Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds

Early life and education

Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1960. She was born without arms or legs as a result of her mother being prescribed thalidomide during pregnancy.

She attended Ysgol Erw'r Delyn, a special school in Penarth that opened in 1958. At the age of 14, she continued her education at Treloar School in Alton, Hampshire, which was the only school in the UK providing an academic education to people with disabilities such as hers. She attended Cardiff University from 1985 as its first known disabled student.

Career and accomplishments

After graduating in 1985, Moriarty-Simmonds faced daily discrimination, making it difficult to get hired. She applied for over 400 jobs and was granted interviews for only four of them. She eventually secured a position as a civil servant at Companies House, an executive agency of the British government, working in the Department of Trade and Industry. After several years, she rose to the executive officer level, where she remained until stepping down in 1993.

In 1995, after seven years at Companies House, she established RMS, her own consulting agency specialising in disability law and offering training to organisations including local government, the National Assembly, Cardiff Council, and others. In 1999, she joined the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association (MFPA) and began creating original paintings by holding a paintbrush in her mouth. Seven pieces of her artwork have been featured on cards and gift wrapping sold in 14 different countries worldwide.

She has also worked in television and theatre, appearing in the TV series Define Normal in 2005, later presenting the BBC Wales programme Rosie's World and performing in the one-act play The Cardiff Tapes. In 2007, she published her autobiography, Four Fingers and Thirteen Toes, reflecting on her life as a thalidomide survivor, including her personal struggles, experiences with discrimination, and the historical context of the Thalidomide tragedy.

Activism

Moriarty-Simmonds has educated people about thalidomide impairment through various means, including the TV drama Call the Midwife. Season 5, Episode 1, in which a thalidomide baby was born, was partially inspired by her autobiography, and the producers used her book to make it as accurate and educational as possible. She appeared as herself in the 2017 documentary Call the Midwife: The Casebook, talking about her own life and experiences. She campaigned for financial compensation for people affected by the thalidomide epidemic and advocates for funding for thalidomide-impaired individuals, especially as they get older.

She argued that extending the Thalidomide Trust Health Grant, which was due to end in 2023, would be helpful for the community. The Thalidomide Memorial was created in 2016 in Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff, to honour those affected by the crisis. On Art UK, Moriarty-Simmonds is listed as the commissioner of the piece.

Did You Know?

• She was Cardiff University's first known disabled student when she began her studies in 1985.
• In 2022, she was appointed High Sheriff of South Glamorgan, a voluntary royal appointment lasting one year.