Alexander Technique: the great curer of back pain
A new study has proved the technique works best for relieving tension, reports Maria Fitzpatrick
If you're slouching over your newspaper, this should make you sit up straight: finally, we've found a cure for chronic back pain - and it doesn't involve painkillers, surgery or uncomfortable manipulation.
The Alexander Technique could potentially help thousands of people plagued by back pain Rather, the answer lies in a simple, yet powerful, therapy that's more than 100 years old.
Research published last week in the British Medical Journal revealed that the Alexander Technique - which works on releasing muscle tension to improve posture, alignment and movement - is significantly more effective at reducing chronic or recurrent back pain than typical GP-prescribed treatment.
Trials on 463 patients found that those who were prescribed 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique (along with exercise) experienced only three days of back pain in a month, compared with 11 days in patients who received six lessons, 14 days in the group who had regular massage, and 21 days in those given standard GP care (painkillers, often coupled with exercise).
The practice was originally devised in the 1890s and introduced in Britain in 1904 by Frederick Matthias Alexander, an Australian actor. Alexander had problems with a hoarse voice, which he attributed to nervous tension in his body before performing.
He believed that we "translate everything, whether physical, mental or spiritual, into muscular tension" and that the resulting poor posture compresses the neck and spine.
The technique he developed is, according to expert Joe Searby, "a set of simple, practical mental and physical skills, tailored to the individual", and it has garnered a large following worldwide, with Sting, Madonna and Sir Paul McCartney all reportedly believers. But until now, there was limited clinical evidence of its benefits.
However, this new large-scale study, funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS, could bring relief to the millions of people - estimated at half the UK population - who suffer regularly from back pain. Fifteen per cent of those develop chronic problems, at a cost of ÂŁ5 billion to the economy each year.
The technique aims to heighten awareness of the body, equipping patients to use it more efficiently, releasing tension, preventing injury and correcting existing musco-skeletal problems. It also can lead to improved circulation, pain relief, reduced anxiety and improved sleep.
"You're using conscious thought to free tension from the body and 'retrain' the musculature of your spine, neck and head," explains Searby, who runs a private practice in Oxfordshire, as well as working at the Constructive Teaching Centre in Holland Park.
But it's not an instant cure, rather a long-term adjustment. "We're used to expecting a 'quick fix' for pain," he adds. "But this technique is like learning the piano. People often feel some positive effects after one lesson - but keeping it up is crucial."
A 10-MINUTE TASTE OF THE TECHNIQUE
Joe Searby asked me to stand in front of my chair facing straight ahead, shoulders soft, and to think of my spine as a long spring. He explained that my head, weighing 10-11lb, was pushing down on that spring, compressing it.
Two-thirds of the head's weight is distributed in front of the ears, meaning that, naturally, it should move slightly forwards. But when the muscles of the neck are tense, they contract, drawing the head backwards and down, and pulling extra weight on to the spine.
Searby used his hands to straighten the small of my back and my shoulders, before putting his hands on either side of my neck. He asked me to become conscious of how it felt. I was aware of tension in my shoulders; my neck felt heavy and warm.
He told me to "order" my neck muscles not to do anything (this is different from relaxing: relaxing makes you naturally droop). As I told them not to tense, my neck felt even heavier.
Searby was guiding my posture so that I didn't sag; he then asked me to "send a message" to my head to project its weight forwards and upwards, as if releasing it away from my body and tell my neck muscles to lose their stiffness and "elongate".
He said my neck should be starting to feel more elastic and my shoulders to soften, and that this might feel uncomfortable because I was beginning to release long-held tension.
He asked me to imagine my body as a concertina: folding up easily, bending at the knees and at the hips. With one gentle movement from him, I was sitting in my chair. I have never been so graceful in my life. MF
⢠For more information, go to http://www.stat.org.uk/
⢠'Alexander Technique' by Joe Searby (Duncan Baird) is available from Telegraph Books for £4.99 + 99p p&p. Call 0870 428 4115 or go to books.telegraph.co.uk
My Experiences Writing a Book- One Year Later
My Experiences Writing a Book- One Year Later
I was first asked to consider writing a book several years ago by the Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In 1995, our daughter Rachel had been one of the sickest babies who had ever been treated at our large metropolitan hospital. She had been born 4 months early and had rallied from her deathbed 14 ounces to be finally be discharged 9 months later.
Because I was a clinical psychologist on faculty at the medical school and my wife Susan was a registered nurse, the neonatologist thought that writing a story about what happened to a child once believed born too early to survive would provide information and comfort to those facing similar situations and choices.
As a professor, my time was devoted to teaching, clinical work and writing scientific papers documenting our research on the human brain and conditions such as Alzheimerâs disease. I simply was too busy to take on this type of project. However, it was something that Shahnaz had said to me, âYou and your wife once dreamed of a perfect biological family and yet you have to remarkable children who should know just how special they are to their parentsâ. Indeed, Rachel was a child that most thought would never survive and struggled with mild cerebral palsy as well as hearing and vision loss. Amy was born in China, on the other side of the world, not knowing how much a family in Florida wanted to bring her home.
I set aside several months and worked on a manuscript, talking with my wife, pouring over documents and reading notes that I had written to myself over the years. When I had completed the first several chapters, I showed it to a friend and colleague in the medical school who had a small publishing company. With his encouragement and the support of my wife Susan, a book took shape.
When the book For the Love of Rachel: A Fatherâs Story was officially released in September of 2007, there was considerable interest on the medical campus where I worked. I had over 85 scientific articles
and book chapters, but people were curious about the more intimate side of our lives. People started purchasing the book from the Publisherâs website, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. My first reading drew a standing room crowd of 100-120 people at Books & Books where I did my first reading and all of the copies in the store were sold out. There was also the unexpected honor of winning Reader Views 2007 Inspirational Book of the Year as well as overall 2007 Non-Fiction Book of the Years.
As the book gained increasing popularity, I was invited to many book signing parties and gave talks at fundraising events for the March of Dimes and United Cerebral Palsy of South Florida. What was even more wonderful, was the many e-mails and letters that I received from people who could relate to a number of aspects of the book whether it was the courtship of my beautiful wife Susan, the heroic struggles of an infant that could fit in the palm of ones hand, how a young couple dealt with infertility, prematurity and tests of faith, the challenges of special needs or the fantastic voyage to China to adopt a child. What I learned from this correspondence was the silent heroism evidenced each day by parents with and without special needs children, their struggles to navigate an increasingly difficult healthcare system. Each one of these individuals had a unique story to tellâŚ
One year since writing this book, I have become more involved with the March of Dimes and recently became involved as a board member of United Cerebral Palsy of South Florida and support candidates that are cognizant of the struggles of families and our scared obligation to insure a better future for our children. Words matter⌠however actions matter even more.
For all of you who have dreamed of writing, whether you go with a large or small publishing house or self-publish, your work (fiction or non-fiction) is a unique reflection of your soul. While at times frustrating, writing engenders magic and creativity within us. The experience is liberating and in my case cathartic.
Whether your words are read by millions or whether it touches the hearts of but a few, a book or a written article is a unique expression and gift offered up by you. I highly recommend the experienceâŚ
I was first asked to consider writing a book several years ago by the Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In 1995, our daughter Rachel had been one of the sickest babies who had ever been treated at our large metropolitan hospital. She had been born 4 months early and had rallied from her deathbed 14 ounces to be finally be discharged 9 months later.
Because I was a clinical psychologist on faculty at the medical school and my wife Susan was a registered nurse, the neonatologist thought that writing a story about what happened to a child once believed born too early to survive would provide information and comfort to those facing similar situations and choices.
As a professor, my time was devoted to teaching, clinical work and writing scientific papers documenting our research on the human brain and conditions such as Alzheimerâs disease. I simply was too busy to take on this type of project. However, it was something that Shahnaz had said to me, âYou and your wife once dreamed of a perfect biological family and yet you have to remarkable children who should know just how special they are to their parentsâ. Indeed, Rachel was a child that most thought would never survive and struggled with mild cerebral palsy as well as hearing and vision loss. Amy was born in China, on the other side of the world, not knowing how much a family in Florida wanted to bring her home.
I set aside several months and worked on a manuscript, talking with my wife, pouring over documents and reading notes that I had written to myself over the years. When I had completed the first several chapters, I showed it to a friend and colleague in the medical school who had a small publishing company. With his encouragement and the support of my wife Susan, a book took shape.
When the book For the Love of Rachel: A Fatherâs Story was officially released in September of 2007, there was considerable interest on the medical campus where I worked. I had over 85 scientific articles
and book chapters, but people were curious about the more intimate side of our lives. People started purchasing the book from the Publisherâs website, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. My first reading drew a standing room crowd of 100-120 people at Books & Books where I did my first reading and all of the copies in the store were sold out. There was also the unexpected honor of winning Reader Views 2007 Inspirational Book of the Year as well as overall 2007 Non-Fiction Book of the Years.
As the book gained increasing popularity, I was invited to many book signing parties and gave talks at fundraising events for the March of Dimes and United Cerebral Palsy of South Florida. What was even more wonderful, was the many e-mails and letters that I received from people who could relate to a number of aspects of the book whether it was the courtship of my beautiful wife Susan, the heroic struggles of an infant that could fit in the palm of ones hand, how a young couple dealt with infertility, prematurity and tests of faith, the challenges of special needs or the fantastic voyage to China to adopt a child. What I learned from this correspondence was the silent heroism evidenced each day by parents with and without special needs children, their struggles to navigate an increasingly difficult healthcare system. Each one of these individuals had a unique story to tellâŚ
One year since writing this book, I have become more involved with the March of Dimes and recently became involved as a board member of United Cerebral Palsy of South Florida and support candidates that are cognizant of the struggles of families and our scared obligation to insure a better future for our children. Words matter⌠however actions matter even more.
For all of you who have dreamed of writing, whether you go with a large or small publishing house or self-publish, your work (fiction or non-fiction) is a unique reflection of your soul. While at times frustrating, writing engenders magic and creativity within us. The experience is liberating and in my case cathartic.
Whether your words are read by millions or whether it touches the hearts of but a few, a book or a written article is a unique expression and gift offered up by you. I highly recommend the experienceâŚ
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, hearing and vision loss
The Butterfly Effect
A man's one-in-a-million close encounter with an insect convinces him that the theory is true: The fluttering of gossamer wings can change the world
By Dan Southerland
Sunday, August 24, 2008; W16
IN JULY LAST YEAR, a butterfly landed on my shoulder while I was taking a break from my office for a few minutes one afternoon to talk business with a colleague. I was sure the butterfly would soon fly off. We were walking through an L Street canyon near 19th Street NW that was surrounded by granite, concrete and glass. I had never seen a butterfly in this part of the city before. Now I had one clinging to me. It migrated to my shirt collar and stayed there.
After half an hour or so, with my new friend still perched on me, I decided that I should have a picture taken to record the
butterfly's remarkable arrival out of nowhere. So together we ducked into a MotoPhoto shop on 19th Street, just north of L.
The gentleman running the photo shop seemed to find nothing unusual about a man walking around with a butterfly on his collar and began clicking away with his camera. I thought that his flash would scare the butterfly away, but my little pal stayed put.
I decided to get the butterfly something to eat at the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse across the street. My colleague Catherine Antoine and I plunged into the rush-hour traffic on 19th, slipping between cars that were jammed together waiting for the light to change. Neither the noise nor the fumes seemed to bother the butterfly.
I asked the waiter standing outside the door of the steakhouse to find a corner table for "me, my colleague and the butterfly."
"Right away, sir," responded the waiter, acting as if there was nothing extraordinary about a butterfly dropping in at a steakhouse. We ordered calamari and two glasses of pinot noir, and I asked the waiter to get something for the butterfly.
The waiter, Emad Salha, returned with Erika Kowkabi, the restaurant's night manager, who said that they had conducted a Google search that showed butterflies like overripe fruit. They would prepare some chopped strawberries for the little guy, she said. Restaurant manager Phil McMaster also showed up to see whether he could be of assistance. On the wall behind us, portraits of George Washington and Ben Franklin looked down on the scene. The butterfly took no interest in the strawberries, and as I took out my credit card he left my shoulder for the first time, landing on the window blinds next to the table. Catherine managed to use her office identification card to coax the butterfly back to my shoulder.
It was dawning on me that I knew nothing about butterflies. My new friend's upper forewings sported reddish orange bands set against a black-and-brown background. He measured a little more than two inches from wingtip to wingtip.
A couple from Austin, sitting with their son at a neighboring table, enjoyed listening to our conversation about the butterfly, and we exchanged pleasantries. It occurred to me that a butterfly could bring out the best in people, even in this unlikely setting of dark wood, brass trim and rib-eye steaks.
I somehow lost my sense of time. We ended up discussing Middle East politics with Emad, our Palestinian American waiter. Finally I took note of the time again. We had spent nearly two hours with a butterfly in downtown Washington.
I paid the bill at exactly 5:52 p.m. (I've kept the receipt as a souvenir) and decided I might as well call it a day and head home -- with the butterfly. I phoned my wife, Muriel, to ask her to put off the movie she had planned to go to and wait for me, because I'd be bringing a butterfly home.
At 19th and M, with the butterfly on my shoulder, I hailed a cab. I immediately asked the driver to put up the windows so the butterfly wouldn't fly out. He quickly glanced back at me as though I must be slightly crazy but soon got used to the idea of chauffeuring a butterfly. During the cab ride, the butterfly stayed on my shoulder at first but then shifted to the middle of my necktie. We arrived at my home near Glen Echo and the Potomac River in about 30 minutes.
Muriel and our 20-year-old daughter, Shauna, were waiting when the cab drove up. I exited the car -- very slowly -- and took the butterfly straight to the empty birdbath in front of our house. Somehow we got the butterfly into the birdbath and brought him some chopped bananas and bright red and purple salvia from the garden. After clutching at each of the flowers, he settled on one bunch and embraced it.
