Fiona Porch - Author
(aka) SugaSuga Music Artist

"I want nothing more than to share my story with the world through my music, encourage others especially those that have disabilities to believe in themselves and to follow their dreams."

Born in Sydney, Australia on the 12th of July, at the young age of 8 months Fiona was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism called Kniest Dysplasia, so rare that she traveled all the way to the USA in 2003 to finally have a chance to meet others with the same condition.

"Growing up with Kniest can be quite challenging at times, full of various surgeries and many months in hospital throughout my life. Although something that always gives me great joy and has always served as a form of expression, ever since I can remember is my music."

Music has always been a big part of Fiona's life, first performing in front of many people when she was 9 at a family karaoke night at a local club. In her early teens Fiona began performing more at school functions as well as writing her own poetry which she then later turned into song lyrics.

It wasn't until Fiona was 19 that she decided to follow her dreams as best as she knew how, finally tired of people telling her she would never achieve the dream of creating her own album, "I decided I was no longer going to take no for an answer."

In 2001 one of Fiona's Poems called Feelings was printed in the NSW Department of Education and Training Resource Magazines, Fiona then later turned this into her album cover title song "I Am Who I Am".

Fiona finalized and released her first single independently in September 2002 "My Turn To Fly". "I was extremely excited!" She then began performing her own songs in clubs and shopping centres, which created some media attention, as she did radio interviews and was featured in newspaper articles.

Then the time had finally arrived where Fiona had accomplished two of her ultimate dreams in the same month. It was June 2003 and she had just finalized her first album "I Am Who I Am". "I was thrilled I had finished it just before I went to the Little People Convention in the USA." This is where Fiona finally met people with her condition. Later deciding that she would participate in the convention talent show they were having.

"It was one of the greatest highlights singing in front of hundreds of other little people with different forms of dwarfism, amongst meeting others like myself, whom truly looked like they could pass as my brothers or sisters as we shared a lot of similar features."

Around this time Fiona then began to broadcast her own radio show at a community station in Sydney, Australia. "I had my own show 2-3 times a week for approximately two years! I was so confident on air that the station managers used to have me train a lot of the new hosts on how to operate the panel."

Continuing to do gigs at different places and even joined a band for a few years. "As a child I would say, I want to be a singer and would always get discouraged by naysayers along the way. But really when I look back I realize, I had already achieved more than most people thought I ever would, so why couldn't I live my dream?"

In 2012 Fiona set out on a new adventure traveling to LA to work with four amazing producers: Jan Linder-Koda, Marty Rifkin, Barry Keenan & Sydney Alston to create her most recent released EP "Strength From Within".

Fiona is also working on her very own book, about living with Kniest and her journey through life. It has always been another massive dream of hers that she hopes to publish in the upcoming year ahead "I am an open book just waiting to be read" said Fiona.

"I'm also a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, many times it hurts and it'd be nice if we didn't have to endure the hard times. Even I have wished I didn't have to go through some of the struggles I have come across at times, but if God didn't make me this way, then I wouldn't be me now would I? Given the choice, I wouldn’t change a thing because it really has given me the Strength Within".

By sharing my story with you all and hopefully encourage others to know that determination and self belief can push you to achieve amazing things in this life! Never give up on yourself!

This is only the beginning.... Let's all spread our wings and fly!