This morning I struggled to get out of bed to come to work, but from now on I will not be so complacent about life after speaking to David Andrew-Smit...

For at least 20 of the athletes who competed in the Games in London this year, it is polio which has left them paralysed - a vicious, highly infectious disease that attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis, if not death. It is children under five who are most vulnerable to infection. But it was possible to watch London 2012's Paralympics Games with a great sense of optimism. These Games were historic, not only for the number of competing athletes and sell-out crowds, but also because they may well have been the last Olympics to take place in a world where a child is at risk of paralysis because of polio.

It's only a week since the Opening Ceremony burned into our consciousness and yet as individuals, as a nation, we have travelled such a distance.

Former F1 driver and double Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi has won gold at the Paralympics 11 years after losing both legs in a horrific racing accid...

It's already proving to be a hugely enjoyable event. But it's an important one too. Because these Paralympics - more than any before them - have a real chance of weaving disabled life more closely into the fabric of our nation.

Welcome to all Huffington Post readers. Here's our London 2012 Paralympic live picture feed for Friday compiled by group picture editor @elliotwagland...

On the brink of the Paralympic Games, I'm appreciating this exciting event without any of the pressure and nerves I felt on the day of the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics just a few weeks ago. It's very easy to look back on the Games with rose-tinted glasses with bronze medal in hand...

The London 2012 Paralympics will be a fantastic celebration, not just of sport, but of disabled people themselves. This should be a transformational moment for disabled people in this country but the hard work will need to continue long after the event... Our vision is that disabled people are active for life. To achieve this, one of our goals will be supporting more disabled people in different ways to realise the benefits of being active. This support should be available at whatever level they choose as only a small minority can take part in or reach Paralympic level.

Come On ParalympicsGB! The Olympics was a sensational warm up event. The stage is set and we are ready.