I decided to call in witnesses, two of our most spiritually oriented neighbors, Gina Di Medio Marrazza and Elizabeth Sammis, to see the butterfly.
Gina immediately pronounced the butterfly a reincarnation. It was someone from a past life who had come to visit. "He's trying to tell you something," she said.
Liz had a more practical explanation. "This is a message to you, Dan," she said. "It's telling you to slow down. Come home earlier. Pay attention to what's really important in life."
Shortly after 8 p.m., with the light fading, we decided to leave the butterfly to the birdbath and our garden, which happened to be full of such butterfly-friendly plants as coreopsis, phlox, lilies, salvia, coneflowers and a single butterfly bush. We figured that we'd just had an amazing experience, and now it was over.
On July 11, the day after I met the butterfly, I returned home early. Muriel picked me up at the bus stop at 7:15 p.m. A few minutes later, I was trudging up the steps to the front door when Muriel almost shouted, "He's back!"
"I saw him in the air," she said. "He was hovering over the birdbath."
Then she spotted him among the cascading leaves of the cherry tree. I saw nothing but the tree. Finally, he landed on a dry spot on the edge of the birdbath.
I soon discovered our visitor could be easily identified. He was a red admiral, also known as Vanessa atalanta, described in several books as among the friendliest of butterflies. They've turned up in locations as diverse as the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire and the corner of Wall and Broad streets in New York's financial district, according to a 2005 book by Rick Cech and Guy Tudor. They can be found as far north as southern Canada, throughout the United States, as far south as Guatemala, in most of Europe and Central Asia, and in parts of North Africa.
In southern Europe, red admirals migrate in large numbers, but they fly less frequently en masse in North America. Cech and Tudor have documented mass flights in the spring along the East Coast about once a decade in recent years, "often followed by precipitous population crashes."
In the D.C. area, the red admirals appear to be among the most common butterflies, although the average life span is just three weeks. They turn up along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, on the edges of swamps and forests and even downtown, as I discovered. And, based on my experience, they can be amazingly adaptable. I always thought of butterflies as dainty, but it appears that some can be quite aggressive.
According to the Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America, red admiral males are "especially pugnacious, darting out at almost anything crossing their territory, even humans!" I went over to where my red admiral was perched on the birdbath. He flew up, and at that point a minor miracle occurred. He was joined by another butterfly. I thought at first that it was a female and imagined that our butterfly had found a girlfriend. But I later learned that based on its flying behavior, the second butterfly was probably a male. The two butterflies flew in loops, what I came to view as a sort of spiral dance. Male red
admirals typically chase one another to establish dominance over a particular territory. How could I be sure that my friend was male? No particular reason, just instinct. I came up with a name for him -- Poppy -- from the French "papillon" for butterfly. If I was wrong about his gender, Poppy would do just fine for a female, I thought.
So began a period of more than a month during which Poppy appeared 25 times.
If I came home after dark, he wouldn't show. But if I arrived at dusk, about 7:30 or 7:45, he invariably appeared. And day by day, he became, from my point of view, increasingly friendly and playful. I began to keep a log of his comings and goings as well as of his stunts, which reminded me of a fighter pilot who fired no weapons but just loved flying.
At first, I told very few people about Poppy. I felt somehow that I needed to protect him. My cousin Phebe, who lives in a renovated log cabin near Lexington, Va., and is wise in the ways of nature, seemed to think the butterfly might be attracted to the white shirt I was wearing when I first encountered him on L Street. So for several days, I put on the same white shirt every evening and then waited for the butterfly in front of my house. A neighbor walked by once and asked me what I was doing standing there in my white shirt.
"Looking for butterflies," I replied. But I decided that the shirt couldn't be the only attraction. I learned that butterflies are strongly attracted to the salt in human sweat, so it looked as if it was the sweat, not the shirt.
How did I know it was the same butterfly that landed on me each time? The answer was in his behavior. It was so consistent that it was hard to imagine another butterfly precisely duplicating it. Based on my research, it is rare for a butterfly to return to the same person time after time. Indeed, I at first thought that I must be having a unique experience. But a zoologist and amateur naturalist, Judith Shaw of Mitchellville, alerted me to a report about a boy in California who once befriended a red admiral.
Gregory Richards, 9 at the time, had an amazingly similar experience to mine, according to a United Press International story that appeared in the Los Angeles Times in July 1969. For 20 days, a butterfly believed to be a red admiral fluttered around and landed on Gregory when the boy played in the evening in front of his grandparents' home. Gregory's rendezvous with the butterfly, named Mr. Flutter by his grandmother, occurred daily, usually about 7 p.m. A local entomologist said he was amazed and couldn't understand what attracted the insect to the boy.
Richards, now 48, reached by phone at his home in Kingsburg, Calif., confirmed the story, adding that regular visits from a red admiral butterfly occurred for three consecutive summers at his grandparents' place. "I looked for him every evening," Richards said. "But if other kids were around, he wouldn't come close to me."
As early as July 12, Day Three of his stay with us, Poppy began to establish a pattern. He would emerge from the thick camouflage of the cherry tree. I couldn't see him there, but Muriel had an uncanny ability to detect his movements.
Then he would drop down to the birdbath and land on the top of the lamppost. I found that when he was on the lamppost or birdbath, I could come within six or seven inches of him and say a few words without disturbing him. He would sit at first with his wings closed, the scales on their underside looking like dried leaves -- a sort of camouflage. But then he would slowly open his wings, showing the bright orange-red bars that make this butterfly so easy to identify. It was a gesture that I saw again and again, and I took it as a sign that he knew I wouldn't harm him.
One thing is certain: Almost
nothing seemed to startle Poppy. But I made it a rule never to try to touch him. I was convinced that such a move would appear threatening. As it was, the only time I saw him dart away from his perch on the lamppost in apparent fear was when a car drove by with its sound system booming.
Even the appearance of a catbird, which watched the butterfly from a close distance on two or three occasions, didn't seem to bother Poppy. Muriel tried shouting out once to alert Poppy to the bird, but he ignored the warning. On Day Five, July 14, Poppy tried something new. He danced in the air, then landed on the lamppost and birdbath, but this time he also landed on my head, stayed there briefly and then popped onto my left shoulder. Then he teamed up with his partner again. And, finally, two more red admirals joined them and together they all showed off their flying ability, chasing one another in loops and eights. My 25-year-old son, Matthew, witnessing this, said "they zipped and dipped." I was amazed at the speed achieved by these small creatures.
From then on, it became almost routine for Poppy to land on my head once or twice in an evening. Once he landed on the rim of my glasses and sat there for a while. He also began opening his evening show by buzzing me just inches above my head.
On July 21, Poppy launched into an even more playful phase and kept a closer watch on me. He appeared at the front door of the house and fluttered about as if inviting me out to play. When I came out to greet him, he hovered, waited until I got within inches of him and then darted around the corner as if playing hide-and-seek. I found him clinging to the brick front of the house. When I approached, he opened his wings to display his brilliant colors.
That same day, he watched me rebuild a low border of stones along the driveway in front of our house. I had plans for a long, white, quartzlike stone that particularly delighted me and that would fit perfectly into a spot next to the driveway. I lifted the stone to move it to its new location. Almost as if he had anticipated this, the butterfly showed up ahead of me next to that very spot. I told Muriel that he must have been reading my mind. And, along with the lamppost and birdbath, the stone became one of the butterfly's favorite perches.
On Sunday, July 22, I missed the usual hour of Poppy's appearance. After dark, when I returned to the house, Muriel told me that at dusk Poppy had shown up several times at the dining room window as she and Shauna were having dinner. He seemed to be looking in, waiting for me to appear.
The butterfly obviously had no fear of Muriel, Shauna or Matthew. When I came home too late to see Poppy, he would sometimes wait for a while on the lamppost. Muriel would go out to tell him she was sorry that I could not be there. Muriel, Shauna and Matthew all stood outside with me several times while I waited for Poppy. But he never landed on them.
I became so attached to the butterfly that I would try to leave work early enough to get home in time to see him. One evening I walked out of the office and realized that I was going to be too late. So instead of taking my usual trip by Metro and bus, I jumped in a taxi and rode straight home, an extravagance, but it was worth it. Poppy showed up just a few minutes after I reached the house.
My feelings at this point were approaching love for this small creature. Poppy seemed to have a real personality. Our dog, cat and rabbit had to play to a certain extent by our rules. The cat, of course, did call the shots sometimes. But Poppy called all the shots. He didn't depend on me for food or water. He decided when to show up and when to leave. Except for possible concerns about predators (birds, lizards and other insects, for example), he was as free as you can get.
I'm convinced that he also had a tremendous sense of joy. The novelist Vladimir Nabokov picked up on this. A passionate amateur lepidopterist, Nabokov once wrote that the red admiral is "a most frolicsome fly." Nabokov also liked to refer to the butterfly as "Red Admirable," a name that according to at least one account was used as far back as the 18th century.
I began paying a lot more respect to all insects. Poppy taught me how little we know about these small creatures. He didn't completely change my life, but he certainly enhanced my ability to question. If a moth wandered into our house, I resisted the temptation to swat and instead tried to find a way to carry it outside. I also got a spider and a beetle out of the house recently without harming them.
August began with more butterfly duets and head and shoulder landings. Poppy seemed to fly faster than before and enjoyed chasing his friend. He also took to buzzing our car, a silver-colored Saturn. The car never looked more beautiful.
I began to prepare myself psychologically for Poppy's departure. Red admirals sometimes migrate, and I clung to the idea that my butterfly friend would soon head southward to a nice setting in Florida just ahead of winter. I figured it would take him weeks to get there. I later learned that this was a bit of a romantic notion at this stage in the butterfly's life and that he probably faced imminent death. Other red admirals at this point were nowhere to be seen. Poppy seemed to be on his own.
On Aug. 15, I stood outside for half an hour waiting for Poppy. Then I gave up, guessing that he was gone. Suddenly he flew overhead near the cherry tree. He soared fairly high, so high that I lost sight of him. I'd like to think that it was a final salute. I never saw him again.
Neighbors asked if he would come back. I explained that this was unlikely. But I held on to the notion that a small miracle had occurred. I had made a connection with the natural world that I had never dreamed possible.
I later described my experience to one of the most respected experts in the field, Bob Robbins, research entomologist and curator of lepidoptera for the Smithsonian Institution. Robbins said much of the red admiral's behavior in the evenings related to staking out territory and perching to look out for female butterflies. The butterfly might have been attracted to my sweat and might even have been using my head as a perch.
But Robbins found it unusual that I could approach within inches of the butterfly when he was on the lamppost or birdbath. Most butterflies will not let people come up to them, he said. He also thought it unusual that the same red admiral would stay in my garden and return time after time for more than a month. But he conceded that the butterfly's consistent behavior might mean it was indeed the same male butterfly. Finally, the idea that a butterfly would stick with me in a confined space such as a photo shop, then stay on my shoulder for more than an hour in a steakhouse and later ride home with me in a taxicab -- that, he said, was "really, really unusual."
Had it not happened, and fortunately I have witnesses to confirm that it did, Robbins would have considered the cab ride to be "utterly unlikely."
I asked Robbins if he was aware of butterflies living in downtown Washington.
"They're there, but they're not very conspicuous," he said. "They're not very happy there. They don't like the noise, the cars and the pollution."
Well, I can certify that at least one D.C. butterfly managed to escape that fate, take a taxi ride out of town and survive to have the time of his life in the suburbs. And for 37 days, so did I.
Dan Southerland, executive editor of Radio Free Asia, is a former reporter and Beijing bureau chief for The Washington Post.
By Dan Southerland
Sunday, August 24, 2008; W16
IN JULY LAST YEAR, a butterfly landed on my shoulder while I was taking a break from my office for a few minutes one afternoon to talk business with a colleague. I was sure the butterfly would soon fly off. We were walking through an L Street canyon near 19th Street NW that was surrounded by granite, concrete and glass. I had never seen a butterfly in this part of the city before. Now I had one clinging to me. It migrated to my shirt collar and stayed there.
After half an hour or so, with my new friend still perched on me, I decided that I should have a picture taken to record the
butterfly's remarkable arrival out of nowhere. So together we ducked into a MotoPhoto shop on 19th Street, just north of L.
The gentleman running the photo shop seemed to find nothing unusual about a man walking around with a butterfly on his collar and began clicking away with his camera. I thought that his flash would scare the butterfly away, but my little pal stayed put.
I decided to get the butterfly something to eat at the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse across the street. My colleague Catherine Antoine and I plunged into the rush-hour traffic on 19th, slipping between cars that were jammed together waiting for the light to change. Neither the noise nor the fumes seemed to bother the butterfly.
I asked the waiter standing outside the door of the steakhouse to find a corner table for "me, my colleague and the butterfly."
"Right away, sir," responded the waiter, acting as if there was nothing extraordinary about a butterfly dropping in at a steakhouse. We ordered calamari and two glasses of pinot noir, and I asked the waiter to get something for the butterfly.
The waiter, Emad Salha, returned with Erika Kowkabi, the restaurant's night manager, who said that they had conducted a Google search that showed butterflies like overripe fruit. They would prepare some chopped strawberries for the little guy, she said. Restaurant manager Phil McMaster also showed up to see whether he could be of assistance. On the wall behind us, portraits of George Washington and Ben Franklin looked down on the scene. The butterfly took no interest in the strawberries, and as I took out my credit card he left my shoulder for the first time, landing on the window blinds next to the table. Catherine managed to use her office identification card to coax the butterfly back to my shoulder.
It was dawning on me that I knew nothing about butterflies. My new friend's upper forewings sported reddish orange bands set against a black-and-brown background. He measured a little more than two inches from wingtip to wingtip.
A couple from Austin, sitting with their son at a neighboring table, enjoyed listening to our conversation about the butterfly, and we exchanged pleasantries. It occurred to me that a butterfly could bring out the best in people, even in this unlikely setting of dark wood, brass trim and rib-eye steaks.
I somehow lost my sense of time. We ended up discussing Middle East politics with Emad, our Palestinian American waiter. Finally I took note of the time again. We had spent nearly two hours with a butterfly in downtown Washington.
I paid the bill at exactly 5:52 p.m. (I've kept the receipt as a souvenir) and decided I might as well call it a day and head home -- with the butterfly. I phoned my wife, Muriel, to ask her to put off the movie she had planned to go to and wait for me, because I'd be bringing a butterfly home.
At 19th and M, with the butterfly on my shoulder, I hailed a cab. I immediately asked the driver to put up the windows so the butterfly wouldn't fly out. He quickly glanced back at me as though I must be slightly crazy but soon got used to the idea of chauffeuring a butterfly. During the cab ride, the butterfly stayed on my shoulder at first but then shifted to the middle of my necktie. We arrived at my home near Glen Echo and the Potomac River in about 30 minutes.
Muriel and our 20-year-old daughter, Shauna, were waiting when the cab drove up. I exited the car -- very slowly -- and took the butterfly straight to the empty birdbath in front of our house. Somehow we got the butterfly into the birdbath and brought him some chopped bananas and bright red and purple salvia from the garden. After clutching at each of the flowers, he settled on one bunch and embraced it.
I decided to call in witnesses, two of our most spiritually oriented neighbors, Gina Di Medio Marrazza and Elizabeth Sammis, to see the butterfly.
Gina immediately pronounced the butterfly a reincarnation. It was someone from a past life who had come to visit. "He's trying to tell you something," she said.
Liz had a more practical explanation. "This is a message to you, Dan," she said. "It's telling you to slow down. Come home earlier. Pay attention to what's really important in life."
Shortly after 8 p.m., with the light fading, we decided to leave the butterfly to the birdbath and our garden, which happened to be full of such butterfly-friendly plants as coreopsis, phlox, lilies, salvia, coneflowers and a single butterfly bush. We figured that we'd just had an amazing experience, and now it was over.
On July 11, the day after I met the butterfly, I returned home early. Muriel picked me up at the bus stop at 7:15 p.m. A few minutes later, I was trudging up the steps to the front door when Muriel almost shouted, "He's back!"
"I saw him in the air," she said. "He was hovering over the birdbath."
Then she spotted him among the cascading leaves of the cherry tree. I saw nothing but the tree. Finally, he landed on a dry spot on the edge of the birdbath.
I soon discovered our visitor could be easily identified. He was a red admiral, also known as Vanessa atalanta, described in several books as among the friendliest of butterflies. They've turned up in locations as diverse as the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire and the corner of Wall and Broad streets in New York's financial district, according to a 2005 book by Rick Cech and Guy Tudor. They can be found as far north as southern Canada, throughout the United States, as far south as Guatemala, in most of Europe and Central Asia, and in parts of North Africa.
In southern Europe, red admirals migrate in large numbers, but they fly less frequently en masse in North America. Cech and Tudor have documented mass flights in the spring along the East Coast about once a decade in recent years, "often followed by precipitous population crashes."
In the D.C. area, the red admirals appear to be among the most common butterflies, although the average life span is just three weeks. They turn up along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, on the edges of swamps and forests and even downtown, as I discovered. And, based on my experience, they can be amazingly adaptable. I always thought of butterflies as dainty, but it appears that some can be quite aggressive.
According to the Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America, red admiral males are "especially pugnacious, darting out at almost anything crossing their territory, even humans!" I went over to where my red admiral was perched on the birdbath. He flew up, and at that point a minor miracle occurred. He was joined by another butterfly. I thought at first that it was a female and imagined that our butterfly had found a girlfriend. But I later learned that based on its flying behavior, the second butterfly was probably a male. The two butterflies flew in loops, what I came to view as a sort of spiral dance. Male red
admirals typically chase one another to establish dominance over a particular territory. How could I be sure that my friend was male? No particular reason, just instinct. I came up with a name for him -- Poppy -- from the French "papillon" for butterfly. If I was wrong about his gender, Poppy would do just fine for a female, I thought.
So began a period of more than a month during which Poppy appeared 25 times.
If I came home after dark, he wouldn't show. But if I arrived at dusk, about 7:30 or 7:45, he invariably appeared. And day by day, he became, from my point of view, increasingly friendly and playful. I began to keep a log of his comings and goings as well as of his stunts, which reminded me of a fighter pilot who fired no weapons but just loved flying.
At first, I told very few people about Poppy. I felt somehow that I needed to protect him. My cousin Phebe, who lives in a renovated log cabin near Lexington, Va., and is wise in the ways of nature, seemed to think the butterfly might be attracted to the white shirt I was wearing when I first encountered him on L Street. So for several days, I put on the same white shirt every evening and then waited for the butterfly in front of my house. A neighbor walked by once and asked me what I was doing standing there in my white shirt.
"Looking for butterflies," I replied. But I decided that the shirt couldn't be the only attraction. I learned that butterflies are strongly attracted to the salt in human sweat, so it looked as if it was the sweat, not the shirt.
How did I know it was the same butterfly that landed on me each time? The answer was in his behavior. It was so consistent that it was hard to imagine another butterfly precisely duplicating it. Based on my research, it is rare for a butterfly to return to the same person time after time. Indeed, I at first thought that I must be having a unique experience. But a zoologist and amateur naturalist, Judith Shaw of Mitchellville, alerted me to a report about a boy in California who once befriended a red admiral.
Gregory Richards, 9 at the time, had an amazingly similar experience to mine, according to a United Press International story that appeared in the Los Angeles Times in July 1969. For 20 days, a butterfly believed to be a red admiral fluttered around and landed on Gregory when the boy played in the evening in front of his grandparents' home. Gregory's rendezvous with the butterfly, named Mr. Flutter by his grandmother, occurred daily, usually about 7 p.m. A local entomologist said he was amazed and couldn't understand what attracted the insect to the boy.
Richards, now 48, reached by phone at his home in Kingsburg, Calif., confirmed the story, adding that regular visits from a red admiral butterfly occurred for three consecutive summers at his grandparents' place. "I looked for him every evening," Richards said. "But if other kids were around, he wouldn't come close to me."
As early as July 12, Day Three of his stay with us, Poppy began to establish a pattern. He would emerge from the thick camouflage of the cherry tree. I couldn't see him there, but Muriel had an uncanny ability to detect his movements.
Then he would drop down to the birdbath and land on the top of the lamppost. I found that when he was on the lamppost or birdbath, I could come within six or seven inches of him and say a few words without disturbing him. He would sit at first with his wings closed, the scales on their underside looking like dried leaves -- a sort of camouflage. But then he would slowly open his wings, showing the bright orange-red bars that make this butterfly so easy to identify. It was a gesture that I saw again and again, and I took it as a sign that he knew I wouldn't harm him.
One thing is certain: Almost
nothing seemed to startle Poppy. But I made it a rule never to try to touch him. I was convinced that such a move would appear threatening. As it was, the only time I saw him dart away from his perch on the lamppost in apparent fear was when a car drove by with its sound system booming.
Even the appearance of a catbird, which watched the butterfly from a close distance on two or three occasions, didn't seem to bother Poppy. Muriel tried shouting out once to alert Poppy to the bird, but he ignored the warning. On Day Five, July 14, Poppy tried something new. He danced in the air, then landed on the lamppost and birdbath, but this time he also landed on my head, stayed there briefly and then popped onto my left shoulder. Then he teamed up with his partner again. And, finally, two more red admirals joined them and together they all showed off their flying ability, chasing one another in loops and eights. My 25-year-old son, Matthew, witnessing this, said "they zipped and dipped." I was amazed at the speed achieved by these small creatures.
From then on, it became almost routine for Poppy to land on my head once or twice in an evening. Once he landed on the rim of my glasses and sat there for a while. He also began opening his evening show by buzzing me just inches above my head.
On July 21, Poppy launched into an even more playful phase and kept a closer watch on me. He appeared at the front door of the house and fluttered about as if inviting me out to play. When I came out to greet him, he hovered, waited until I got within inches of him and then darted around the corner as if playing hide-and-seek. I found him clinging to the brick front of the house. When I approached, he opened his wings to display his brilliant colors.
That same day, he watched me rebuild a low border of stones along the driveway in front of our house. I had plans for a long, white, quartzlike stone that particularly delighted me and that would fit perfectly into a spot next to the driveway. I lifted the stone to move it to its new location. Almost as if he had anticipated this, the butterfly showed up ahead of me next to that very spot. I told Muriel that he must have been reading my mind. And, along with the lamppost and birdbath, the stone became one of the butterfly's favorite perches.
On Sunday, July 22, I missed the usual hour of Poppy's appearance. After dark, when I returned to the house, Muriel told me that at dusk Poppy had shown up several times at the dining room window as she and Shauna were having dinner. He seemed to be looking in, waiting for me to appear.
The butterfly obviously had no fear of Muriel, Shauna or Matthew. When I came home too late to see Poppy, he would sometimes wait for a while on the lamppost. Muriel would go out to tell him she was sorry that I could not be there. Muriel, Shauna and Matthew all stood outside with me several times while I waited for Poppy. But he never landed on them.
I became so attached to the butterfly that I would try to leave work early enough to get home in time to see him. One evening I walked out of the office and realized that I was going to be too late. So instead of taking my usual trip by Metro and bus, I jumped in a taxi and rode straight home, an extravagance, but it was worth it. Poppy showed up just a few minutes after I reached the house.
My feelings at this point were approaching love for this small creature. Poppy seemed to have a real personality. Our dog, cat and rabbit had to play to a certain extent by our rules. The cat, of course, did call the shots sometimes. But Poppy called all the shots. He didn't depend on me for food or water. He decided when to show up and when to leave. Except for possible concerns about predators (birds, lizards and other insects, for example), he was as free as you can get.
I'm convinced that he also had a tremendous sense of joy. The novelist Vladimir Nabokov picked up on this. A passionate amateur lepidopterist, Nabokov once wrote that the red admiral is "a most frolicsome fly." Nabokov also liked to refer to the butterfly as "Red Admirable," a name that according to at least one account was used as far back as the 18th century.
I began paying a lot more respect to all insects. Poppy taught me how little we know about these small creatures. He didn't completely change my life, but he certainly enhanced my ability to question. If a moth wandered into our house, I resisted the temptation to swat and instead tried to find a way to carry it outside. I also got a spider and a beetle out of the house recently without harming them.
August began with more butterfly duets and head and shoulder landings. Poppy seemed to fly faster than before and enjoyed chasing his friend. He also took to buzzing our car, a silver-colored Saturn. The car never looked more beautiful.
I began to prepare myself psychologically for Poppy's departure. Red admirals sometimes migrate, and I clung to the idea that my butterfly friend would soon head southward to a nice setting in Florida just ahead of winter. I figured it would take him weeks to get there. I later learned that this was a bit of a romantic notion at this stage in the butterfly's life and that he probably faced imminent death. Other red admirals at this point were nowhere to be seen. Poppy seemed to be on his own.
On Aug. 15, I stood outside for half an hour waiting for Poppy. Then I gave up, guessing that he was gone. Suddenly he flew overhead near the cherry tree. He soared fairly high, so high that I lost sight of him. I'd like to think that it was a final salute. I never saw him again.
Neighbors asked if he would come back. I explained that this was unlikely. But I held on to the notion that a small miracle had occurred. I had made a connection with the natural world that I had never dreamed possible.
I later described my experience to one of the most respected experts in the field, Bob Robbins, research entomologist and curator of lepidoptera for the Smithsonian Institution. Robbins said much of the red admiral's behavior in the evenings related to staking out territory and perching to look out for female butterflies. The butterfly might have been attracted to my sweat and might even have been using my head as a perch.
But Robbins found it unusual that I could approach within inches of the butterfly when he was on the lamppost or birdbath. Most butterflies will not let people come up to them, he said. He also thought it unusual that the same red admiral would stay in my garden and return time after time for more than a month. But he conceded that the butterfly's consistent behavior might mean it was indeed the same male butterfly. Finally, the idea that a butterfly would stick with me in a confined space such as a photo shop, then stay on my shoulder for more than an hour in a steakhouse and later ride home with me in a taxicab -- that, he said, was "really, really unusual."
Had it not happened, and fortunately I have witnesses to confirm that it did, Robbins would have considered the cab ride to be "utterly unlikely."
I asked Robbins if he was aware of butterflies living in downtown Washington.
"They're there, but they're not very conspicuous," he said. "They're not very happy there. They don't like the noise, the cars and the pollution."
Well, I can certify that at least one D.C. butterfly managed to escape that fate, take a taxi ride out of town and survive to have the time of his life in the suburbs. And for 37 days, so did I.
Dan Southerland, executive editor of Radio Free Asia, is a former reporter and Beijing bureau chief for The Washington Post.
Portable Wheelchair Helps Improve Quality Of Life
by Jeff Glasser
A portable wheelchair may vastly improve a personâs quality of life, in the important role that mobility plays in the lives of many of those with physical handicaps. Allowing them to get out and about with the need for someone else to move them around, a portable wheelchair can give them the independence they need and desire to help them live with more freedom. Nearly every government building and places of business with the passage of the American Disability Act, have made wheelchair access a requirement and is offering the benefits to those unable to walk on their own.
In the not-so-distant past, wheelchairs were large and bulky, restricting their use to the personâs home or medical facility in which they were confined. Their freedom to move about was restricted by the size of these unwieldy contraptions and being able to get out of the confines of their home was vastly limited. With the introduction of the portable wheelchair, their freedom to enjoy a better life was increased.
Many of the folding models can be stored in the trunk of most vehicles and are light enough for the average person to lift. The handicapped person can use their wheelchair to get into a vehicle and again when they arrive at their destination. Most major companies also offer the free use of their own portable wheelchair, ending the need for many to take their own with them.
Helping The Handicapped Improve Their Mobility
With the use of a portable wheelchair, many patients find that getting in and out of their own home more like a barrier to the outside world. Even those with a ramp on their homes to get outside may be stymied in using their portable wheelchair at their location. If they use a van, listing it in and out of the cargo area can be a weighty proposition unless the vehicle is equipped with a portable wheelchair ramp.
