Sabrina Lorenz – That’s how she rolls

Which day or moment in your life do you particularly like to remember? And why?

Sabrina Lorenz: It's hard for me to choose just one moment. I especially remember times spent with people who mean a lot to me. Most recently, it was a car ride with someone very dear to me – with music and lots of good conversation.

What has been the biggest challenge in your life so far and how did you overcome it?

Sabrina Lorenz: My biggest challenge was finding my way in a world that doesn't seem to be made for me as a disabled woman. As a young adult, I realized that the hurdles, barriers, and derogatory treatment I faced were not "normal" – they were discrimination.

Realizing that inclusion is a human right and that it is not me who needs to change, but rather society that needs to change – on issues such as performance, normative beauty, disability, chronic illness, and even dying and death – has given me a great deal of empowerment.

Because we experience ableism all the time, even where it is not immediately visible as discrimination, I know that a lot of change is still needed to create an inclusive and humane society. This gave rise to my desire to take action myself and make my small contribution.

Which assistive devices are essential in your everyday life, and why?

Sabrina Lorenz: My oxygen device, my wheelchair, and my smartphone are indispensable to me. They give me a lot of freedom because they help me manage my symptoms and allow me more self-determination. They enable me to participate in social life – with my wheelchair when I'm out and about and with my smartphone when I'm at home. My smartphone also helps me organize many aspects of my everyday life.

If you could invent your own assistive device, what would it look like and what would it need to be able to do?

Sabrina Lorenz: I would develop an aid that helps patients organize medical and therapeutic appointments, concerns, and information – and translates everything into everyday language and plain language. I can well imagine that we can already get valuable support in this area today through the use of artificial intelligence.

What do you wish for from society and those around you in how they interact with people with disabilities?

Sabrina Lorenz: I would like us to actively unlearn judging how a person is doing based on external impressions. People with invisible illnesses are often denied their symptoms and the associated stress and suffering, while people with immediately visible disabilities are quickly assumed to be helpless – as if they always need support.

It would be important to let go of these preconceptions and tolerate the cognitive dissonance when, for example, someone says "I'm in pain" and smiles at the same time. We can never truly understand how someone else feels – but we can believe them.

And we can offer support – in such an open way that the person we are talking to can decide freely and independently. Instead of saying, "You definitely need help," it would be better to ask, "Do you need support? Then please tell me how I can best support you."

If nothing were impossible: Who would you like to meet, what place would you like to visit, or what era would you like to experience? And why?

Sabrina Lorenz: That's a tough one! I believe that everyone has a story to tell, and it's up to us whether we want to hear it. I imagine there are still many people from whom I could learn so much.

If anything were possible, I would love to take a painting class taught by Frida Kahlo and talk to her. And because the world is so big and offers so many beautiful places steeped in history, it's hard for me to choose just one place. So maybe my answer would be: a trip around Europe.

Are there any particular issues relating to people with disabilities that are especially close to your heart?

Sabrina Lorenz: It is very important to me that we talk with people with disabilities – and not just about them. And that we don't focus exclusively on disability-related issues. People with disabilities can and should be present in all areas of society and contribute their expertise: from astronomy to amusement parks, from fashion to school to the film and music industries.

It is just as important that we as disabled people also confront our own internalized ableism – as painful as that can sometimes be.

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us.

Sabrina Lorenz: I can solve the Rubik's Cube.

What does REHACARE mean to you?

Sabrina Lorenz: For me, REHACARE is a place of discovery and encounter. For people who already use assistive devices, it offers the opportunity to learn about innovations and try out new things – because often, people's needs change from year to year.

It also provides a low-threshold entry point for anyone coming into contact with issues such as chronic illness, disability, or care for the first time. At the same time, it is an opportunity for healthcare professionals to learn about current innovations and, above all, about the realities of life for people with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses.