A Sutton Coldfield woman has transformed her career prospects despite living with multiple chronic health conditions, earning recognition in a prestigious national awards programme.
From Physical Limitations to Digital Solutions
Amy McDonald, 36, lives with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and endometriosis, conditions that frequently cause intense pain and previously prevented her from personally managing her tattoo and body piercing business for over two years. The entrepreneur, who also received recent diagnoses of autism and ADHD, found traditional employment support services inadequate for her needs.
"I spent a lot of time explaining my invisible disabilities to non-specialist work coaches," Amy recalled. "It was exhausting and I wasn't getting any closer to finding work that accommodated my health circumstances."
Specialist Support Leads to Breakthrough
In October 2024, Amy turned to the employment programme run by national disability charity Sense. The specialist support proved transformative, with one-to-one coaching sessions helping her identify digital marketing as an ideal career path that would leverage her creative talents while working around her health limitations.
"With Sense, I didn't have to give a big explanation about my conditions," Amy explained. "That meant I could focus on what I needed to do. My coach helped me gain the confidence to try new things and learn about them, which really helped."
Building Skills While Managing Health
Amy embarked on an impressive upskilling journey while continuing to manage her ongoing health issues. She completed local college coursework, multiple Open University modules, and an eight-week creative crafts course. Additionally, she taught herself video editing, worked on her business's website and social media, and assisted the studio's two tattoo artists and piercer with their social media presence.
Her efforts have directly benefited The Tattooed Gent in Erdington, where her boyfriend Matt Clarke, 37, continues to oversee day-to-day operations while Amy focuses on the digital aspects she can manage around her health.
In September 2025, Amy underwent long-awaited surgery that she hopes will reduce her endometriosis symptoms. She's now preparing to seek part-time or freelance digital marketing work to launch her new career properly.
National Recognition and Future Prospects
Amy's remarkable journey has earned her a nomination for 'Person of the Year' at the annual Sense Awards. "It's quite a shock to be shortlisted," she admitted. "I'd never considered anything like that could happen to me - but someone has recognised the hard work I've been putting in and it's given me a real boost."
Evan John, Policy Advisor at Sense, commented: "It's fantastic to celebrate Amy's achievements. She has worked so hard in her coaching sessions, and her confidence and ambition have grown significantly. We're sure she will be a very successful digital marketer!"
He added that Amy's story demonstrates how specialist employment support can dramatically improve prospects for disabled jobseekers, calling for government action to ensure similar high-quality support becomes available through local jobcentres nationwide.