Their ability to be used in more than one vehicle is one of many advantages of these devices. Some vehicles are equipped with permanent ramps to allow portable wheelchair users to get in and out of their own vehicles, but if they must ride with someone else, they may not have that option. The use of a portable wheelchair will remain restricted to areas in which they can be operated with ease, but in todayâs handicapped-friendly environment, their use is becoming more readily accepted.
About the Author:
In the crucial role that getting around plays in the lives of many of those with physical handicaps, a Portable Wheelchair may vastly enhance a personâs quality of life. Browse http://www.wheelchairs.jsgenterprises.com for more articles.
A portable wheelchair may vastly improve a personâs quality of life, in the important role that mobility plays in the lives of many of those with physical handicaps. Allowing them to get out and about with the need for someone else to move them around, a portable wheelchair can give them the independence they need and desire to help them live with more freedom. Nearly every government building and places of business with the passage of the American Disability Act, have made wheelchair access a requirement and is offering the benefits to those unable to walk on their own.
In the not-so-distant past, wheelchairs were large and bulky, restricting their use to the personâs home or medical facility in which they were confined. Their freedom to move about was restricted by the size of these unwieldy contraptions and being able to get out of the confines of their home was vastly limited. With the introduction of the portable wheelchair, their freedom to enjoy a better life was increased.
Many of the folding models can be stored in the trunk of most vehicles and are light enough for the average person to lift. The handicapped person can use their wheelchair to get into a vehicle and again when they arrive at their destination. Most major companies also offer the free use of their own portable wheelchair, ending the need for many to take their own with them.
Helping The Handicapped Improve Their Mobility
With the use of a portable wheelchair, many patients find that getting in and out of their own home more like a barrier to the outside world. Even those with a ramp on their homes to get outside may be stymied in using their portable wheelchair at their location. If they use a van, listing it in and out of the cargo area can be a weighty proposition unless the vehicle is equipped with a portable wheelchair ramp.
Their ability to be used in more than one vehicle is one of many advantages of these devices. Some vehicles are equipped with permanent ramps to allow portable wheelchair users to get in and out of their own vehicles, but if they must ride with someone else, they may not have that option. The use of a portable wheelchair will remain restricted to areas in which they can be operated with ease, but in todayâs handicapped-friendly environment, their use is becoming more readily accepted.
About the Author:
In the crucial role that getting around plays in the lives of many of those with physical handicaps, a Portable Wheelchair may vastly enhance a personâs quality of life. Browse http://www.wheelchairs.jsgenterprises.com for more articles.
Labels: author, wheelchairs
My Cerebral Palsy doesn't stop my love of music
I was born with Spastic Cerebral Palsy and weighed in at 3 pounds 6 ounces. I was in a humidicrib from the moment I was born until I was 7 weeks old. Throughout my childhood I have had to face numerous Dr's visits, I've had three operations on my legs not mention many hours of physiotherapy, times in my life of which I hated. I was never told that everything was going to be okay whenever I went in to hospital either which has now left me with a phobia for the rest of my life. I don't trust many people when it comes to having treatment for my condition except for 3 people. These people have helped to feel secure and safe when it comes to having therapy. They make me laugh too which is so cool. I want them to know how much I appreciate their kindness and friendship.
Thanks heaps. Without you I wouldnât be getting better!!!!!!!!!!
Special thanks must go the team at Canberra City Osteopathy. You Guys ARE BRILLIANT!
Thanks for helping me to get back on my feet and for helping in general in regards to all the aches and pains that I suffer from due to the Cerebral palsy.
THANKYOU!
The reason I have come to love my music is that it has helped to get by in life when nobody has been there to listen. I found that writing songs about the way that I think and feel on the inside has helped me and is still helping to recover from the emotional rollercoaster ride that I have been on ever since I was given life.
A lot people have said to me that I would never make it in the music industry but as far as I am concerned I am there already. Over the years I have gone to many concerts to see many of my favourite artists and bands who have believed in me and are continuing to do so.
One particular family I would like to thank is the Chambers family, the family of KC Chambers ( the dead ringer band). From the moment I met them, they were ever so nice to me and they never put me down cause of my ailment, they just see me for who I am and I thank them for that. They count me as a part of their family. They have supported with my music by giving advice on how to keep improving etc. Because of them I have come along in leaps and bounds and I thank and cherish them for that.
Thanks heaps. Without you I wouldnât be getting better!!!!!!!!!!
Special thanks must go the team at Canberra City Osteopathy. You Guys ARE BRILLIANT!
Thanks for helping me to get back on my feet and for helping in general in regards to all the aches and pains that I suffer from due to the Cerebral palsy.
THANKYOU!
The reason I have come to love my music is that it has helped to get by in life when nobody has been there to listen. I found that writing songs about the way that I think and feel on the inside has helped me and is still helping to recover from the emotional rollercoaster ride that I have been on ever since I was given life.
A lot people have said to me that I would never make it in the music industry but as far as I am concerned I am there already. Over the years I have gone to many concerts to see many of my favourite artists and bands who have believed in me and are continuing to do so.
One particular family I would like to thank is the Chambers family, the family of KC Chambers ( the dead ringer band). From the moment I met them, they were ever so nice to me and they never put me down cause of my ailment, they just see me for who I am and I thank them for that. They count me as a part of their family. They have supported with my music by giving advice on how to keep improving etc. Because of them I have come along in leaps and bounds and I thank and cherish them for that.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Music, Physiotherapy
Rain the Salon and Day Spa
CranioSacral Therapy: Discover Healing in A Gentle Touch
Candi Sparks, Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT #3465) for Rain the Salon and Day Spa participated recently in the CranioSacral Theraopy workshop offered by The Upledger Institute, Inc. of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, an innovative healthcare organization that offers continuing education courses to medical professionals worldwide. This technique has been taught internationally and to be able to offer these services to the Monroe area is a big plus. CranioSacral Therapy was developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger in the early 1970's.
CranioSacral Therapy is a light-touch approach that helps alleviate pain from the body. This technique is used to detect and correct imbalances in the craniosacral system. These imbalances may lead to sensory, motor and/or neurological dysfunctions. The CranioSacral system is made up of membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. From the top of the bones of the skull, face and mouth-which make up the cranium-all the way down to the tailbone.
The Central Nervous System has a large impact over a body's health and well-being but most importantly, the CranioSacral System has more influence over the Central Nervous System. With everyday tensions and stresses in life, the body absorbs them and eventually can hinder other systems from performing effectively. The muscles and tissues tighten over time causing pain and tension in the body. CranioSacral Therapy helps to eliminate the pain and tension naturally and strengthens the body's resistance to disease and promotes a sense of well-being.
This therapy is also used to release tension deep in the body to improve whole-body health and performance. It also allows the body's self-healing mechanisms to correct the body and relax. Anyone at any age from adults to infants can benefit from CranioSacral Therapy because it is so gentle. It has been proven successful relief for a wide range of medical problems associated with neurological dysfunction-conditions include: headaches, migraines, chronic neck and back pain, TMJ Dysfunctions, chronic fatique, stress and tension-related disorders, motor-coordination impairments, brain and spinal cord injuries, fibromyalgia, scoliosis, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, depression and many other conditions.
Each CranioSacral therapy session is highly individual and results will vary. Clients remain fully clothed during each session and relax on a comfortable heated table. Most sessions last about an hour and can be deeply relaxing. Experience how you can feel better now and eliminate the pain. Call and schedule your reservation today with Candi at Rain the Salon and Day Spa, 318-651-8088.
Candi Sparks, Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT #3465) for Rain the Salon and Day Spa participated recently in the CranioSacral Theraopy workshop offered by The Upledger Institute, Inc. of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, an innovative healthcare organization that offers continuing education courses to medical professionals worldwide. This technique has been taught internationally and to be able to offer these services to the Monroe area is a big plus. CranioSacral Therapy was developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger in the early 1970's.
CranioSacral Therapy is a light-touch approach that helps alleviate pain from the body. This technique is used to detect and correct imbalances in the craniosacral system. These imbalances may lead to sensory, motor and/or neurological dysfunctions. The CranioSacral system is made up of membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. From the top of the bones of the skull, face and mouth-which make up the cranium-all the way down to the tailbone.
The Central Nervous System has a large impact over a body's health and well-being but most importantly, the CranioSacral System has more influence over the Central Nervous System. With everyday tensions and stresses in life, the body absorbs them and eventually can hinder other systems from performing effectively. The muscles and tissues tighten over time causing pain and tension in the body. CranioSacral Therapy helps to eliminate the pain and tension naturally and strengthens the body's resistance to disease and promotes a sense of well-being.
This therapy is also used to release tension deep in the body to improve whole-body health and performance. It also allows the body's self-healing mechanisms to correct the body and relax. Anyone at any age from adults to infants can benefit from CranioSacral Therapy because it is so gentle. It has been proven successful relief for a wide range of medical problems associated with neurological dysfunction-conditions include: headaches, migraines, chronic neck and back pain, TMJ Dysfunctions, chronic fatique, stress and tension-related disorders, motor-coordination impairments, brain and spinal cord injuries, fibromyalgia, scoliosis, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, depression and many other conditions.
Each CranioSacral therapy session is highly individual and results will vary. Clients remain fully clothed during each session and relax on a comfortable heated table. Most sessions last about an hour and can be deeply relaxing. Experience how you can feel better now and eliminate the pain. Call and schedule your reservation today with Candi at Rain the Salon and Day Spa, 318-651-8088.
Labels: back pain, brain injuries, Education, Fibromyalgia, Headaches
30 August 2008
To Have and to Hold
I canât believe that I have been with the same man, now, for twenty years. Society feeds its disabled sonâs and daughterâs the lie that a romantic relationship is impossible. This convenient lie is designed to endorse a comfortableness that we are to remain docile robots for ever more. However, this is not the case. This takeâs away our own power, makes us less independent or interdependent on our significant other, and it puts our relationship out of balance.
A marriage, like a job, a hobby, or a spiritual belief, is an individual choice. Many do not feel we are capable of making those choices at all. We are rather to react to the choices made for us, by our enlightened overseerâs. I spent many years trying to find a person I wished to be with. Some men see disabled women as not fully realized, an object off research, rather than a partner. they may seek someone to mold, rather than love. With good intensionâs, they may even try to manipulate. It is very important to establish individual autonomy. Your husband or wife is not a caregiver. They want to care for you because they love you, but, they should not try to have an agenda for your daily life. You decide what you wear, what you eat, and the one-hundred other details of living your life.
My sweet, dear, Mama Katie, always taught me; that when walking down the street with your man, you should feel proud to show and share him with the world. I learned this lesson way back in my twenties and thirties. I learned not to rush anything, and to listen very carefully to those unspoken words that were not said. I learned to trust my instincts and my intuitive self. I also learned not to settle for the first guy that came my way, to sweet talk me off my feet.
In looking back on these last twenty-one years of my life, I wonder where all these years went as I still feel young and spry. I still have a vibrancy for life and much to give. I see with a reflective eye, and a wise wisdom of experiences, like a fine wine sitting in a decanter waiting to be uncorked.
Thatâs what twenty-one years with the same man who said he wanted to dance every dance with me. We have live together, sometimes with rough seas, and periods of calm. All and all it has been worth while and exciting to have a man of truth, honor, and dignity by my side.
A marriage, like a job, a hobby, or a spiritual belief, is an individual choice. Many do not feel we are capable of making those choices at all. We are rather to react to the choices made for us, by our enlightened overseerâs. I spent many years trying to find a person I wished to be with. Some men see disabled women as not fully realized, an object off research, rather than a partner. they may seek someone to mold, rather than love. With good intensionâs, they may even try to manipulate. It is very important to establish individual autonomy. Your husband or wife is not a caregiver. They want to care for you because they love you, but, they should not try to have an agenda for your daily life. You decide what you wear, what you eat, and the one-hundred other details of living your life.
My sweet, dear, Mama Katie, always taught me; that when walking down the street with your man, you should feel proud to show and share him with the world. I learned this lesson way back in my twenties and thirties. I learned not to rush anything, and to listen very carefully to those unspoken words that were not said. I learned to trust my instincts and my intuitive self. I also learned not to settle for the first guy that came my way, to sweet talk me off my feet.
In looking back on these last twenty-one years of my life, I wonder where all these years went as I still feel young and spry. I still have a vibrancy for life and much to give. I see with a reflective eye, and a wise wisdom of experiences, like a fine wine sitting in a decanter waiting to be uncorked.
Thatâs what twenty-one years with the same man who said he wanted to dance every dance with me. We have live together, sometimes with rough seas, and periods of calm. All and all it has been worth while and exciting to have a man of truth, honor, and dignity by my side.
Labels: Balance
My Red Desoto
Just a few weeks ago, I began cycling again, after having toe surgery. It felt so good getting decked out in my biking outfit, and riding down the tree covered streets once again, My husband, Chris, helped me attach my helmet strap, my glove strap, and my feet onto my shoe petals. And I was good to go-
Who says people with Cerebral Palsy canât do the same kind of activities as "normal" people do!
I remember the first time I ever got onto a bike. That was back when I was only 8 years old. It was something I only did one time, yet I knew that that was something Iâd like to do again if given the chance.
I knew some how, some way, in the depths of my heart, I could do it. All I needed was a little help, from a kind hearted someone. I also knew that all I needed was help with a few technicalityâs (like bucking my foot to keep it in place, so it would not move, and protection on my head and hands.) Then, I could ride my bike like any one else- I would then be able to go any where I wanted and ride as fast as the wind would take me. This joyful activity would give me more freedom. It would be yet another way to worked my body out. And, it would bring me much pleasure, contentment, and loads of fun- I knew that if I could get this worked out, then I could do it. There was no question or doubt in my mind. I knew some how, some way, this opportunity would arise again if I stayed positive and focused.
