Book Description

The Girl Behind the Mask is the story of 33-year-old Alysia Kaiser, a tenacious wheelchair bound ventilator dependant, suffering from a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. Alysia shares her life experiences prior, during and after being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy - the "normal" struggles most people face during their lives in addition to the ones that she faced while being disabled. Alysia takes you on a journey of her own self-discovery that is not defined by her condition, she demonstrates with everything that she does it does not let it confine her. It was when doctors deemed she would not survive that she learned to be grateful and appreciate what she is able and capable of doing rather than focus or dwell on what she is no longer able to or capable of doing. Alysia encourages people to never take what they have for granted as in a blink of an eye things can change, not to be superficial and see people beyond just their appearance or their situation. She wants for people to know that others should not determine the person you are nor should their opinion of what your life should be place any impact on you nor your life. You are the sole decider of who you wish to be and what you chose to do with your life. So not let others determine it for you. Sharing her motto 'Be.You.Tiful' to be happy with who you are, embrace your uniqueness. Alysia appeared in her local Leader Newspaper when she took it upon herself to fundraise the money for her own electric wheelchair when the government turned her away. She has also appeared in the Age Newspaper and on Channel 10's The Project fighting for what the government had promised all people suffering with a disability under the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme)