New Horizons Un-Limited

08/17/2026

6/6 “
I think the scariest thing that I face every day is the question of “Who is going to take care of me when I can't mentally or physically do that on my own? Who is going to be there for me?”

I try not to think about it too much because it makes me sad, but I think that's something a lot of disabled people worry about. We know how hard it is to find good, reliable caregivers, when we are capable, so it’s going to get harder as we age and lose more strength and ability to do so. But I trust the Lord will still provide my every need.

During my reign as Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin, my platform was, Caring Is Caregiving. I advocated for people to become caregivers to combat the caregiving crisis, and I also educated disabled people on how to hire and manage a care team. I know my advocacy helped change hearts and minds, and people’s future care.

I've had more than 60 caregivers in my lifetime. I started managing my caregivers when I was 12. Imagine being a boss at 12! It was quite the challenge. Allowing strangers into my home to care for me in personal ways, knowing my every need and advocating that task and how to do it in the training process, and doing the same care routines every day for hours a day. It’s a repetitive challenge that you eventually become numb to and accept, because you need that care to continue living and therefore there is no end, until the end.

This has taught me resilience, patience, a high emotional capacity, awareness, intuition, top-notch advocacy skills, and communication. It has also grown my Faith and reliance on God. This all has made me into who I am today. Would I rather not go through all this? Yes. But then I know I’d be missing out on God’s ultimate good for me. I’d rather have that than my own expectations of what I think that good should be. There were also countless beautiful moments within the difficulty that would’ve otherwise been missed, that made it all matter.

I try and look at that time with another stranger, turned friend, as a space where I can impact their life for the better. Since I have so many care hours and see so many caregivers every week, I give in the ways I'm able to. Whether that’s a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or a place where a hug is always welcome, caregiving is never one sided. I like to say, my caregivers care for me physically, and I care for them mentally.

It's not an exchange of care. We both give what we can. It's not from a place of earning or proving, it's simply given unconditionally.

That's all people really want - love and acceptance. When you're disabled, you tend to not get a lot of that because there are so many barriers. Whether it's societal, environmental, communicational barriers, or negative assumptions and lack of representation, it all blocks us from getting that needed love and acceptance.

If we all just learned how to truly love one another God’s way, everyone's needs would be met. The way Jesus calls us to love and live is so radically different from what society says, but it's the truest way to live, be, and exist.”

08/13/2026

5/6 “I'm really involved with my church. I actually designed the logo for my church too.
My church is really good about just seeing me as a person before my disability. I still want to give and serve; I just do all that a little bit differently. That's what we're all meant to do, serve in different ways. A Church should be the main place where we're accepted, and unfortunately so many Churches still aren't accessible.

Disability awareness in Churches is something that I advocate for. We've really done a lot to make sure our Church is inclusive because Jesus loves us all. He wants everyone to know and love Him as their Lord and Savior (John 3:16). Us and this world are broken in many ways, but Jesus isn’t, so He is the only one who can save us. The Church is where that knowing and spiritual growth can happen in Christian community by studying God’s Truth in the Bible together.

My Church has done a great job with accessibility. They have put in accessible door openers and ramps. They have assistive listening devices for the hearing impaired and large print Bibles for people that can't see well. We even have a sensory room!

I volunteer and help teach the kids sometimes during the main service so that we can teach them a bite-sized lesson that is catered to their learning style. Afterwards I give them rides on my wheelchair. They look forward to seeing me, and I them.

One time, a different teacher was teaching and one boy asked, “Where's the girl in the wheelchair? She usually teaches us.” Another time a teacher was talking about how we show our love to people that are disabled by making our Church accessible. One little girl piped up and said, “And Annie shows us her love by giving us rides on her wheelchair.”

It’s so special to see life through a child’s eyes. They rarely see all the hardships. I think though as we get older, that becomes the opposite for us. We get so focused on the bad, that we can hardly see the good.

Having a lot of gratitude has helped me see the good. Even though I am disabled, I can still see, eat, breathe, and talk, and there are people who can't do that. So that’s one example of where I try and remember to appreciate the little things.