I kept these thought in my mind, till one day, when my husband came home with a surprise gift for me. Chris told me to come out side with him for a minute. So I did. I remember looking up, and there down the driveway was sitting a blue bicycle next to our car. That was about 13 years ago. While standing there and gasping with utter amazement, my heart skipped a beat. I was truly surprised. I was elated, and ecstatically happy. My dream had come true! This gift, was a cherished hope, and a thought of a real possibility, that I too would accomplish one day. Somehow, I kept these thoughts alive in my being until that one, special day, it all come true! It was a quiet prayer and hope that was answered; as I only made mentioned of it once. My husband made this dream come true for me. How special is that! He also made me feel very loved as he made me a very happy girl! However, it is not the bike you see in the pictures here.
The first bike was blue, and sat much higher. When I would ride down hills, it made me feel very insecure, so, one Saturday afternoon, Chris, and I went looking for new ones. We looked in a few bicycle storeâs, and then, at the last shop, which was near our house, I found this perfect, beautiful, red Desoto . It was all mine and I was going to take it home with me-
Now, after all these years, I am still riding it and keeping it very shiny with TLC. Chris has made some pedal modifications, too! These modifications help me to petal faster, as well as keeps my foot on. I no longer have to call my hubby every few minutes to fix my foot, and I have more power to push and pull. This helps tremendously when I am on a hill, stop light, or just want to go faster. My foot does not slip out of the strap, either any more- I can tell you honestly, that I feel very secure with my bike, and, I love and adore riding it.
Even though I need some help in order to go biking, I welcome every opportunity I get. It is not only a treat, but something I enjoyed tremendously. It keeps me fit, trim and in shape, and more than that, it freeâs my spirit. It makes me feel like a a kid again! I can do what everybody else does. And, It make me feel vibrant and alive! It energizes me,
Whatâs more, I can visually picture me now, riding along side all the other children in my neighborhood that I would watch joyfully riding down the streets with this carefree, exuberance. Now instead of feeling left out, it has helped made me feel complete⌠I get lots of smiles and thumbs-up from other cyclist, too!
Now, all I have to do is ask my hubby if he wants to go for a cycle, and off we go! We take my Healer/ Terrier mix breed dog, Patches, for her run as well. It couldnât be more fun. She runs about a mile with daddy and then rides the rest of the way with me, mommy:>) Lately, we have been doing a lot more riding since gasoline prices have risen. We cycle well over 3 miles one way to our open air market to get our fresh fruits and veggies on Saturday mornings. While other times, we have taken our bikes to the strand, in Redondo Beach, California, and rode all the way to Marina Del Ray, and back. Still other times, weâve packed our bikes up in the truck, drove to a particular point, unload our two and three wheelers from our vehicle, and off we ride- Last time, we petaled from Venice Beach, CA. all the way to the Santa Monica pair.
During the summer months, Chris and I pack up our brown bag of goodies, and have an ocean front view of the water; while eating our lunch or dinner to the sweet crashing sounds of the waves. We have enjoyed many a meal with the gentle,sea breeze blowing its currents ever so sweetly upon our face.
You couldnât ask for anything better than that, can you!
Who says people with Cerebral Palsy canât do the same kind of activities as "normal" people do!
I remember the first time I ever got onto a bike. That was back when I was only 8 years old. It was something I only did one time, yet I knew that that was something Iâd like to do again if given the chance.
I knew some how, some way, in the depths of my heart, I could do it. All I needed was a little help, from a kind hearted someone. I also knew that all I needed was help with a few technicalityâs (like bucking my foot to keep it in place, so it would not move, and protection on my head and hands.) Then, I could ride my bike like any one else- I would then be able to go any where I wanted and ride as fast as the wind would take me. This joyful activity would give me more freedom. It would be yet another way to worked my body out. And, it would bring me much pleasure, contentment, and loads of fun- I knew that if I could get this worked out, then I could do it. There was no question or doubt in my mind. I knew some how, some way, this opportunity would arise again if I stayed positive and focused.
I kept these thought in my mind, till one day, when my husband came home with a surprise gift for me. Chris told me to come out side with him for a minute. So I did. I remember looking up, and there down the driveway was sitting a blue bicycle next to our car. That was about 13 years ago. While standing there and gasping with utter amazement, my heart skipped a beat. I was truly surprised. I was elated, and ecstatically happy. My dream had come true! This gift, was a cherished hope, and a thought of a real possibility, that I too would accomplish one day. Somehow, I kept these thoughts alive in my being until that one, special day, it all come true! It was a quiet prayer and hope that was answered; as I only made mentioned of it once. My husband made this dream come true for me. How special is that! He also made me feel very loved as he made me a very happy girl! However, it is not the bike you see in the pictures here.
The first bike was blue, and sat much higher. When I would ride down hills, it made me feel very insecure, so, one Saturday afternoon, Chris, and I went looking for new ones. We looked in a few bicycle storeâs, and then, at the last shop, which was near our house, I found this perfect, beautiful, red Desoto . It was all mine and I was going to take it home with me-
Now, after all these years, I am still riding it and keeping it very shiny with TLC. Chris has made some pedal modifications, too! These modifications help me to petal faster, as well as keeps my foot on. I no longer have to call my hubby every few minutes to fix my foot, and I have more power to push and pull. This helps tremendously when I am on a hill, stop light, or just want to go faster. My foot does not slip out of the strap, either any more- I can tell you honestly, that I feel very secure with my bike, and, I love and adore riding it.
Even though I need some help in order to go biking, I welcome every opportunity I get. It is not only a treat, but something I enjoyed tremendously. It keeps me fit, trim and in shape, and more than that, it freeâs my spirit. It makes me feel like a a kid again! I can do what everybody else does. And, It make me feel vibrant and alive! It energizes me,
Whatâs more, I can visually picture me now, riding along side all the other children in my neighborhood that I would watch joyfully riding down the streets with this carefree, exuberance. Now instead of feeling left out, it has helped made me feel complete⌠I get lots of smiles and thumbs-up from other cyclist, too!
Now, all I have to do is ask my hubby if he wants to go for a cycle, and off we go! We take my Healer/ Terrier mix breed dog, Patches, for her run as well. It couldnât be more fun. She runs about a mile with daddy and then rides the rest of the way with me, mommy:>) Lately, we have been doing a lot more riding since gasoline prices have risen. We cycle well over 3 miles one way to our open air market to get our fresh fruits and veggies on Saturday mornings. While other times, we have taken our bikes to the strand, in Redondo Beach, California, and rode all the way to Marina Del Ray, and back. Still other times, weâve packed our bikes up in the truck, drove to a particular point, unload our two and three wheelers from our vehicle, and off we ride- Last time, we petaled from Venice Beach, CA. all the way to the Santa Monica pair.
During the summer months, Chris and I pack up our brown bag of goodies, and have an ocean front view of the water; while eating our lunch or dinner to the sweet crashing sounds of the waves. We have enjoyed many a meal with the gentle,sea breeze blowing its currents ever so sweetly upon our face.
You couldnât ask for anything better than that, can you!
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Cycling, Hydrotherapy
Battling meningitis
Bruce Langoulant is on a mission to raise awareness of the insidious effects of meningitis.
MENINGITIS can destroy the brain and body within 24 hours of contracting the disease. Perth-based Bruce Langoulant found out the heart-wrenching way in 1989 when his second daughter, Ashleigh, at six months old, was rushed to hospital.
It was a hot, Christmas season in Western Australia when Ashleigh developed a fever. But Bruceâs wife, Jenni, did not suspect anything unusual when she brought her to their regular general physician for a check-up.
But the next day, the doctor felt compelled to call and asked the Langoulants to bring their baby for him to re-examine. It became apparent that Ashleigh had more than a fever. Her listlessness and the red rashes on her little face were tell-tale signs of meningitis. The disease can cause 20% of its sufferers to experience life-long disabilities, and spells death for another 8%.
Bruce Langoulantâs family. Ashleigh is in the middle.
Up until then, Ashleigh was a picture of health. She met every developmental milestone. A video of her as a baby shows her crawling cheerfully, exploring her little world.
But when the bacterial pneumococcal meningitis attacked her brain and spinal cord, Ashleigh lost her sight, hearing and mobility. For the next 18 months, Ashleigh lived in a world of darkness before she regained her sight.
But at 19, she remains deaf and has to undergo regular physiotherapy to tone her muscles following the loss of control of movement caused by cerebral palsy. She is also taking medication for epilepsy.
As Bruce notes in his recently launched book, Meningitis: A Tragedy by Installment, âMeningitis is an insidious illness occurring in ones and twos across the country on a regular basis. It is like a tragedy, but by instalments.â His conclusion is based on the 300 families across Australia who responded to a survey he initiated through the newspapers.
Ashleighâs debilitating condition means she has to be cared for round the clock. Bruce and Jenni take turns to clean and feed her. They have two other daughters â Jessica, 22, and Courtney, 16.
Carrying her, wheeling her and dressing her are part of Bruceâs routine. Because Ashleigh is unable to communicate in the conventional way, it can be tough at times for the family, especially when she is about to have her menses. âAshleigh is like a six-month-old trapped in the body of a 19-year-old,â says Bruce.
He recently flew in to Kuala Lumpur on the invitation of a newly formed parents support group called Pro-active Parents Group.
Determined to help other families avoid the potentially devastating disease, Bruce became a parent advocate in 1992.
Over the past 16 years, Bruce has been diligently raising awareness, lobbying and mobilising parents and the medical fraternity to work together towards making informed decisions.
He established the Meningitis Centre in Australia. He also serves as chairman of the Disability Services Commission, a governmental department in Western Australia that manages accommodation, therapy and support services to families and individuals who have physical and neurological disabilities.
Bruce also travels overseas regularly in his capacity as president of the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations that connects parents support groups globally with health and research organisations.
In Australia, for instance, Bruce was instrumental in getting the government to mandate free pneumococcal immunisation whereby babies born from Jan 1, 2005, receive three doses of vaccines against meningitis at two, four and six months. The elderly over 65, and children born between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2004, are also vaccinated.
(In Malaysia, immunisation against pneumococcal meningitis is optional and is available in private clinics).
Bruce admits there had been times when he and wife asked themselves: âWould we have done it differently if we knew about meningitis?â Not wanting other families to suffer the same fate, Bruce is driven to do his utmost to reach out to as many parents as possible.
Bruce is well aware that he is pitted against the global anti-vaccine group which asserts that certain vaccines can impair the immune system and the brain. For instance, the triple antigen for mumps, measles and rubella had been blamed for the rise in autism.
But he clearly believes vaccination against diseases outweighs such fears. âWe have to accept the fact as the world population grows, with the attendant impact on hygiene, health and resources, we can expect more vaccinations,â he asserts.
Bruce cautions parents who choose to delay or abstain from vaccinating their children. âUltimately, parents must take responsibility for the choices they make for their children.â
Not one to blame doctors who miss the signs or misdiagnose, Bruce urges medical professionals to work with parents. âIf the parents are coming back to see you with their child, donât treat them like they are over-emotional, out of control. Work with them.â
In the end, like all doting parents, Bruceâs hope for Ashleigh is for her to be safe, healthy and loved.
One Voice is a monthly column which serves as a platform for professionals, parents and careproviders of children with learning difficulties. Feedback on the column can be sent to dignitytm.net.my. For enquiries of services and support groups, call Malaysian Care ( 03 90582102) or Dignity & Services ( 03-77255569).
Danger signs
Symptoms of meningitis in infants:
Fever, possibly with cold hands and feet
Refusing feeds or vomiting
High-pitched moaning, cry or whimpering
Dislike being handled or fretful
Neck retraction with arching of back
Blank and staring expression
Child is difficult to wake, lethargic
Pale, blotchy complexion
Floppy or stiff or jerking movements
Symptoms can appear in any order and may not all be present.
Source: The Meningitis Centre (www.menin gitis.com.au).
MENINGITIS can destroy the brain and body within 24 hours of contracting the disease. Perth-based Bruce Langoulant found out the heart-wrenching way in 1989 when his second daughter, Ashleigh, at six months old, was rushed to hospital.
It was a hot, Christmas season in Western Australia when Ashleigh developed a fever. But Bruceâs wife, Jenni, did not suspect anything unusual when she brought her to their regular general physician for a check-up.
But the next day, the doctor felt compelled to call and asked the Langoulants to bring their baby for him to re-examine. It became apparent that Ashleigh had more than a fever. Her listlessness and the red rashes on her little face were tell-tale signs of meningitis. The disease can cause 20% of its sufferers to experience life-long disabilities, and spells death for another 8%.
Bruce Langoulantâs family. Ashleigh is in the middle.
Up until then, Ashleigh was a picture of health. She met every developmental milestone. A video of her as a baby shows her crawling cheerfully, exploring her little world.
But when the bacterial pneumococcal meningitis attacked her brain and spinal cord, Ashleigh lost her sight, hearing and mobility. For the next 18 months, Ashleigh lived in a world of darkness before she regained her sight.
But at 19, she remains deaf and has to undergo regular physiotherapy to tone her muscles following the loss of control of movement caused by cerebral palsy. She is also taking medication for epilepsy.
As Bruce notes in his recently launched book, Meningitis: A Tragedy by Installment, âMeningitis is an insidious illness occurring in ones and twos across the country on a regular basis. It is like a tragedy, but by instalments.â His conclusion is based on the 300 families across Australia who responded to a survey he initiated through the newspapers.
Ashleighâs debilitating condition means she has to be cared for round the clock. Bruce and Jenni take turns to clean and feed her. They have two other daughters â Jessica, 22, and Courtney, 16.
Carrying her, wheeling her and dressing her are part of Bruceâs routine. Because Ashleigh is unable to communicate in the conventional way, it can be tough at times for the family, especially when she is about to have her menses. âAshleigh is like a six-month-old trapped in the body of a 19-year-old,â says Bruce.
He recently flew in to Kuala Lumpur on the invitation of a newly formed parents support group called Pro-active Parents Group.
