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A 27-year-old woman with a rare genetic disorder who could only identify with Mickey Mouse while growing up due to the shape of the Disney character’s hands is trying to be the role model she never had as a social media influencer, to show people with disabilities they are “fully worthy and capable” of achieving anything. Rochelle Muir, who lives in Colorado, was born with ectrodactyly, which means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, two toes on her right foot, and four toes on her left foot. The condition causes difficulties in buying footwear, and with relationships – with one of her ex-boyfriends splitting up with her due to the possibility of their child being born with ectrodactyly – but she is now happily partnered with Charles, 31, a primary school counsellor who, along with her father Bill, is her “biggest cheerleader”. Rochelle, who is a client engagement manager for a healthcare company, could identify with characters such as Mickey Mouse growing up as he also has four digits, but she said “being like a cartoon is not exactly the role model you want”. She now posts pictures and videos on her social media platforms to educate others about ectrodactyly, raise awareness of the limb difference community, and share her hobbies, including gaming. “I remember specifically always loving the characters which had brown hair whenever they were in Barbie movies because I thought, ‘Oh, she’s like me!’,” she told PA Real Life. “But I never had that feeling when it came to my limb differences.” Rochelle has never let the disorder hold her back despite being teased and bullied at school, but when she entered the dating world in her 20s, she faced rejection multiple times and felt she was not “capable or worthy of having an amazing relationship”. “I’ve never been rejected over something that I couldn’t change about myself, something I was born with, and that was probably the first hit to my confidence with my limb differences where I felt awful about being born the way I am, about being disabled,” she said. “I just thought, I’m never going to find a meaningful relationship, I’m not worthy, I’m not capable, and that was the dialogue that kept going through my brain over and over again.” Rochelle has since removed “that nasty little voice out of (her) head”, found love with partner Charles, and shared her story publicly on social media, as she wants to “uplift” others among the disability community and show the world that “disabled is not a dirty word”. She said she is no longer “worried about showing (her) true self” and wants to encourage others to do the same. “Most people usually point out the negatives, but there are so many great positives with going and finding other people that look like you, other people you can connect with, and just creating this amazing community where you can uplift each other,” she said. “That’s one of the things I love about social media so much because when I came out about my limb differences, other people reached out and said, ‘Hey, I look exactly like you, this is so exciting, I’ve never seen anyone else that has the same hands as me’. “So it’s one of my favourite things now – and, yes, it’s sad that we didn’t have that growing up, but at least it’s there now and we can have that moving forward.” Ectrodactyly is a rare genetic disorder, and symptoms can vary, the National Organisation for Rare Disorders says. Rochelle underwent surgery to minimise the gap between her fingers and remove the longer toe on her right foot, enabling her to have improved grip and wear shoes from a young age. However, finding the right shoes has been an ongoing challenge and, when she was younger, she could not understand why she could not wear the same shoes as “able-bodied” people. “I remember specifically, there was a time, I think I was about five, that I tried to get my mum to buy me a pair of flip flops – they were pink, and they had butterflies and flowers on them,” she said. “My mum was so heartbroken because she couldn’t fully explain to me, ‘No, you can’t wear these shoes, they are going to be too dangerous for you’. “She eventually just caved and got me the shoes, and we were going up the escalator to go to the next floor in the mall, and I tripped, and we fell. “Ever since then, I’ve thought, I’m going to wear shoes that will stay securely on my feet.” Throughout her life, Rochelle has used humour to “defuse” awkward or uncomfortable situations and to enhance her confidence, but when it came to dating, for the first time in her life she felt self-conscious and “unworthy of having a real relationship”. She remembers one boyfriend who “was like a deer in the headlights” when he saw her feet for the first time, and another who ended the relationship over the possibility of their child being born with ectrodactyly. “He talked to his family, and his mum at the time said, ‘You need to decide whether you want to have kids because if you do, you have to break up with her’,” Rochelle explained. “The relationship ended, and I thought, I can’t blame him, but when I spoke to my friends, they said, ‘You’re amazing. What’s wrong with having a child with a limb difference?’ “That’s when I realised that I had internal ableism, where I told myself that having a disability is awful – ‘you’re not capable, you’re not worthy of having an amazing relationship’.” Ableism is discrimination in favour of able-bodied people – and it was at this point that Rochelle decided she wanted to do something about the lack of representation for people with ectrodactyly on social media. This “lit the fire” in her to share her story publicly for the first time, aged 25, and she has never looked back. Since then, she has launched her own Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels on which she discusses ectrodactyly, limb differences and other disabilities, along with her hobby of gaming, and she has met Charles. Reading positive comments and messages, including from mothers of children who describe her as “an amazing role model”, has been “heart-warming” and makes her emotional – and she wants to continue to “fight ableism and bring more representation for the limb difference community”. “The biggest thing for me is representation for the limb difference community, but also for other disabilities as well, because the more we have that out there, the more of a norm it will be,” she said. “I want to be that role model, that person I wanted to look for in social media growing up, that person that younger me would be proud of and say, ‘Oh yeah, I know her, she’s so awesome, I’m just like her’. “It’s a younger me that inspires me to keep going forward and talking about these things, and I want to give the message that disabled is not a bad word, it’s not a dirty word, and you are fully worthy and capable of anything you put your mind to.” Find out more about Rochelle and her social media channels at beacons.ai/goodmornindreamer Read More Tempted to try barefoot running? 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A new fitness craze dubbed 'cozy cardio' is taking over TikTok with over a million views under its belt. The term, coined by creator Hope Zuckerbrow, epitomises a more relaxed approach to cardio with toned-down elements such as candles, soft lighting and relaxed outfits such as dressing gowns. Flora Harris, buyer for sportswear at Pour Moi, says: "The ‘hot girl walk’ was a game changer in terms of making walking cool again – but for some people, the thought of having to get changed and go outside is a big turn-off." The wholesome trend focuses on "indoor walking on a walking pad, in the comfort of your favourite loungewear or dressing gown, with a backdrop of candlelight and your favourite comfort TV show." Cozy cardio has since become a phenomenon across the globe, with one saying "This has changed my life." Another fan added: "I just put a walking pad in my room…i get up and do 45 minutes immediately…it’s been working out." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @hope_zuckerbrow take a shot every time I say “cozy cardio” ? #fyp #cardio #cozy #walk #walkingpad #walking #workout Sportswear experts at Pour Moi have pulled together five helpful tips for anyone wanting to give it a go for themselves: Carve out some time in your morning or evening The ideal cozy cardio time is before your day starts, or as your evening is winding down. Zuckerbrow is a fan of a 5 or 6am slot, but other people on TikTok have posted equally cozy examples of them taking on the trend at 8pm. What’s great about those times is that it’s likely a little darker outside so you can make your indoor space extra cosy with drawn curtains and candlelight. You don’t need to have a walking pad Although many of the videos on TikTok show people using a walking pad or treadmill, you can do some cozy cardio with any type of exercise. The key is to make sure it’s not too high intensity so that you can maintain your cosy vibes. A static bike or stepper machine would work well, or you can do it without any equipment and just do steps on the spot. Comfort is king, but remember a sports bra Although one of the main selling points of this trend is the fact you don’t need to be dressed up in the latest athleisure looks (yes you can work out in a dressing gown!), it’s important to pop on a sports bra – even if you are just doing low intensity walking. This doesn’t mean wearing something super tight and uncomfortable, but picking a low intensity bra or crop top that keeps your boobs supported whilst you enjoy your cosy workout. Keep hydrated and set the mood safely Cozy cardio is that relaxed that you might forget you are working out – but a 20 or 30 minute session can burn around 100 calories! It’s important to remember to drink water throughout, so make sure you have a bottle handy or take a break to rehydrate. Although many of the cozy cardio videos feature a yummy iced coffee, it’s water that is key when working out. Candlelight can bring peak cosy elements, but consider using battery-operated candles for safety reasons - they still look super pretty. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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