Early life with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2
My Name is Shelby Lynch and I am 21 years old, and I am a fashion and beauty influencer with a muscle wasting condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. SMA causes weakness in my muscles as I get older and also affects my breathing which is why I am on a ventilator 24/7. I have been interested in fashion since the age of 13/14 when my granny used to take me shopping and let me choose my own clothes. This is when I started to have my own sense of style and it has developed from there. I started my Youtube channel when I was 17 doing the odd video here and there, but then I decided to create things I enjoyed watching like haul videos and get ready with me. From then on I started vlogging and speaking about my disability. I started vlogging going out with my friends, going to concerts and festivals and going away to London. Towards the end of 2016, I started taking my Instagram more seriously and making it aesthetically pleasing, while incorporating fashion beauty and lifestyle pictures.
Featured on Missguided
In October 2017 I noticed that Missguided had started a campaign where they were posting pictures and videos of people who weren't the stereotypical idea of perfect. I decided to show my appreciation for the campaign by posting my own Instagram picture in a new Missguided hoodie I had purchased explaining that disabled people aren't often seen or described as sexy or beautiful which isn't the case. When I posted it I honestly didn't think anything of it. It wasn't until I checked my laptop in the evening that my picture had received so many likes that I thought something must have happened. I sat there for a few seconds really confused and then I thought I should check Missguided's Instagram page... and they had reposted my picture! They sent me clothes to wear on my Instagram and asked me to be part of their campaign where I did a video for them where I spoke about confidence and body image which was released in January this year.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2.
Since then I have had so many great opportunities such as writing blog posts for different charities and writing an article for Cosmopolitan! I have got some exciting things coming up soon that I can't wait to do and see where it goes!
