When Ellie Simmonds revealed in June she had been adopted as a baby, the Paralympic swimmer was praised for her bravery. “I’m no longer carrying around this big secret with me,” says Ellie, 28, winner of five Paralympic gold medals.
She retired from professional sport in 2021 and says: “I decided it was time to track down my birth mother.” Her experience was then documented in ITV show Finding My Secret Family.
“Adoption and disability is something not spoken about very much, and I wanted to use my voice to start a conversation about it,” she says.
Ellie has dwarfism, described by the NHS as “restricted growth, a condition characterised by unusually short height”. She says: “I learned there’s still this idea that people want a ‘perfect’ baby. When it comes to children with a disability, there are a lot of factors to consider, including hospital time and money.
"As a result, children with a disability are in the care system a lot longer. But when you have a child with a disability, the rewards are incredible. You’re changing someone’s life, you’re giving them love. A child is a child no matter what they look like.”
Ellie grew up in Walsall in the West Midlands as one of five children. She always knew she was adopted and says: “I’m from a big family – three sisters and one brother. So for me, I would love to have children. I love being around them. I’d like to be the birth mum I needed. If you can bring your child up with love and happiness, and give them opportunities, then that’s the best thing.
“If it’s the birth mum, carer or adoptive parents, no matter who you are – I think anyone can have a child and give them the love they want and need.
“Seeing the change with the acceptance of disability in society gives me joy – and hope – too. Being around so many people with different disabilities, I know there are always challenges in life. But those challenges make you stronger, as a person, and especially as a child.”
It’s Ellie’s optimism that drew her to a campaign by toy brand Furby, which encourages children to embrace their individuality. The brand’s research found more than a third of parents say their daughters feel pressure about how they look before they are nine.
“There’s been a huge change in the way disabled people are viewed over the past few years – but there’s still a lot more for us to do,” Ellie says. “I want to create a positive change for children, for them to not worry about what they look like. If I didn’t have dwarfism, and a disability, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s really important we celebrate our differences.”
Ellie retired after the Tokyo Games in 2021 and says she’s faced challenges adjusting to her new life. “For so long my body was in top condition. I was doing exercise every day. Now, sometimes I don’t do sport for two weeks. So my body has gone through a lot of change.
“You compare yourself to when you were at your fittest and that’s hard. What I look like has changed and I’m still getting used to it.”
Last year Ellie took part in Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with pro dancer Nikita Kuzmin. She was the sixth celebrity to be eliminated and says she’s not watching the latest series.
“I find it really hard to watch because I’m seeing Nikita dancing with somebody else,” says Ellie.
“It was the most amazing thing both doing the show and then the tour as well. So it’s tough to watch.”
And as for dancing? She can’t remember a thing. “I didn’t retain any of my skills, they’ve gone out of the window,” Ellie laughs. “I just dance like everyone else – badly.”
- To find out more visit furbeyourself.co.uk