Sandra Collins

Sandra Collins; Person with lived experience of rare disease and Rare Disease Forum Steering Group member
Sandra Collins; Person with lived experience of rare disease and Rare Disease Forum Steering Group member

Sandra Collins is someone who lives with a Rare Disease known as Von Hippell Lindau (VHL).  VHL is a rare, genetic, chronic cancer disorder which in its simplest form causes tumours within a multisystem involvement. 

Sandra holds a BA in sports education and a MSOCSC (Masters in Community and Youth work). She is currently working as a professional Practitioner in community and youth work in the Maynooth University Access Programme, advocating for human rights, social justice, and equality for groups who are under-represented in the higher education system.

In recent years, Sandra has extended her personal and professional knowledge, skills and values to work collaboratively with various health organisations who support people with medicated conditions. Through this collective action, she aims to bring a community development lens to breaking participation barriers for people with intersectional identities and to building the capacity of people most affected by medical circumstances.  Sandra takes a human rights approach to equality whilst building capacity and empowering people to use their ‘Voice’, by creating spaces for more inclusive dialogue and reciprocal relations for better outcomes for individuals and society.