I know that no matter what I go through, I'm going to be okay. My Faith gives me a purpose. A lot of people look at disabled people like we are a mistake, but we're not. We are still made in His image, and we are so loved and valued by Jesus and others.”

08/11/2026

While an advocate's work is never done, it's important to take a breather every now and again.

Did you know that our beautiful Wisconsin State Parks offer a range of accessible amenities, including fully furnished accessible cabins (which NHU proudly collaborated on over the years), fishing piers, adaptive equipment (including kayaks, beach wheelchairs, beach mats, all terrain wheelchairs, etc.), and universal trails.

The WIDNR has created a handy interactive map that can help you find the parks that have accessible features and activities.

To learn more about the various adaptive equipment available, check out the comments for more.

Find a Park Wisconsin State Parks, Forests and Trails Filter By × DNR Property Feature Filters Accessible Features and Services Accessible Campsite Accessible Cabin Accessible Fishing Pier Accessible Wildlife Blind Adaptive Equipment Universal Trail Activities ATVing Bicycling Mountain Biking Canoe...

08/11/2026

Don't forget to vote in Wisconsin's Partisan Primary, today, August 11th. Polls are open until 8 p.m.

As a Partisan election, voters are allowed to vote for candidates in just one political party.

The Wisconsin positions up for election include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Representatives in Congress, State Senators, Representatives To The State Assembly and various county positions.

Please research thoroughly, as some candidates withdrew from the race after the ballots were printed.

If you have any questions or concerns about voting as a citizen with a disability, contact the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition via their voter hotline: 1-844-347-8683

A non-partisan effort to increase voting turnout and participation in the electoral process among members of Wisconsin’s disability community. The WDVC is funded by Disability Rights Wisconsin and the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities.

08/11/2026

4/6 “It can be a very difficult life. I face a lot of oppression and obstacles because I am disabled and live in an able-bodied world. Every week it seems like I get hit with curveballs that I don’t see coming.

Because things can be so hard, I can take in the mundane, beautiful moments and they’re even more joyful because I know how difficult life can be. I can see the beauty because there’s such a stark contrast between the good and bad.

I think for so many people life becomes mundane - they go to work and they go home with their kids, or do activities, and it becomes such a routine. I’ve been there too in other ways. So, I know what it feels like to be caught in routine. You just become kind of numb and you start to ask, “What am I here for?”

“What is my purpose?”

“Is this really it?”

“How am I impacting others?”

I always strive to give back with the gifts and the abilities that I’ve been given by God, and live to glorify Jesus and point others to a life so rich in Him. I look at my life, and I think, I really have so much to give. I’ve been blessed with so many skills and abilities. I just can’t walk. That’s really it. I just sit down a lot more.

I work when I am able and I don’t make a ton of money, but I know my life is more about impact than income. I’m thankful I know where to invest in the right things to have it matter for eternity.”

08/08/2026

3/6 “That is my art on my door. It’s a project I started when I was little. One summer, I thought, “What if I made my name in different materials?” This one is nail polish. This is plants. This is fabric. This is dirt. That’s toilet paper. The one up there is my favorite. It’s plastic bags and tin foil.

I recently took a lot of things down from my room to make it less cluttered and more adult looking. I kept this up to pay respect to my younger self and also to acknowledge that this is still very much part of who I am.

I went to Madison College for 4 years. I have 2 associate degrees, one in Graphic Design and Illustration, and the other in Web and Digital Media Design.

I have my own Graphic Design business called Annie Designs, LLC. I started this because after graduating Madison College in 2021 I was looking for an agency job, but then people starting reaching out to me for their graphic design projects, and before I knew it, God had led me to build up this full-scale business! I serve clients in my niches of disability and Christianity.

My life is very busy and eclectic. I try everything because I’m entrepreneurial.

I became a published author where I wrote a chapter in a collaboration book with nine other people with disabilities. The book is called “Still We Rise: Stories of Triumph Over Disabilities and the Strength of Empowerment.” In this powerful book we each share the ups and downs of our life stories, to help you gain a new perspective and better live your life, and understand disability in a deeper way. My chapter is called “Crowned In Courage And Thankful For The Challenges.” You’ll get to hear how God turned my greatest disadvantages into my greatest advantages, and changed my life for the better, and how you can have that too!

