But instead of dwelling on the bad and her constant daily battle with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Ms Ager has written a book to inspire others to get on with life.

Called Enemy Within, Ms Ager, who now lives in New York and is a teacher at the United Nations International School, is in Australia promoting her newly released book.

Told by doctors at the age of 17 she would spend a life living on a disability pension, too crippled to work, she went out of her way to prove them wrong.

After years of heartache, in 2001 she started taking a new drug which greatly improved her life.

It was so good she lobbied the federal government to put it on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.

"I had so many difficult times that when I was doing my bachelor of education one of my lecturers heard what I had gone through and said I should start to write this down,'' said Ms Ager, who was born in the shire and lived throughout the area and St George in her 20s.

"So between my childhood journals and journals during my 30s, I recorded what was happening to me.''

Now in her mid-40s, Ms Ager said writing the book had given her the opportunity to reflect on her life; the impact of her parents' divorce; the instances of domestic violence she suffered; confinement to a wheelchair because of the illness; and her infertility.

Ms Ager said the book was not only for those with RA, but for anyone who had faced adversity. She said it was also for the family and friends of those who were suffering.

Details: New Holland Publishers Australia or

Karen Ager