Papa Nicole

Nicole was diagnosed with cancer at the age of four, which left her paralysed from the waist down.

Because of everything they went through as a family, she says she and her dad have a very special relationship, and he’s supportive of everything she does as a disability advocate. - “He pushes me to achieve my dreams!”

Nicole doesn’t think her dad thought he’d ever see her learn to drive or go to university, but she’s achieved those things proudly.

Nicole describes herself as a very chatty extrovert, whereas her dad isn’t a man of many words: “Growing up, he was never super affectionate, but he would remind me often that I'd always be his little girl.”

They have a long distance father / daughter relationship - she was 15 when he moved to Thailand, following the divorce from her mum. She describes this as “the most heartbreaking time of my life.”

With her dad on the other side of the world their communication became even more minimal, but he would visit once a year and it meant time spent together was more special because it was so rare. She affectionately calls her dad ‘pa’.

Nicole is 21 now, studying music in Brighton and performing with her uke at gigs and festivals around the south of England.

David can normally be found in the audience – if he chose his daughter’s name in the hope their relationship would emulate the closeness of Nicole and Papa, he succeeded.

“Dad’s my hero – both my parents are,”  Nicole says. “I wouldn’t be where I am in music today without them. Dad’s very hard-working but very happy."