Our Ambassadors

Nikki Bradley

Nikki Bradley

Nikki Bradley is an adaptive adventurer and one of Ireland’s leading female motivational speakers. Diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma at aged 16 and surviving the rare and often deadly form of bone cancer, offered Nikki a unique opportunity to restart her life at a young age. She is the founder of ‘Fighting Fit For Ewing’s’, which aims to increase awareness about the disease as well as participating in physical challenges.
The Donegal native attempted a Guinness World Record in Holland, tackled a route of the Solheimajokull glacier in Iceland, climbed “The Sturrall” in Donegal which is one of Ireland’s most outstanding sea cliffs and abseiled off it, completed the Fan Dance – a gruelling 24km trek through the snowy Brecon Beacons in Wales – all while relying on crutches. In July 2018, Nikki became the first crutch user to climb four Irish mountains on crutches in less than 32 hours and in 2019 she completed a summer half marathon and a monumental visit to Tanzania, Africa where she volunteered with suicide prevention organisation ALPS.
On the 7th of February 2022, Nikki had a rare type of surgery called a Rotationplasty. This is a form of amputation. She is currently working with specialists who are developing a prosthetic leg that will allow Nikki to live her life pain free.
Johnny Quaid

Johnny Quaid

Johnny is a close friend of the organisation and is inspired by the work that they do. Johnny has reflected on the work that the organisation has done and often reflects and wishes that he was aware of their work when he first acquired his disability.

“I always say that it would have been so beneficial to me back in 2006, as a boy who acquired a life changing injury, if I know of their existence – it would have taken the initial blow of the unknown if I could turn to an organisation such as Active Disability Ireland and to lean on and help me get back on track”.

At the age of 17 Johnny had a workplace accident that resulted in a complete spinal injury. Since then he has been fortunate with the support and mindset that he has developed to ensure that the opportunities to continue to participate in sport and physical activity are still there for him. Johnny acknowledges that the support he needed in the early years of his disability weren’t always there and understands the importance of highlighting to others what is possible.

Johnny has excelled in his sporting ambitions over the last 17 years and has gone onto establish and captain the first wheelchair basketball senior team in Kerry. From 2008-2010 he represented Ireland at the World Pool Championships in Ireland and the UK and currently is an active hand cyclist.

Jordan Lee

Jordan Lee

His first sporting passion and talent was basketball and he made a national U15 development squad before he switched sports to pull on the Irish vest at high jump. The 19-year-old from Killarney is already ranked number two in the world in his T47 event, and made his debut at the World Para-Athletics Championships which take place in Dubai in November 2019

He’s also the first to confess that he knew nothing about para-sport until 2016, when he attended the Cara National Seminar for Inclusion. Jason Smyth, the fastest Paralympian on the planet, was among the speakers and the Derry superstar encouraged Jordan to go to Paralympics Ireland’s talent ID trials.

Jack Kavanagh

In 2012, Jack Kavanagh’s life changed forever when he sustained a spinal cord injury, leaving him with just 15% muscle function. Rather than letting this define his limits, Jack has since redefined what’s possible, proving that resilience, ambition, and courage can push boundaries beyond expectation. Jack has taken the stage at TEDx with his powerful talk, “Fearless Like a Child: Overcoming Adversity.” His impact has been widely recognized—he was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young People of the Year in 2019 and has received multiple international awards for his groundbreaking documentary Breaking Boundaries. He is also the host of the Only Human Podcast, where he explores the depths of human experience and resilience. A pharmacist, speaker, and non-executive director, Jack is a force for change.

He runs Move The Needle, a consultancy focused on high-impact projects. He also serves on the board of the National Disability Authority and leadership development organization Common Purpose Ireland. His expertise has led him to collaborate with the World Health Organization on digital and assistive technologies, and he is currently pioneering accessibility advancements in aviation through the AeroFix Project. Yet, through it all, one thing has remained a constant—Jack’s passion for adventure. Whether hand-cycling, sailing, or mastering the art of sit-skiing, he refuses to let limitations stand in his way. Last summer, he set himself a formidable challenge—a misogi—cycling 100 km in a single day to mark the anniversary of his injury. Completing this goal stands as one of his proudest personal achievements in recent years.

Eva Grace

Eva is a BSc Midwifery student at Trinity College Dublin with a strong background in advocacy, inclusion, and disability rights. Formerly active in the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU), she has worked extensively on projects promoting accessibility and student voice. Passionate about inclusive health and education, she is committed to advancing equitable care and support for all communities.