National award for housebound university academic

An inspiring University of Southampton research fellow – housebound since 2019 – has been recognised as one of the most influential disabled people in the UK.

Associate Professor William E. Donald, a Visiting Research Fellow at the university’s Business School, is listed in the 2024 Shaw Trust Disability Power 100.

Will, 37, who lives in Oakley near Basingstoke, is a former marathon runner and keen hiker who worked in the finance sector in London before he suddenly fell ill in 2012 with glandular fever and was bedbound for a year.

He was then diagnosed with multiple other conditions including primary Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) with associated Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), which causes intense fatigue, pain, and passing out when standing.

Since 2012 he has had to use a wheelchair, and since 2019 he has been housebound.

“I used to run marathons and lead people up mountains on hikes, so becoming ill was a significant life adjustment,” explained Will. “I do research and advocacy as a form of serious leisure to try and keep my brain active as and when I feel up to it, in a voluntary capacity.”

Will conducts his role as Associate Professor of Sustainable Careers and Human Resource Management at the University of Southampton voluntarily, due to having to retire in 2012 on health grounds.

He studied his undergraduate, master’s and PhD at the University of Southampton. His research focuses on graduate employability, career development, ensuring the workplace is fair for all, and HR practices.

As a disability advocate, he regularly writes about disability issues and supports event organisers on inclusive practices. In 2022, he founded his own company, Donald Research & Consulting .

Will, who lives with his wife Eleanor, daughter Grace, six, and pug Stanley, said: “Awards such as the Disability Power 100 are vital to showcase the amazing work and advocacy that disabled people do, and to shine a light on just how far we need to go as a society in terms of accessibility, inclusivity and carer funding, if we are to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. I am so grateful to Dr Maria Mouratidou from the University of Cumbria for nominating me.”

Alona De Havilland, Head of the Disability Power 100, said: “The Disability Power 100 is all about creating change, it celebrates ambition and achievement, and plays a role in challenging society’s perceptions of disability by recognising the strengths, contributions and successes of 100 disabled individuals each year.”

She added: “It is a rallying cry to future generations of leaders and a call for employers and society to recognise the talents and skills of disabled people.”

The full list of finalists is available on the Disability Power 100 website .