Determined to help other families avoid the potentially devastating disease, Bruce became a parent advocate in 1992.
Over the past 16 years, Bruce has been diligently raising awareness, lobbying and mobilising parents and the medical fraternity to work together towards making informed decisions.
He established the Meningitis Centre in Australia. He also serves as chairman of the Disability Services Commission, a governmental department in Western Australia that manages accommodation, therapy and support services to families and individuals who have physical and neurological disabilities.
Bruce also travels overseas regularly in his capacity as president of the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations that connects parents support groups globally with health and research organisations.
In Australia, for instance, Bruce was instrumental in getting the government to mandate free pneumococcal immunisation whereby babies born from Jan 1, 2005, receive three doses of vaccines against meningitis at two, four and six months. The elderly over 65, and children born between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2004, are also vaccinated.
(In Malaysia, immunisation against pneumococcal meningitis is optional and is available in private clinics).
Bruce admits there had been times when he and wife asked themselves: âWould we have done it differently if we knew about meningitis?â Not wanting other families to suffer the same fate, Bruce is driven to do his utmost to reach out to as many parents as possible.
Bruce is well aware that he is pitted against the global anti-vaccine group which asserts that certain vaccines can impair the immune system and the brain. For instance, the triple antigen for mumps, measles and rubella had been blamed for the rise in autism.
But he clearly believes vaccination against diseases outweighs such fears. âWe have to accept the fact as the world population grows, with the attendant impact on hygiene, health and resources, we can expect more vaccinations,â he asserts.
Bruce cautions parents who choose to delay or abstain from vaccinating their children. âUltimately, parents must take responsibility for the choices they make for their children.â
Not one to blame doctors who miss the signs or misdiagnose, Bruce urges medical professionals to work with parents. âIf the parents are coming back to see you with their child, donât treat them like they are over-emotional, out of control. Work with them.â
In the end, like all doting parents, Bruceâs hope for Ashleigh is for her to be safe, healthy and loved.
One Voice is a monthly column which serves as a platform for professionals, parents and careproviders of children with learning difficulties. Feedback on the column can be sent to dignitytm.net.my. For enquiries of services and support groups, call Malaysian Care ( 03 90582102) or Dignity & Services ( 03-77255569).
Danger signs
Symptoms of meningitis in infants:
Fever, possibly with cold hands and feet
Refusing feeds or vomiting
High-pitched moaning, cry or whimpering
Dislike being handled or fretful
Neck retraction with arching of back
Blank and staring expression
Child is difficult to wake, lethargic
Pale, blotchy complexion
Floppy or stiff or jerking movements
Symptoms can appear in any order and may not all be present.
Source: The Meningitis Centre (www.menin gitis.com.au).
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Deafness, developmental disabilities, epilepsy, Physiotherapy
Wii and Cerebral Palsy
Well this week as been a change for me to say the least, I decided to buy myself a Wii after reading an article that in might be good for people with Cerebral Palsy, so I thought I am going to get one as my cousin has one and loves it, and the driver who takes me to work each day has one and he and is family play quite a lot and said that you will be able to do it from your chair.
So off I went to the shop and purchased on with a couple of free games and I have to say I love it and only now after a couple of days my arms are aching!! but I have mastered the baseball, the first time I tried it I missed the ball every time, test of my hand and eye co-ordination, but today I hit the ball every time and got 2 home runs, without leaving my chair.
This morning I tested myself and had ago in standing and I managed quite well and didn't fall, wobbled a bit, but my thinking is the more I play standing the stronger I will get and therefore the Wii is going to help me physically and I am having fun at the same time, in the short time I have had it I am begining to agree with the article
So off I went to the shop and purchased on with a couple of free games and I have to say I love it and only now after a couple of days my arms are aching!! but I have mastered the baseball, the first time I tried it I missed the ball every time, test of my hand and eye co-ordination, but today I hit the ball every time and got 2 home runs, without leaving my chair.
This morning I tested myself and had ago in standing and I managed quite well and didn't fall, wobbled a bit, but my thinking is the more I play standing the stronger I will get and therefore the Wii is going to help me physically and I am having fun at the same time, in the short time I have had it I am begining to agree with the article
Labels: Cerebral Palsy
Book your stand at Naidex 2009!
Naidex is the national homecare, disability and rehabilitation exhibition. The event attracts healthcare professionals (occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nursing professionals) and members of the public with a disability, the elderly, their family and carers. All will be looking for the latest developments, advice and information to improve independent living.
This year the event had a 5% increase in visitor numbers to 10,799 (ABC audited) and 85% of space has already been taken! The next show takes place on the 28th - 30th April 2009 at the NEC, Birmingham. The event is getting bigger and bigger and is seen as the place to come to get all your information needs under one roof.
Over 350 exhibitors will be at Naidex 2009 including The Stroke Association, British Polio Fellowship, Whizz-Kidz, Wheelchair Children, Vitalise, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, the National Trust, the Blue Badge Network, Independent Living Funds, Ricability, ASBAH, Canine Partners and the Disabled Living Foundation - who run the show information point.
Naidex is the ideal platform to raise your profile, get your message across and meet thousands of healthcare professionals and members of the public with a disability face to face.
Please contact Stephen Illingworth for more details - 0207 728 3724 / stephen.illingworth@emap.com
We look forward to welcoming you to Naidex 2009!
This year the event had a 5% increase in visitor numbers to 10,799 (ABC audited) and 85% of space has already been taken! The next show takes place on the 28th - 30th April 2009 at the NEC, Birmingham. The event is getting bigger and bigger and is seen as the place to come to get all your information needs under one roof.
Over 350 exhibitors will be at Naidex 2009 including The Stroke Association, British Polio Fellowship, Whizz-Kidz, Wheelchair Children, Vitalise, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, the National Trust, the Blue Badge Network, Independent Living Funds, Ricability, ASBAH, Canine Partners and the Disabled Living Foundation - who run the show information point.
Naidex is the ideal platform to raise your profile, get your message across and meet thousands of healthcare professionals and members of the public with a disability face to face.
Please contact Stephen Illingworth for more details - 0207 728 3724 / stephen.illingworth@emap.com
We look forward to welcoming you to Naidex 2009!
Labels: Carers, Physiotherapy
25 August 2008
Paralympians are ready, willing and able
Britain's Paralympians could pick up a bumper haul of medals in Beijing next month,says John Goodbody
That golden glow British sports fans have been feeling for the past fortnight may linger for a while yet. Following the historic success of the Great Britain competitors at the Beijing Olympics, which close today, their Paralympic counterparts are hoping to top the 94 medals (including 35 golds) they won at the Athens Games in 2004.
While some of the British team are serious contenders for gold next month, others will be looking to gain invaluable experience ahead of the London 2012 Paralympics. The Great Britain team is more than 200 strong and will be competing in 18 of the 20 sports.
One Briton expected to collect a pile of medals in Beijing is David Roberts, 28, a swimmer with cerebral palsy, who holds freestyle world records in the 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m. Four years ago in Athens, the ebullient Roberts won three individual gold medals plus one in the 4 x 100m relay. His favourite event is the 50m, the flat-out sprint over one length of the pool, in which he will be going for his third successive Paralympic title.
Roberts lives in the rugby union heartland of Pontypridd, trains at Swansea and relies on his father âto get me up really early and take me swimming. If I werenât a swimmer, Iâd want to play rugby for Walesâ.
Several others will be defending their titles at the Paralympics, including Lee Pearson, 34, who has six equestrian golds from Sydney and Athens. Pearson has a condition that affects his joints and therefore has limited use of his legs when riding. Instead, he controls his horse, called Gentleman, using only his hips. He runs a yard and breeding business near Leek, Staffordshire, but relies on public funding because, as he says: âHorses eat money, not grass.â
The multi-medallist swimmer Sarah Bailey, 30, from Manchester, hopes to add to her haul in her new Paralympic sport of cycling, under her new married name of Storey.
In swimming, Louise Watkin, 16, warmed up for the Paralympics by setting a European record in her disabled category for the 200m individual medley at the national championships in Sheffield. Despite having only one hand, the Devon college studentâs weekly training often adds up to the equivalent of swimming the Channel.
Nathan Stephens, who lost his legs in a railway accident at the age of nine, will be taking part in his first summer Games. The 20-year-old from Cardiff will be throwing the shot, discus and javelin, having competed in the ice sledge hockey at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin.
Other debutants expected to do well next month include Libby Clegg, 18, a visually impaired sprinter based in Edinburgh, and law student Danielle Brown, 20, from North Yorkshire, who competes in the wheelchair archery event.
Judo is one sport in which visually impaired and able-bodied athletes could compete equally. Visually impaired fighters may, indeed, have an advantage through being particularly sensitive to opponentsâ movement and shifts in balance prior to the launching of throws. The main difference, says Sam Ingram, who will be in the under90kg category at the Paralympics, is that fighters grip each other under the arms at the start of the bout, rather than tus-sling for a grip on the jackets.
Ingram, 23, joined a local judo club in Coventry after his elder brother Joe, who narrowly missed selection for the Paralympics, took up the sport. He stopped for three years while studying in Cornwall because of a lack of top-class facilities but returned to the sport in 2006 and finished second in the World Championships last year. Now training full-time in Edinburgh, he is working on a particular move that he and Steve Gawthorpe, the national coach for the visually impaired, call the Subduer. Opponents in Beijing had better beware.
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, 39, Britainâs most successful Paralympian with 16 medals, 11 of them gold, will be following events in China with interest. âMy goal was never to be Britainâs greatest competitor in the Paralympics,â she says. âIt was to fulfil my potential. And now I will be able to watch and applaud others doing the same.â
Among the international stars poised to make an impact next month is Chantal Petitclerc, 38, the Canadian wheelchair athlete who won five gold medals and broke three world records at the 2004 Paralympics. She lost the use of her legs after an accident at the age of 13, and was introduced to swimming by a teacher in an effort to build up her strength. Later she switched to wheelchair racing.
Her 800m victory at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester made history because it was included in Canadaâs medal tally for the whole Games. Previously, disabled events had been classed as demonstration sports, and therefore excluded from each countryâs overall total.
âAt last, itâs a sport which counts for our country,â Petitclerc said. âWe have been fighting for this for years, so this medal has a special meaning.â In Beijing she is expected to compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m.
Natalie du Toit and Oscar Pistorius will be looking to win Paralympic gold for South Africa. Du Toit, 24, had been aiming for a place in the able-bodied swimming team at the 2004 Games before she lost a leg in a motorcycle accident. She achieved her Olympics dream in China last week with a place in the 10km open-water swim, coming 16th, and will take part in a number of events at the Paralympics.
Pistorius, 21, a double amputee who runs on curved blades, won his legal campaign to be allowed to compete in the able-bodied Games but failed to make the 400m qualifying time. At the Paralympics he will be seeking to improve his times in the 100m, 200m and 400m - before resuming his quest to run in the London Olympics in 2012.
What to watch
The Beijing Paralympic Games, which take place on September 6-17, feature events such as boccia (similar to bowls), goalball and wheelchair fencing Competitors in the Paralympics are grouped in classes according to the nature of their disabilities Live television coverage will be shown on BBC1, BBC2 and British Eurosport. You can also follow the latest action at www.timesonline.co.uk/olympics
The 2012 Paralympics in London will be held on August 29-September 9
That golden glow British sports fans have been feeling for the past fortnight may linger for a while yet. Following the historic success of the Great Britain competitors at the Beijing Olympics, which close today, their Paralympic counterparts are hoping to top the 94 medals (including 35 golds) they won at the Athens Games in 2004.
While some of the British team are serious contenders for gold next month, others will be looking to gain invaluable experience ahead of the London 2012 Paralympics. The Great Britain team is more than 200 strong and will be competing in 18 of the 20 sports.
One Briton expected to collect a pile of medals in Beijing is David Roberts, 28, a swimmer with cerebral palsy, who holds freestyle world records in the 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m. Four years ago in Athens, the ebullient Roberts won three individual gold medals plus one in the 4 x 100m relay. His favourite event is the 50m, the flat-out sprint over one length of the pool, in which he will be going for his third successive Paralympic title.
Roberts lives in the rugby union heartland of Pontypridd, trains at Swansea and relies on his father âto get me up really early and take me swimming. If I werenât a swimmer, Iâd want to play rugby for Walesâ.
Several others will be defending their titles at the Paralympics, including Lee Pearson, 34, who has six equestrian golds from Sydney and Athens. Pearson has a condition that affects his joints and therefore has limited use of his legs when riding. Instead, he controls his horse, called Gentleman, using only his hips. He runs a yard and breeding business near Leek, Staffordshire, but relies on public funding because, as he says: âHorses eat money, not grass.â
The multi-medallist swimmer Sarah Bailey, 30, from Manchester, hopes to add to her haul in her new Paralympic sport of cycling, under her new married name of Storey.
In swimming, Louise Watkin, 16, warmed up for the Paralympics by setting a European record in her disabled category for the 200m individual medley at the national championships in Sheffield. Despite having only one hand, the Devon college studentâs weekly training often adds up to the equivalent of swimming the Channel.
Nathan Stephens, who lost his legs in a railway accident at the age of nine, will be taking part in his first summer Games. The 20-year-old from Cardiff will be throwing the shot, discus and javelin, having competed in the ice sledge hockey at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin.
Other debutants expected to do well next month include Libby Clegg, 18, a visually impaired sprinter based in Edinburgh, and law student Danielle Brown, 20, from North Yorkshire, who competes in the wheelchair archery event.
Judo is one sport in which visually impaired and able-bodied athletes could compete equally. Visually impaired fighters may, indeed, have an advantage through being particularly sensitive to opponentsâ movement and shifts in balance prior to the launching of throws. The main difference, says Sam Ingram, who will be in the under90kg category at the Paralympics, is that fighters grip each other under the arms at the start of the bout, rather than tus-sling for a grip on the jackets.
