancer has never returned, but she said her cancer diagnosis had many lasting effects on her health.