0:00:02 > 0:00:03You ready?
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Crazy.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Amazing. Bonkers.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25I'm Joanne.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I'm part of a very exclusive club.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33There are only seven people like me on the planet.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I am in demand all over the world.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Everybody, Joanne O'Riordan.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46I've been on TV more times than I can remember.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48I've met Westlife AND One Direction.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49I'm a teenage girl!
0:00:49 > 0:00:53My motto in life is that if you want something...
0:00:53 > 0:00:56you've got to go and get it.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58So what makes me so special?
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Is it my easygoing charm?
0:01:01 > 0:01:05I hate being told what to do. I'm an independent woman.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Or my sense of humour?
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Or was I just born lucky?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23My name is Joanne O'Riordan. I'm 17.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I was born with total amelia.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30That's Greek for no limbs.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36It's a really rare condition.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40On top of that, I slouch!
0:01:40 > 0:01:43So doctors have put a titanium rod that runs up my spine.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Other than that, I'm a normal teenage girl.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50I love fashion...
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Thank God I don't have feet - I'd cost my dad a fortune!
0:01:54 > 0:01:55..sports...
0:01:58 > 0:02:00..music...
0:02:00 > 0:02:02# She can't sing She can't dance... #
0:02:03 > 0:02:05..and my dog Sally.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Ah! She bit my bum!
0:02:14 > 0:02:18I live in Ireland with Anne. That's what I call my mum.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Yeah, I love calling her Anne. She doesn't respond otherwise.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23And my dad Joe.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Guess how they came up with my name?
0:02:26 > 0:02:27Joe and Anne. Joanne. Geddit?
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Genius.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35And at the moment, my older brother Steven is here.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Steven's my fashion advisor. He thinks he's Gok Wan.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41Action!
0:02:41 > 0:02:42And for the last couple of months,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45I've been followed by Mark from the BBC.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47I've always made the most of what I've got,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51with what I like to call my little arm.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54This is the joy stick to drive my chair.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55I can get around...
0:02:59 > 0:03:00..feed myself...
0:03:00 > 0:03:02This takes skill.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09..clean my teeth...
0:03:12 > 0:03:14..walk the dog.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19I use my phone for texting...
0:03:21 > 0:03:24I have muscle pains at the top of my lip if I text too much,
0:03:24 > 0:03:25it gets tired.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29..and games.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39I've even worked out a class way to work my laptop - fairly cool.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41One time, we did one of those, like, tests at school
0:03:41 > 0:03:45and I typed 36 words per minute. I think.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49From a very early age, Joanne was very independent.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The word no never came into Joanne's vocabulary.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57She was like, "I'm here, I want to do what you're doing,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59"I want to be the same as everybody else.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02"I might be doing it in a completely different way,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04"but I'm actually able to do it."
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Do you want to see One Direction's tour bus?
0:04:07 > 0:04:08It's nicer than the house.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Look, there's me!
0:04:13 > 0:04:17I've always been encouraged to be independent and I never give up.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Steven's been filming me since I was a baby.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25I tried legs...
0:04:27 > 0:04:29..and arms,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32but I never really got on with them.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Frankly, when you've got no limbs, everything's a challenge
0:04:36 > 0:04:39and there are just some things that I can't do by myself.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41This is how I clean my eye.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Simple stuff like itching...
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Thanks, great.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51..washing...
0:04:51 > 0:04:52I can't see!
0:04:55 > 0:04:57..dressing...
0:04:58 > 0:05:00..and, er, other stuff too.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03I have to go to the bathroom.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05- Are you serious?- Yes.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08And no! You can't come with me!
0:05:10 > 0:05:14There's nothing straightforward about my life, but is anyone's?
0:05:14 > 0:05:17MUSIC: "Kiss You" by One Direction
0:05:17 > 0:05:18# We can go out any day any night
0:05:18 > 0:05:21# I'll take you there... #
0:05:21 > 0:05:23I say think positive!
0:05:23 > 0:05:27You'll get a whole lot more out of life than if you just mope around.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29This is my bedroom...
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Awkward.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Because being born this way does have its advantages.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Photos over here. The best one is the One Direction one.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- Me and my friend Murin, we met One Direction.- Have you a favourite?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Uh, I like them all.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44You can't really have a favourite.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46They're individuals.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48They're not dogs, you don't have a favourite.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Like, Niall is Irish so he's savage straightaway.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Harry is ridiculously good looking.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Louis is hilarious. Zane is ridiculously good looking
0:05:58 > 0:06:00and Liam seems really nice. So they're all just perfect!
0:06:02 > 0:06:04I'm a teenage girl!
0:06:04 > 0:06:06# ..And let me kiss you... #
0:06:14 > 0:06:17The British Olympic bobsleigh team
0:06:17 > 0:06:19want to get their sport into the Paralympics
0:06:19 > 0:06:21and they've asked me to be the guinea pig,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23which is great, because I love going fast.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26They don't practise in the snow,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29they train on a special track in Bath in south-west England.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33My family are sports mad and there's no way they'll want to miss this.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Team O'Riordan are about to meet Team GB.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41# The sun goes down The stars come out...