Ingram, 23, joined a local judo club in Coventry after his elder brother Joe, who narrowly missed selection for the Paralympics, took up the sport. He stopped for three years while studying in Cornwall because of a lack of top-class facilities but returned to the sport in 2006 and finished second in the World Championships last year. Now training full-time in Edinburgh, he is working on a particular move that he and Steve Gawthorpe, the national coach for the visually impaired, call the Subduer. Opponents in Beijing had better beware.
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, 39, Britainâs most successful Paralympian with 16 medals, 11 of them gold, will be following events in China with interest. âMy goal was never to be Britainâs greatest competitor in the Paralympics,â she says. âIt was to fulfil my potential. And now I will be able to watch and applaud others doing the same.â
Among the international stars poised to make an impact next month is Chantal Petitclerc, 38, the Canadian wheelchair athlete who won five gold medals and broke three world records at the 2004 Paralympics. She lost the use of her legs after an accident at the age of 13, and was introduced to swimming by a teacher in an effort to build up her strength. Later she switched to wheelchair racing.
Her 800m victory at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester made history because it was included in Canadaâs medal tally for the whole Games. Previously, disabled events had been classed as demonstration sports, and therefore excluded from each countryâs overall total.
âAt last, itâs a sport which counts for our country,â Petitclerc said. âWe have been fighting for this for years, so this medal has a special meaning.â In Beijing she is expected to compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m.
Natalie du Toit and Oscar Pistorius will be looking to win Paralympic gold for South Africa. Du Toit, 24, had been aiming for a place in the able-bodied swimming team at the 2004 Games before she lost a leg in a motorcycle accident. She achieved her Olympics dream in China last week with a place in the 10km open-water swim, coming 16th, and will take part in a number of events at the Paralympics.
Pistorius, 21, a double amputee who runs on curved blades, won his legal campaign to be allowed to compete in the able-bodied Games but failed to make the 400m qualifying time. At the Paralympics he will be seeking to improve his times in the 100m, 200m and 400m - before resuming his quest to run in the London Olympics in 2012.
What to watch
The Beijing Paralympic Games, which take place on September 6-17, feature events such as boccia (similar to bowls), goalball and wheelchair fencing Competitors in the Paralympics are grouped in classes according to the nature of their disabilities Live television coverage will be shown on BBC1, BBC2 and British Eurosport. You can also follow the latest action at www.timesonline.co.uk/olympics
The 2012 Paralympics in London will be held on August 29-September 9
Labels: Balance, Cerebral Palsy, Sports
23 August 2008
Teen overcomes scoliosis
BY BARBARA GREENBERG
DANVILLE â Courtney Godley watched her dad, Pastor Rod Godley, fill out a medical form at the eye doctor about her. In the section that asked about her health issues, Rod wrote âscoliosis.â
âNo, Dad,â Courtney corrected him when she saw what heâd written. âI had scoliosis.â
The worst part of overcoming her scoliosis through spinal surgery was that it delayed when Courtney would get her driverâs license.
The best part? She can put scoliosis behind her forever.
Courtney, a 16-year-old Danville High School sophomore, was born with a greater chance than most of developing the abnormal curvature of the spine. Although the cause of most cases of scoliosis remains unknown, the condition does run in families.
Heidi Godley, Courtneyâs mom, knew her daughter was at risk for scoliosis â Heidiâs own mom had it. Besides the genetic link, more girls than boys are affected.
Fortunately, neither Heidi nor her two sisters who made up the familyâs set of triplets, had shown any signs of the condition. Courtney didnât start showing any signs of having the condition until she was an eighth-grader at North Ridge Middle School.
According to the Mayo Clinic Web site, http://www.mayoclinic.com, âScoliosis is often first noticed around the time of adolescence, during a growth spurt. Growth is often the cause for worsening of an existing curve.â
Courtney had experienced what she and her parents considered to be growing pains. At times, they also blamed her back pain on long trips she made as part of her show choir group the Radiant Redsâ competition schedule.
But during a routine physical, Carle Clinic-Danville Nurse Practitioner Jan Byrne ran her hand down Courtneyâs back.
âBecause of the family history,â Heidi said, âwe always had her back checked.â
This time, though, that check aroused Byrneâs suspicions. Byrne, a member of Courtneyâs dadâs congregation at Vermilion Heights Christian Church, ran her hand down the teenâs back again at church.
âI never saw (scoliosis) progress so rapidly,â Byrne said. âThis was very dramatic. I told the parents we had to do something right away.â
The family sought treatment for Courtney at the Carle Spine Institute in Urbana. A brace was prescribed as the first course of treatment, a common practice when the patient is still growing and the curve is greater than 20 per cent. Courtney fell into that category.
The hard plastic brace Courtney first wore conformed to her body and put corrective force on her spine. She kept it on 20-22 hours a day from April-August 2007.
âThe brace was so restrictive,â Courtney said. âIt got really hot.
âPlus,â she said, âit didnât really work.â
Another, more intricate and expensive brace came next. Courtney wore that one until January 2008. It was made of canvas straps that fastened with Velcro, more flexible and cooler than the first one.
But it didnât work either. Surgery was needed to keep Courtneyâs already dramatic spinal curvature from worsening.
According to the Mayo Clinicâs Web site, among the complications scoliosis may cause if it progresses unchecked are lung and heart damage and chronic back problems.
Dr. Robert Hurford, orthopedic spine surgeon at Carle Spine Institute in Urbana, performed a six-hour operation on Courtney.
âMost people (with scoliosis) donât need surgery,â Hurford said. âScoliosis is generally benign and self-limited. The vast majority of people need not worry (about it).
âAbout 1 in 1,000 cases requires surgery,â Hurford said. âWe use rods and screws to correct the curve(s). We fuse the bones.
âThe prognosis after surgery is very good. Any discomfort goes away and typically there are no further problems.â
Courtneyâs recovery has followed that pattern. She spent six days in the hospital following the surgery, but she missed eight weeks of school after she returned home.
âWe had so much love and support from our congregation,â Rod said. âWe donât have any family in the area â the church is our family.â
âShe worked hard to keep on track,â Heidi said. âShe kept her grades up, and she had enough credits to move on to her sophomore year.â
Courtneyâs 16th birthday fell around the time of her surgery, so she missed the driverâs education course. But sheâs more than ready for that challenge. Courtney looks forward to taking driverâs education in school this year.
FYI
Signs and symptoms of scoliosis:
--Uneven shoulders.
--One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other.
--Uneven waist.
--One hip higher than the other.
--Leaning to one side.
--Fatigue.
Causes of scoliosis:
--Most causes are idiopathic (canât be identified).
--Sometimes, a neuromuscular system disease, a leg-length discreency or a birth defect.
--Can begin during fetal development.
--Can be a birth defect that appears with other congenital problems.
--Heredity.
--Spinal cord and brainstem abnormalities.
NOT causes:
--Poor posture.
--Poor diet.
--Lack of exercise.
--Backpack use.
(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com)
DANVILLE â Courtney Godley watched her dad, Pastor Rod Godley, fill out a medical form at the eye doctor about her. In the section that asked about her health issues, Rod wrote âscoliosis.â
âNo, Dad,â Courtney corrected him when she saw what heâd written. âI had scoliosis.â
The worst part of overcoming her scoliosis through spinal surgery was that it delayed when Courtney would get her driverâs license.
The best part? She can put scoliosis behind her forever.
Courtney, a 16-year-old Danville High School sophomore, was born with a greater chance than most of developing the abnormal curvature of the spine. Although the cause of most cases of scoliosis remains unknown, the condition does run in families.
Heidi Godley, Courtneyâs mom, knew her daughter was at risk for scoliosis â Heidiâs own mom had it. Besides the genetic link, more girls than boys are affected.
Fortunately, neither Heidi nor her two sisters who made up the familyâs set of triplets, had shown any signs of the condition. Courtney didnât start showing any signs of having the condition until she was an eighth-grader at North Ridge Middle School.
According to the Mayo Clinic Web site, http://www.mayoclinic.com, âScoliosis is often first noticed around the time of adolescence, during a growth spurt. Growth is often the cause for worsening of an existing curve.â
Courtney had experienced what she and her parents considered to be growing pains. At times, they also blamed her back pain on long trips she made as part of her show choir group the Radiant Redsâ competition schedule.
But during a routine physical, Carle Clinic-Danville Nurse Practitioner Jan Byrne ran her hand down Courtneyâs back.
âBecause of the family history,â Heidi said, âwe always had her back checked.â
This time, though, that check aroused Byrneâs suspicions. Byrne, a member of Courtneyâs dadâs congregation at Vermilion Heights Christian Church, ran her hand down the teenâs back again at church.
âI never saw (scoliosis) progress so rapidly,â Byrne said. âThis was very dramatic. I told the parents we had to do something right away.â
The family sought treatment for Courtney at the Carle Spine Institute in Urbana. A brace was prescribed as the first course of treatment, a common practice when the patient is still growing and the curve is greater than 20 per cent. Courtney fell into that category.
The hard plastic brace Courtney first wore conformed to her body and put corrective force on her spine. She kept it on 20-22 hours a day from April-August 2007.
âThe brace was so restrictive,â Courtney said. âIt got really hot.
âPlus,â she said, âit didnât really work.â
Another, more intricate and expensive brace came next. Courtney wore that one until January 2008. It was made of canvas straps that fastened with Velcro, more flexible and cooler than the first one.
But it didnât work either. Surgery was needed to keep Courtneyâs already dramatic spinal curvature from worsening.
According to the Mayo Clinicâs Web site, among the complications scoliosis may cause if it progresses unchecked are lung and heart damage and chronic back problems.
Dr. Robert Hurford, orthopedic spine surgeon at Carle Spine Institute in Urbana, performed a six-hour operation on Courtney.
âMost people (with scoliosis) donât need surgery,â Hurford said. âScoliosis is generally benign and self-limited. The vast majority of people need not worry (about it).
âAbout 1 in 1,000 cases requires surgery,â Hurford said. âWe use rods and screws to correct the curve(s). We fuse the bones.
âThe prognosis after surgery is very good. Any discomfort goes away and typically there are no further problems.â
Courtneyâs recovery has followed that pattern. She spent six days in the hospital following the surgery, but she missed eight weeks of school after she returned home.
âWe had so much love and support from our congregation,â Rod said. âWe donât have any family in the area â the church is our family.â
âShe worked hard to keep on track,â Heidi said. âShe kept her grades up, and she had enough credits to move on to her sophomore year.â
Courtneyâs 16th birthday fell around the time of her surgery, so she missed the driverâs education course. But sheâs more than ready for that challenge. Courtney looks forward to taking driverâs education in school this year.
FYI
Signs and symptoms of scoliosis:
--Uneven shoulders.
--One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other.
--Uneven waist.
--One hip higher than the other.
--Leaning to one side.
--Fatigue.
Causes of scoliosis:
--Most causes are idiopathic (canât be identified).
--Sometimes, a neuromuscular system disease, a leg-length discreency or a birth defect.
--Can begin during fetal development.
--Can be a birth defect that appears with other congenital problems.
--Heredity.
--Spinal cord and brainstem abnormalities.
NOT causes:
--Poor posture.
--Poor diet.
--Lack of exercise.
--Backpack use.
(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com)
22 August 2008
And finally, the finale... Join in the handover celebration
TEESSIDERS are invited to join the UK in a mass celebration this Sunday as the Olympic flag is handed over to London for the 2012 games.
From 2pm until 5.30pm Middlesbrough centre square will become a hub of activity with residents able to take part in a variety of sporting and cultural activities.
The day will include performances from Middlesbrough Youth Dance Academy and the Gandinis Circus.
People will be able to watch the Olympic closing ceremony live from Beijing on the big screen.
And the square will be helping to unite the UK in song at 4pm.
Sing the Nation will see regions across the UK holding a mass sing-a-long led by community choirs.
Each town or city will sing one song at the same time that connects to that location.
Teesside-based international performer Richard Grainger will perform Middlesbroughâs song âOne People (shoulder to shoulder)â.
The song was originally recorded with children from Lingdale and Abingdon Primary School in Middlesbrough. The latter adopted the song as their daily anthem.
Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton Borough council will both be holding flag raising ceremonies.
These take place 2pm at Tees Barrage and at 2.30pm on Redcar sea front opposite Bath Street.
Stocktonâs flag will be raised by Olympic gymnast Craig Heap, and Redcarâs by Mayor Councillor Mike Findley.
More than 400 councils across the country have arranged events to mark the
From 2pm until 5.30pm Middlesbrough centre square will become a hub of activity with residents able to take part in a variety of sporting and cultural activities.
The day will include performances from Middlesbrough Youth Dance Academy and the Gandinis Circus.
People will be able to watch the Olympic closing ceremony live from Beijing on the big screen.
And the square will be helping to unite the UK in song at 4pm.
Sing the Nation will see regions across the UK holding a mass sing-a-long led by community choirs.
Each town or city will sing one song at the same time that connects to that location.
Teesside-based international performer Richard Grainger will perform Middlesbroughâs song âOne People (shoulder to shoulder)â.
The song was originally recorded with children from Lingdale and Abingdon Primary School in Middlesbrough. The latter adopted the song as their daily anthem.
Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton Borough council will both be holding flag raising ceremonies.
These take place 2pm at Tees Barrage and at 2.30pm on Redcar sea front opposite Bath Street.
Stocktonâs flag will be raised by Olympic gymnast Craig Heap, and Redcarâs by Mayor Councillor Mike Findley.
More than 400 councils across the country have arranged events to mark the
Labels: Stockton-on-Tees
Natalie Bartley: Men climb Kilimanjaro in wheelchairs
By Natalie Bartley
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the largest mountain in Africa, is not easy under the best circumstances.
In June, four climbers from Idaho - two of them using special wheelchairs designed for off-road travel - took on the famed 19,340-foot mountain.
