The Story

Each step is an invitation to take another.

From an elite US Alpine Skiing Paralympian to the first amputee to ever summit Mt. McKinley, the accomplishments of Sarah Doherty defy convention. Despite losing her leg at 13 in a car accident, Sarah was determined not to lose her freedom. She began exploring ways to live life more fully, creating tools to help her walk further, ski faster and climb higher.

Her quest to learn new ways to analyze activities and modify equipment led her to become the co-founder of SideStix™. Drawing on her personal experiences has given Sarah the unique insight to create the products and accessories that help others on their journey to reclaim their independence.

Pendo Design who created the SideStix™ brand was aware of the perceptions and stigma associated with the use of adaptive devices. They identified a unique opportunity to position SideStix™ as a beacon of hope and resilience and asked me to create the brand language through all touchpoints using aspirational messaging. 

I created Defy Convention as a rallying cry to honour and empower SideStix™ users who refuse to be defined by the perceptions of others, but by the victories they achieve everyday.