0:06:41 > 0:06:45# And all that counts is here and now
0:06:45 > 0:06:49# My universe will never be the same
0:06:49 > 0:06:51# I'm glad you came
0:06:51 > 0:06:56# I'm glad you came Woah-oh-oh... #
0:06:57 > 0:06:58When you're ready!
0:06:58 > 0:07:00It's the first test run of the day
0:07:00 > 0:07:04and Lee, the head coach, sets them off. Go, team, go!
0:07:06 > 0:07:08These are actually the guys
0:07:08 > 0:07:11who will represent Great Britain in the Olympics.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Oooooohhhh!
0:07:14 > 0:07:17This is where the team practise their starts.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22The bungee cord stops them from running off the end of the track -
0:07:22 > 0:07:24that would be awkward.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Final safety check!
0:07:29 > 0:07:31And time for my mother to chillax.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Calm down, Anne.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37I'm nervous, to be honest. But, um, I'll get over it, so I will.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39It's time to meet the team!
0:07:39 > 0:07:42My name's Jacko, I'm the driver.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44- Hi, Jacko.- This is Stu. - Hi! How are you doing?
0:07:44 > 0:07:49- Hi, Stu. I love the way he walked up. - Yeah, stumbling!- He sits behind me.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- Then you've got big Bruce.- Hello!
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- Hi, Bruce. I was looking at your muscles.- Oh, thank you!
0:07:55 > 0:07:58And then you've got Joel, he's at the back of the sled.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59Ah, you're the smallest.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Yeah, I'm the little one, I have to get in and tuck in behind them all.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04- You're the cute one!- Thank you!
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Now these boys, they are world-class sprinters.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13They'll push the sled to nearly 40km per hour
0:08:13 > 0:08:16before they jump in.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34I hope they're not expecting me to do all that pushing and running.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36I like their little routine.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Right, so what we're going to do is we're going to progress to that
0:08:39 > 0:08:42but, firstly, we're going to go in this -
0:08:42 > 0:08:44our single-man training trolley.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47It's not all for my benefit.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51We're here to test whether this could work as a Paralympic sport.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54The progression is to try and get adapted bobsleigh...
0:08:54 > 0:08:55and as we know, we've got...
0:08:55 > 0:08:58There's many, many servicemen have lost limbs
0:08:58 > 0:09:01and who are able to do adapted bobsleigh.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03And the progression from this is to show that,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07if we can get Joanne in a sled and get down,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10even though we're on a push track, then,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12obviously you're almost the extreme,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14then going from the extreme,
0:09:14 > 0:09:19we can work back and hopefully get teams into the adapted games.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Time to get the training sled into position.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24These guys are seriously quick.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29The fastest we've travelled in a real bobsleigh in the four-man
0:09:29 > 0:09:32on a track in Canada was 155km an hour
0:09:32 > 0:09:34which is about 92mph.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36At the very bottom of the track,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38that's when you've built up all your speed.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40No backing out now.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- Oh, he did do it better.- Does that feel OK?- It feels good.- Good.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53- You happy there?- I'm quite nervous.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Wooh! # Joanne's got a bobsleigh team. #
0:09:56 > 0:09:58You need to count us in, Joanne.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Maybe I'll say three and then we'll all go?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Are you saying three or tree?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06I say tree, like as in a tree in the back yard.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08But counting isn't one, two, tree.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Shrub...bush...tree...
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Aaagh!
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Just when I think it's all over...
0:10:29 > 0:10:31..hit the rewind button.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41You enjoyed it?
0:10:41 > 0:10:44I love it! That's gas!
0:10:45 > 0:10:47And that was a slow one!
0:10:47 > 0:10:50You know, all I can hear is you screaming.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Aaaaahhhh! I'm a girl at the end of the day.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Cushion.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Now it's time for the real test.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03The proper bobsleigh with all four guys pushing,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05just like in the Olympics.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09This is going to be fast.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26The more people in the sled, the faster it goes - #excitingtimes.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49It was really good! It was really, like, fast and it was really fun.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51The bungee part was probably the best part
0:11:51 > 0:11:54because you think you're going to just crash into that
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and come to a sudden stop, but then you're launched back up the hill.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Oh, yeah, I think she's lovely, lovely! She's a bit gobby, like.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04She's a very inspirational young lady, definitely.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07As the lads said, she's very gobby. She holds her own.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Um, she was a good laugh, very good and got stuck in.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13# I'm on top of the world
0:12:13 > 0:12:15# I'm on top of the world... #
0:12:21 > 0:12:25I think that she will remember this for the rest of her life.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28# ..I'm on top of the world... #
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Yeah, I suppose at 92mph, barring my mother driving,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34that's probably the fastest I've ever been.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37My mother always gets over emotional at times like this.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Joanne was born on the Wednesday morning
0:12:40 > 0:12:43and I can still see myself standing at the side of the bed,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47looking down at Joanne thinking, "What will you ever do?"
0:12:47 > 0:12:50So, I mean, this is a big achievement.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56For me, it's much simpler. What's next?
0:12:56 > 0:12:59I'd love to definitely try it on an icy hill and go from side to side.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02I'd love to do it like that. Maybe we'll crash the Olympics?!
0:13:07 > 0:13:11I've always known that you've got to make the best of life.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15If you're determined and you have a wonderful family
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and friends to support you, anything's possible.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Especially if you're like me - born lucky.