Code Badger wasn't born in a boardroom. It was built out of one of the hardest periods of my life — and a stubborn refusal to stop moving forward.
After more than 30 years in physical work, I was diagnosed with Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) — a chronic neurological condition that turned my world upside down overnight. PPPD is a Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition where the brain misfires signals that affect balance, movement and perception. It is very real, often invisible, and frequently misunderstood. For me, it meant losing the career I had known my entire adult life.
I had been a keen mountain biker and loved nothing more than being outdoors. PPPD took that from me too — busy environments and open spaces can be powerful triggers. Alongside this I have lived with Graves' disease for over 14 years, an autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid that brings its own daily challenges. And just recently, I received a diagnosis of dyslexia — something I had been living with my whole life without knowing. For years I thought I was just a bit slow. I wasn't. My brain simply works differently.
What I had, through all of it, was a deep passion for technology. I earned a BSc in Applied Computing at 20, though life took me in a different direction and I never formally worked in the field. Thirty years later, faced with a life-changing diagnosis, I found myself returning to that passion — this time with no intention of walking away from it. I am now returning to university studying for a BSc Hons in Software Engineering. The same mind that spent decades grafting with its hands is now building something new — built from the ground up, just like the tagline says.
Code Badger is my side hustle, my purpose, and my proof that a diagnosis does not define you. When you bring your machine to me or commission a project, you are not dealing with a faceless agency. You are dealing with someone who has fought hard to be here, who takes pride in every job, and who will always be straight with you.
Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness is a chronic condition of the nervous system causing persistent dizziness and unsteadiness. It falls under the umbrella of Functional Neurological Disorders — real neurological conditions where the brain's function, rather than its structure, is affected. For more information visit fndhope.org.
An autoimmune disorder causing the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, leading to overproduction of thyroid hormones. It requires lifelong management and affects energy, mood and overall wellbeing. For more information visit thyroiduk.org.
A difference in the way the brain processes written language. Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence — it is a different way of thinking that often brings strengths in problem solving, creativity and lateral thought. For more information visit bdadyslexia.org.uk.