A DWARFISM campaigner is gearing up to present her life experiences - and vision of a more accepting and inclusive society - to politicians in Cardiff Bay.

After moving to Newport to study at the University of South Wales, Danielle Webb, 24, decided to stay for the “community feel” of the area - and now works as young people's development officer for city arts group Urban Circle.

“I grew up quite insecure about my condition,” says Ms Webb. “In fact, I despised anyone bringing it up. All I wanted to do was fit in.

“I am the first and, so far, only person in my family with the condition. Until I was 13, I never met someone else who looked like me.”

Ms Webb was born with achondroplasia, which is the most common cause of dwarfism. Like 80 per cent of people with the condition, Ms Webb was born to average-height parents.

South Wales Argus: Danielle has authored two books and featured in Cosmopolitan magazine

The first time she met someone else that “looked like her” – as a young teenager – was at a Little People UK charity event.

This February, Ms Webb became the charity’s vice chair – part of a leadership group that boasts Star Wars actor Warwick Davis as president.

“Since meeting so many people with my condition, my entire outlook has changed,” says Ms Webb. “I have learned to feel empowered by it. I’ve had to put in that extra work to educate the people around me and make the communities around me more accepting.

'They've learned from me'

“In most experiences, I’ve been the first person that people have met. They’ve learned from me, and I’ve shared my experiences to make places more adapting.”

Ms Webb says her condition has provided opportunities such as writing for Cosmopolitan, featuring in Fabulous magazine’s summer body campaign and publishing two books – Mummy, There’s a New Girl and Short Perspective.

The two-time author said: “I want to see more books on the shelf, more schools talking openly about differences and what dwarfism means, and for society to accept individuals as they would anyone else.

“I moved from a small town where every knew me, to a city where people don’t. Sometimes there are comments and stares on a daily basis. In some instances, it gets worse than that in the form of people taking photos and shouting harassment.

“Sometimes I have struggled with my confidence when I’m out in public, especially when I’m visiting new places. I’m always second-guessing what the location might be like – is it accessible, are things in reach? But there’s also the emotional side of what people’s attitudes might be like. Are they accepting? Are they educated?”

Ms Webb will host Wales’ first officially recognised Dwarfism Awareness Day at the Senedd on Wednesday, October 25, sponsored by Newport West MS Jayne Bryant.