If you’d like to grab your own copy of the book, personalized with a note and my signature for you, here is the link: https://annie-speaks.com/“

08/06/2026

2/6 “My parents built this house 22 years ago and made it fully accessible. We lived right down the road and moved to this house when I was five. We toured other people’s accessible houses and they would tell us what worked and what they would do differently. My dad designed the home. 
 
My parents live here, but I have my own section of the house.  
  
The whole house is ground level with no steps, and we made sure that my wheelchair could get everywhere. My bedroom and bathroom are also fully accessible, with desks I can get under, a ceiling lift, an automatic sink, an open view closet, and a roll-in shower. I use Alexa and Control4 to turn on my lights and open my door.  
 
Throughout my life, I have gone through the heavy burdens that come with my progressive neuromuscular disability. The loss of ability, independence, and even normalcy. A big aspect of this is caregiving. I need help just to fulfill my basic living needs to be fed, get ready, or use the restroom. I am responsible for finding, training, scheduling, and advocating for my needed care. This can be overwhelming and I often get burnt out, but it is necessary for life. 
 
It is very difficult to be constantly in survival mode with not having even my basic care needs met unless someone fills in that role to help me. Yet by the grace of God, He has been faithful to fill 8+ hours of care each day for the 4 shifts I have, for 27 years. Though I am thankful, this aspect of my life takes a lot of my time, energy, and ability to just make it through each day. It’s more than a full-time job that I don’t get paid for, and that I can’t quit. (Continued in comments)

08/05/2026

1/7 “Growing up, people were generally kind to me. I was in the hospital a lot as a kid for appointments, therapies, and surgeries. I’ve had more than 37 surgeries throughout my life. I had a good support network and people that surrounded me and helped me navigate the ups and downs of life.

I attended a small high school – there were 57 of us in my graduating class. We all just got along and had a good time. I was always a happy kid. I just enjoyed what I had in life to the fullest!

My school had everything I needed and they were willing to adapt. They made a big bathroom for me and I had classroom aides with me during school. But, there were not any other kids in wheelchairs and no one with Muscular Dystrophy at the time. I just tried to keep up with everyone else.

I recently did a speaking event on disability etiquette. I talked about misconceptions. Because I have a physical disability, I get treated like I have an intellectual disability.

There is one story that I share where I was on vacation, and this guy, who was doing a tutorial, came up to me and my caregiver and asked my caregiver, “Can she smell?”

In those 3 words, “Can she smell?” he assumed I couldn’t think, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t even smell, and I couldn’t advocate for myself.

After sharing a few stories, someone asked, “How do you not get mad?” I said, ‘Well, I don’t want to repay evil for evil like the Bible says. I also try to treat people how they would want to be treated. I know they don’t really understand. They have their own life experiences and a lot of people just don’t encounter disability. So I try and have compassion and empathy for that.”

Sometimes [in similar situations] I said nothing at all, which is sometimes worse. Then disabled people get ignored, and we aren’t seen, and then, the cycle continues.

Growing up, I tried so hard to be like able-bodied people, and fit into the average. I put myself through so much to do that. Now I accept myself as a disabled individual. I don’t feel like I have to fit in. I’m just my own person now. Who God created me to be. And that’s a really great place to live in.”

08/04/2026

Our next story is coming soon. Meet Annie Annie Heathcote I Disability Advocate & Speaker

“Because things can be so hard, I can take in the mundane, beautiful moments and they’re even more joyful because I know how difficult life can be. I can see the beauty because there’s such a stark contrast between the good and bad.”

07/31/2026

In-person, Absentee (Early) Voting has opened in Wisconsin for the August 11th Partisan Primary. Any eligible voter in Wisconsin can vote early. Before heading to your designated Absentee voting location, be sure to check your voter registration status and have your ID on hand.

To check your registration status and to find your absentee voting location and hours, visit

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