Ayesha Khan is a 23-year-old student with spina bifida. Despite having to use a wheelchair full time, she has devoted her life to raising money for charities that are close to her heart.

I’ve got spina bifida and Hydrocephalus.

I have had spina bifida since I was a baby. It means that I have a hole in my spine, and the Hydrocephalus is linked to it. It is where I have fluid in my brain. To help with this, I have had a tube in my brain to drain the fluid.

It is difficult growing up with these conditions. I have used a manual wheelchair full-time as I cannot walk at all.

When I am in the wheelchair I don’t really think about it.

The physical disability doesn’t get in my way. It’s the Hydrocephalus that does. It affects me mentally.

I used to study at Lliswerry High School then I went on to sixth form where I did IT, Business and Media and now I’m studying at Crosskeys campus where I'm doing IT.

When I’m not in college I try and help charities, I support them by volunteering at events and fundraising for them.

I have been fundraising since 2001. I have been working with charities such as Whizz Kidz and the Sparkle Appeal from a young age.

Whizz Kidz work to change the lives of disabled children by providing them with equipment and support to help them develop their full potential.

I think those two charities are the reason that I got in to fundraising. Because I had used their services when I was younger, I knew what they could do. They have helped me, so I want to help them to be able to help as many people like me as possible.

I started as a young person going along and using their services.

After that I turned in to a volunteer for these charities. When I was 16, I was too old to use their services, so I decided to find a way to raise money for them instead.

With Whizz Kidz, they were always holding local fundraisers and events in Cardiff, so I started off with that.

In 2012, I took part in a bucket collection with RAF St Athan and AMYA team for Whizz Kidz.

We raised £834.18 that day.

I did the Cardiff Half Marathon a few years ago. I was 19 when I did it.

I definitely won't be doing that again! I didn't really train as much as I should have done.

I was really tired out going round as I had never done a long-distance event before.

It was really hard work to push myself round, but as each mile went by people were cheering me on - that really helped me through it.

It was nice to have the support going round, and it was great to raise so much money for charity. From the Half Marathon, I raised £1,652 for Whizz Kidz.

I did the Newport 10K last year. That went much better I felt. I didn't raise as much money - I only had a £500 target.

I had fun doing the 10K. It was much flatter and it was shorter as well.

When I did the half marathon, I used a sports chair. This was much heavier than my normal chair, and I found it more difficult to push around. When I was doing the 10K last year, I just used my normal chair and found it so much easier.

I recently took part in Newport’s first ever memory walk for Dementia.

I saw it advertised on Facebook, but I needed someone to accompany me on the way round. I didn't have anyone to do it with me, so I posted on Facebook asking if someone would volunteer.

I had about 14 to 20 people get back to me offering to help.

It was a great experience and I completed it in half an hour.

I have recently been invited to take part in a Women of Newport photography exhibition, organised by Kamila Jarczak.

The event is about showing and celebrating the successes and work of women in Newport. There will be women there from all sorts of backgrounds.

I had the professional photographs taken two weeks ago. I'm really excited to be going and taking part.

I didn't really know Kamila - the lady who was organising it. She was one of the women who offered to help me with the dementia walk, but wasn't make it on the day. She messaged me a couple of days later to ask if I wanted to be involved. Someone who knows us both had got in touch with her and told her about the fundraising that I have done.

When I found out who it was I was really pleased. The lady who recommended me is always asking how I am doing every time I see her, and she says how proud she is of me.

Because of how that came about, I decided to set up a fundraising page on Facebook. I always have people coming up to me and asking me when I am doing my next fundraiser.

I thought it would be a good way of updating people on what I am doing and helping to raise awareness for the charities too.

You get to meet so many different people through fundraising - whether it is other fundraisers or people that have been through the same things that you have been through. That is what inspires me to keep going - hearing these people's stories.

As well as fundraising I am interested in the campaigning side of it.

I acted as an ambassador previously for Whizz Kidz, and was the face for the Sparkle Appeal.

Looking forward, I haven't signed up for any more races at the moment. I think I am going to give that a bit of a break. After the exhibition. I will still be looking out for fundraising events and getting involved with them.