Mui Thomas has a megawatt smile that helps people not look away from her bright red face. The 27-year-old was born with harlequin ichthyosis, a rare genetic disorder that causes the body to be covered with thick, diamond-shaped plates of skin that crack easily. Thomas has lived with physical and psychological pain and faced discrimination all her life, but has always tried to remain positive. Today, she is a special needs yoga teacher and a rugby referee , both firsts in the world for someone with her disorder. “I am who I am because of my parents. They never gave up on me and always told me to give things a go,” says Thomas, who was adopted when she was three years old. Together, with her parents, she runs an initiative called “The Girl Behind the Face”, which raises awareness of cyberbullying, mental health and visible differences. “Rugby and yoga saved me,” says Mui. “I was introduced to yoga by the Yama Foundation, a charity which strives to makes yoga, arts and meditation accessible to the disadvantaged communities in Hong Kong. Yoga brought me to a new place and gave me confidence, and Yama made me feel a part of a community.” She credits Hersha Chellaram, a co-founder of Yama, for suggesting she train to become a yoga teacher. Yama is behind the upcoming Accessible Wellbeing Community Event Series, the first conference of its kind in Hong Kong, which aims to make physical, social and emotional well-being accessible to people with disabilities, as well as children with special-education needs and their families. The people teaching special needs yoga and making it accessible to all “There are many people like Mui with visible differences who have become active, contributing members of society,” says 43-year-old Chellaram. At the conference, pioneers like Mui will share their experiences on how well-being can become more accessible, and the wellness best practices and resources that can help create a more inclusive community. The programme runs for four successive Saturdays in November (7, 14, 21 and 28) at the Platform Event Space in Sai Ying Pun. It features workshops and classes on yoga, mindfulness, sound healing, building self-confidence, coping with stress and anxiety, laughter therapy, dance and more, as well as panel discussions. “This conference is about being accepted for the way you are,” says Thomas, who will be conducting a session on yoga. “My aim is to make the participants feel at ease. Being taught by someone who has gone through the pain that you are going through makes you feel understood. Hopefully for people plagued with difficulties, my story can offer them the hope and support they need to get going.” All the conference speakers have first-hand knowledge of living with a disability or working with people with special needs. In Hong Kong, nearly 600,000 people live with some form of disability, special needs or long-term illness. “People with disabilities and special needs are more active in our society than ever before, yet they face huge attitudinal barriers and have limited options available to them for health and fitness,” says Chellaram. Ajmal Samuel, a long-term resident of Hong Kong, lost both his legs 33 years ago in an accident in his native Pakistan. The 54-year-old has not let that deter him from achieving great sporting success. He has cycled 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) across China , taken part in marathons and triathlons, and was instrumental in getting organisers of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon to allow people with disabilities to compete. “Let yourself realise that you deserve to be happy and well,” Samuel says. “Find something you are passionate about. Remind yourself that you have a community who will help and cheer you and finally accept the obstacles you will face.” Walter Tsui, 32, who has less than 10 per cent vision in both eyes, will lead a session about “empowerment by acceptance” at the conference. “It’s OK not to be OK. One has to accept one’s disability and not fight it,” he says. Tsui is the co-founder and CEO of CareER Association, an NGO and charitable job-matching platform that is run by university graduates with disabilities that connects qualified people with disabilities with prospective employers. “My dream is for people with special needs to have successful professional careers,” he says. A session on family yoga is designed for children with special needs and their families and will be led by Pacsy Lam, a senior yoga teacher with Yama. “Dealing with children with special needs is challenging, often leaving both the children and their families exhausted and stressed,” says 57- year-old Lam, whose younger brother has special needs. “My session will encompass chanting, breathing techniques, yoga postures, relaxation and meditation , which help soothe the nervous system.” “To take care of your child, you need to take care of yourself first,” says Margaret Chan, a TV personality turned yoga teacher who has a child with special needs, and who founded the Beyond Children’s Special Needs Foundation. “You need to be at your best to give your best to your child.” Minal Mahtani, CEO and Founder of OCD & Anxiety Support HK , a charity that provides education, resources and counselling to people with mental illness, will be talking about ways to manage stress and anxiety at the conference. “When we are challenged with a physical or mental disability, we carry on extra stress. Living with a disability can be a struggle and feel very isolating, especially when you receive little support or understanding from others. It’s imperative one learns how to cope with it,” says 40-year-old Mahtani, who struggled with anxiety herself 12 years ago. “My focus is to help participants build a practice of self-love and self-compassion using techniques such as identifying the inner critic, challenging negative thoughts, breathing and relaxation methods.” Aurelie Gauthier will be conducting gong “baths” , a form of sound healing where participants lay down and are “bathed” in vibrational sound waves to help relax the body and move emotional blockages caused by trauma. “Stress and anger in our daily lives negatively impact us and manifest at a physical and emotional level. I hope to create an environment in which the participants and their carers feel safe to relax,” she says. The programme, the sessions and the speakers have all been curated with the aim of making participants feel good with their bodies and peaceful in their minds, and to help them become part of a supportive community. “While we cannot eliminate the hardships people face in life, we can empower those in need to overcome fear, anxiety and depression arising from traumatic situations,” says Chellaram. For more details visit yamahk.org/conference