My journey with table tennis started when I was eight years old. I followed my brother’s footsteps and joined the local TT club where I learned how to play and instantly fell in love with this sport.

As I progressed over the next few years I got offered a place in one of the Polish Table Tennis Academies and I stayed there for the next four years. On average I’ve practised 30 hours a week, played in the first Women’s Division Team, and took part in countless national and also international tournaments. I felt like I was on top of the mountain.

But one day everything suddenly changed – a wrist injury – I had my first reconstructive surgery when I was only 18 years old.

Nothing was the same after that. Pain, swelling, constant inflammation and a struggle to complete the simplest daily activities.

I had no choice, I had to give up my table tennis.

On that day my heart sunk, and it felt like my whole life stopped. I didn’t have a plan B. My dreams, my future, were all about table tennis, and it was all taken away from me. Everything was gloomy and I found myself in a very dark and lonely place.

I needed to change the surroundings, so I left my country and ended up in England.

I was trying my best to make things work for me but no matter what I did, nothing was ever satisfying enough.

My wrist was getting worse. For the next 15 years of my life I was in and out hospitals, surgery after surgery, ups and downs and increased amount of painkillers became my daily routine.

But still, there was not a single day that I didn’t think and dream about playing table tennis again.

In that period I also became a wife and a mum.

That moment when I held my beautiful baby girl for the first time made me more determined, and motivated to push harder, to do better and to get better.

I found a surgeon in Poland who suggested a surgery that could possibly help my case but it was never even an option in UK. I had nothing to lose, so I agreed.

It was a long and painful recovery but my wrist was slowly improving and getting stronger.

I didn’t think I can go back to playing yet, but I decided to go back to a table tennis environment by doing a Level 1 coaching course.

I did not expect that the first day of that course will change my life forever.

Sometimes it only takes one person to change someone’s whole world, someone that can give us a gentle but confident push to take a first step onto the right path and towards the better future.

On that day I’ve met that person. It was Mark Mitchell – a Head Coach at St Neots Table Tennis Club, also an ex-England international player and former Para GB team coach.

I couldn’t find a better person to learn from and be guided by. He believed in me even though I didn’t believe in myself at that point.

He invited me to the coaching team, introduced to the players and everyone made me feel welcomed and appreciated from the very time.

I must say that taking my first steps on my coaching path wasn’t always easy due to my lack of confidence and low self-esteem, but I knew this is exactly the moment when I need to get out of my comfort zone in order to achieve what I want.

Very quickly with this overwhelming support I have built myself up again, gained coaching experience and I felt ready and confident for what came next.

Thanks to Mark’s encouragement and help I have opened my own TT Club in the town where I live – Cambourne.

I am currently running two group sessions for juniors and adults with almost 30 members now.

I can’t describe how proud I am and the joy I feel when I see how all the players and the club has grown in just seven months. I love every minute of it, and I will put every effort to take it to the next level.

While I was gaining my coaching experience, I was also trying to make my way back as a player.

One of the surgeries I had in the past was a total wrist fusion which means there is no movement in my wrist. I had to re-learn how to play with my impairment.

Again, thanks to Mark and my other friend and also a brilliant coach Simon Pryke, both spent a lot of time practising with me and helping me develop my skills until I felt I was ready.

In September last year I got classified as a Para player (class 10) and travelled to Poland for my first Polish Para Grand Prix . . . I won it!

I came second on the next one in December. At the beginning of this year I received one of the most exciting news – I got selected to a Polish Para Team!

All that hard work, dedication and focus has paid off for sure and I am really looking to the future.

I am forever grateful for all the support I received from Mark and Simon, I would have never got here without them.

I feel like I’m on top of the mountain . . . again. The sky is not the limit – the UNIVERSE is!