Hilary Pole

Hilary Jennifer Pole MBE (1938-1975) was an English writer and campaigner who had myasthenia gravis and was an early user of a POSSUM communication device.

She grew up in the West Midlands and attended King Edward VI Handsworth School and King Edward VI High School for Girls, where she played sports enthusiastically and passed A levels in botany, zoology and art.

Within a few years she had lost her sight, could not speak or breathe unaided, and could only move one toe to the extent of 2mm.

[4] She spent ten years in hospital, but returned to a specially-adapted flat in her parents' home in 1970, with 24-hour care from a rota of nurses and volunteers.

[4] She later used a POSSUM (Patient Operated Selector Mechanism) and for the first time for many years could communicate independently: she wrote to her old school saying "I can have speedier, more lucid conversations; write my poems and letters in private; to quote one of my friends, I can now be risqué without the whole hospital knowing!