Tom McCurdy of Pocatello uses a wheelchair because of an injury sustained in the Army in 1987, when an armored military vehicle trapped him against a wall. The incident resulted in paralysis below the waist. It hasn't stopped him from enjoying sports and outdoor challenges. He's been to Mount Everest in Nepal, holds the Pocatello Marathon's wheelchair record and won a 400-meter bronze metal at the Pan American Games.
McCurdy's 14-year-old son, Sage, and Idaho State University graduate Kyle Packer, of Effingham, Ill., also took part in the Mount Kilimanjaro climb in Tanzania.
Packer has cerebral palsy. He used a wheelchair for the climb and "walked" on his knees using rubberized kneepads whenever he was in camp.
Packer and McCurdy are members of ISU's Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group (CW HOGS). In 1998, the two made it to the 17,600-foot elevation base camp on Mount Everest, joining CW HOG founder Tom Whitaker. Whitaker was the first disabled person to make his way to the top of the world's highest peak, located at 29,035 feet.
An outcome of the Everest adventure was Packer and McCurdy's goal to climb Kilimanjaro, one of the most popular mountain climbing destinations in the world.
Dana Olson-Elle, director of ISU's Outdoor AdventureCenter, joined the group on the Kilimanjaro climb. "The thing that I appreciate most is their drive and wanting to go and do activities that are challenging to any individual. They do not let their challenges keep them from living their dreams," she said.
The four Idahoans hooked up with outfitter Adventures Within Reach, which coordinated the trip through an African outfitter.
Only six wheelchair users have gone up the mountain since 2003, the first time someone ascended in a wheelchair.
"I was not out to make a world record or make a statement," said McCurdy. "For me, it was being part of a trip and introducing my son to adventure travel."
Though the mountain is not a technical climb, ascending Kilimanjaro is considered a strenuous journey along rocky trails at high altitude.
During the seven-day trip, the Idahoans took the Rongai route on the mountain's north side and descended on the south side. The group trekked through five major ecological zones.
McCurdy and Packer rolled themselves uphill assisted by porters and guides. There was no way to keep the wheelchairs - which have wide wheels on each side and a volleyball-like front tire - from rolling backward, so the porters and climbers spent lots of energy fighting gravity.
Near the summit, the group opted to camp above Kibo huts. The huts, at 15,416 feet, typically serve as the launching point for climbers on the final climb to the summit. Camping above Kibo huts meant that the porters were not acclimatized to staying overnight at the higher altitude beyond the huts before the final ascent to the peak.
Thinner air, combined with pushing wheelchairs up the mountain, added to the physical nature of the porters' climbs and some had symptoms of altitude sickness.
"It was amazing to see their drive and willingness to push on," Olson-Elle said.
An Idaho climber also was feeling ill the morning of the summit climb, so the group decided not to urge the guides and porters farther up the mountain. Instead, they selected Sage McCurdy to make the trek to the summit with a guide.
Sage made it to Gillman's Point at 18,630 feet on Kibo, one of the three extinct volcanoes on Mount Kilimanjaro. He said the highlight of the climb was "the view at the top and the accomplishment of being there."
Climbing big mountains is a journey as well as a destination. Experiences beyond the climbing add to the trip. The Idaho group enjoyed meeting climbers from all over the world.
"The challenge of the situation was exciting," Tom McCurdy said. "Every moment is fresh and every moment is challenging." He enjoyed negotiating the terrain, putting people's ideas together to generate a solution and working through language barriers.
Dealing with the altitude, keeping clean, avoiding illness and staying healthy were the additional challenges confronting the climbers.
Sage is proud of his dad. "He is a very strong man, both physically and mentally. He is smart and determined but is always looking out for other people," Sage said.
The Idaho team is already rethinking their wheelchair selection for future mountain climbing adventures. Packer is striving to raise funds for another ascent of Kilimanjaro.
Natalie Bartley is a freelance outdoors writer. Her column runs Thursdays in Idaho Outdoors. Natalie can be contacted by e-mail: natbartley@earthlink.net
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the largest mountain in Africa, is not easy under the best circumstances.
In June, four climbers from Idaho - two of them using special wheelchairs designed for off-road travel - took on the famed 19,340-foot mountain.
Tom McCurdy of Pocatello uses a wheelchair because of an injury sustained in the Army in 1987, when an armored military vehicle trapped him against a wall. The incident resulted in paralysis below the waist. It hasn't stopped him from enjoying sports and outdoor challenges. He's been to Mount Everest in Nepal, holds the Pocatello Marathon's wheelchair record and won a 400-meter bronze metal at the Pan American Games.
McCurdy's 14-year-old son, Sage, and Idaho State University graduate Kyle Packer, of Effingham, Ill., also took part in the Mount Kilimanjaro climb in Tanzania.
Packer has cerebral palsy. He used a wheelchair for the climb and "walked" on his knees using rubberized kneepads whenever he was in camp.
Packer and McCurdy are members of ISU's Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group (CW HOGS). In 1998, the two made it to the 17,600-foot elevation base camp on Mount Everest, joining CW HOG founder Tom Whitaker. Whitaker was the first disabled person to make his way to the top of the world's highest peak, located at 29,035 feet.
An outcome of the Everest adventure was Packer and McCurdy's goal to climb Kilimanjaro, one of the most popular mountain climbing destinations in the world.
Dana Olson-Elle, director of ISU's Outdoor AdventureCenter, joined the group on the Kilimanjaro climb. "The thing that I appreciate most is their drive and wanting to go and do activities that are challenging to any individual. They do not let their challenges keep them from living their dreams," she said.
The four Idahoans hooked up with outfitter Adventures Within Reach, which coordinated the trip through an African outfitter.
Only six wheelchair users have gone up the mountain since 2003, the first time someone ascended in a wheelchair.
"I was not out to make a world record or make a statement," said McCurdy. "For me, it was being part of a trip and introducing my son to adventure travel."
Though the mountain is not a technical climb, ascending Kilimanjaro is considered a strenuous journey along rocky trails at high altitude.
During the seven-day trip, the Idahoans took the Rongai route on the mountain's north side and descended on the south side. The group trekked through five major ecological zones.
McCurdy and Packer rolled themselves uphill assisted by porters and guides. There was no way to keep the wheelchairs - which have wide wheels on each side and a volleyball-like front tire - from rolling backward, so the porters and climbers spent lots of energy fighting gravity.
Near the summit, the group opted to camp above Kibo huts. The huts, at 15,416 feet, typically serve as the launching point for climbers on the final climb to the summit. Camping above Kibo huts meant that the porters were not acclimatized to staying overnight at the higher altitude beyond the huts before the final ascent to the peak.
Thinner air, combined with pushing wheelchairs up the mountain, added to the physical nature of the porters' climbs and some had symptoms of altitude sickness.
"It was amazing to see their drive and willingness to push on," Olson-Elle said.
An Idaho climber also was feeling ill the morning of the summit climb, so the group decided not to urge the guides and porters farther up the mountain. Instead, they selected Sage McCurdy to make the trek to the summit with a guide.
Sage made it to Gillman's Point at 18,630 feet on Kibo, one of the three extinct volcanoes on Mount Kilimanjaro. He said the highlight of the climb was "the view at the top and the accomplishment of being there."
Climbing big mountains is a journey as well as a destination. Experiences beyond the climbing add to the trip. The Idaho group enjoyed meeting climbers from all over the world.
"The challenge of the situation was exciting," Tom McCurdy said. "Every moment is fresh and every moment is challenging." He enjoyed negotiating the terrain, putting people's ideas together to generate a solution and working through language barriers.
Dealing with the altitude, keeping clean, avoiding illness and staying healthy were the additional challenges confronting the climbers.
Sage is proud of his dad. "He is a very strong man, both physically and mentally. He is smart and determined but is always looking out for other people," Sage said.
The Idaho team is already rethinking their wheelchair selection for future mountain climbing adventures. Packer is striving to raise funds for another ascent of Kilimanjaro.
Natalie Bartley is a freelance outdoors writer. Her column runs Thursdays in Idaho Outdoors. Natalie can be contacted by e-mail: natbartley@earthlink.net
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, wheelchairs
Balloons in my spine changed my life!
A MERSEYSIDE woman whose back was crushed in a go-karting accident can walk again after balloons were inserted into her spine.
Christine McFarlane spent three months doubled over in pain after she crashed on a track in north Wales during a family holiday.
She became the first person in Merseyside to have a medical procedure called kyphoplasty, labelled âbotox for the backâ by ageing Hollywood stars.
The treatment involves inserting balloons in the spine and blowing them up so cement can be injected into the cracks.
Before the procedure at Liverpoolâs Walton centre at Fazakerley hospital, Ms McFarlane was in pain for three months and unable to stand up.
Three hours later, the keen dancer was on the road to recovery.
The 56-year-old, of Laxey Street, Toxteth, today said: âIt is just amazing â a miracle. âI do not know about botox for the back. I am just glad to be on my feet.â
Ms McFarlaneâs troubles started when she went go-karting with her grandson. She pulled in to end a lap but hit a bollard.
For several minutes, the grandmother-of-five was unable to move and struggled to tell people what was wrong.
She was taken to hospital, but doctors could not see any broken bones on her X-rays.
When the pain continued, she was referred to the Walton centre. Doctors discovered she had broken a bone in her spine, which had collapsed and fallen on to the next bone, causing agonising pain.
She was then told about kyphoplasty, a new procedure which Dr Kumar Das had studied in the USA.
Ms McFarlane said: âI was bent over and could not straighten up because of the pain for three months.
âI had to stop my part-time bar work and looking after my little grandson Joe, because I could not lift him up.
âI love dancing, salsa and jive in particular, but after the accident, I could not do anything.â
Ms McFarlane was operated on just before Christmas. She now looks after her grandson again and danced at a 50th birthday party recently.
She said: âNow I am back to normal, I am running like a loon, and when I go out, I dance my legs off.â
Doctors discovered Ms McFarlane was prone to fractures because she has osteoporosis, which she now takes medication for.
Kyphoplasty is used by Hollywoodâs older actresses to rid themselves of an ageing stoop. The Walton centre only uses it to relieve pain.
The balloons shore up the affected bone and hold it in place while bone cement is injected.
The procedure takes less than an hour and is performed at only a handful of British hospitals.
Dr Das said: âFractures of the spine used to be largely ignored, because there are few options. This procedure restores quality of life.â
Christine McFarlane spent three months doubled over in pain after she crashed on a track in north Wales during a family holiday.
She became the first person in Merseyside to have a medical procedure called kyphoplasty, labelled âbotox for the backâ by ageing Hollywood stars.
The treatment involves inserting balloons in the spine and blowing them up so cement can be injected into the cracks.
Before the procedure at Liverpoolâs Walton centre at Fazakerley hospital, Ms McFarlane was in pain for three months and unable to stand up.
Three hours later, the keen dancer was on the road to recovery.
The 56-year-old, of Laxey Street, Toxteth, today said: âIt is just amazing â a miracle. âI do not know about botox for the back. I am just glad to be on my feet.â
Ms McFarlaneâs troubles started when she went go-karting with her grandson. She pulled in to end a lap but hit a bollard.
For several minutes, the grandmother-of-five was unable to move and struggled to tell people what was wrong.
She was taken to hospital, but doctors could not see any broken bones on her X-rays.
When the pain continued, she was referred to the Walton centre. Doctors discovered she had broken a bone in her spine, which had collapsed and fallen on to the next bone, causing agonising pain.
She was then told about kyphoplasty, a new procedure which Dr Kumar Das had studied in the USA.
Ms McFarlane said: âI was bent over and could not straighten up because of the pain for three months.
âI had to stop my part-time bar work and looking after my little grandson Joe, because I could not lift him up.
âI love dancing, salsa and jive in particular, but after the accident, I could not do anything.â
Ms McFarlane was operated on just before Christmas. She now looks after her grandson again and danced at a 50th birthday party recently.
She said: âNow I am back to normal, I am running like a loon, and when I go out, I dance my legs off.â
Doctors discovered Ms McFarlane was prone to fractures because she has osteoporosis, which she now takes medication for.
Kyphoplasty is used by Hollywoodâs older actresses to rid themselves of an ageing stoop. The Walton centre only uses it to relieve pain.
The balloons shore up the affected bone and hold it in place while bone cement is injected.
The procedure takes less than an hour and is performed at only a handful of British hospitals.
Dr Das said: âFractures of the spine used to be largely ignored, because there are few options. This procedure restores quality of life.â
Labels: back pain
21 August 2008
Clever cerebral palsy treatment gets kids back on their feet
Children with cerebral palsy at a specialist center in Shanghai get intensive treatment that combines Chinese and Western methods. The program is developed by Shanghai women Lu Shunling and works with children as young as one year old.
AN inventive treatment method - devised by a Shanghai woman and combining some of the best ideas from China and abroad - is helping to get young cerebral palsy sufferers moving towards a better life, writes Sam Riley.A unique program using traditional Chinese medicine and massage is giving young cerebral palsy sufferers a chance to lead an independent life.Developed by Lu Shunling - who has battled the debilitating disorder that leaves sufferers unable to control their muscles and movement - the program has had a dramatic effect, allowing once bedridden children to lead relatively normal lives.
The program at the CereCare Wellness Center for Children in Shanghai's Xuhui District involves regular acupressure massage and was developed by the 70-year-old Lu when she was a young woman after conventional treatment for CP had failed.Acupressure is an ancient form of healing similar to acupuncture but where no needles are used.Lu's sister Iris Sung, a director at the center, says Lu found the acupressure massage and traditional Chinese medicine worked very well on her, so she learned and adapted a treatment program to help other CP sufferers."They didn't know my sister had cerebral palsy until she was 18 and she underwent all types of very painful treatment. But she found acupressure to be the best," Sung says. "Seven acupressurists became her teachers and she learned the best from everyone.
Then she developed her own style and program of acupressure which is really effective."The treatment, along with an education program that involves rehabilitation, aims to loosen the joints and muscles, allowing children to better control their movements.The CereCare Wellness Center treats 32 children between the ages of one and 12. In addition to physical therapies, the center also provides basic education classes with the aim that the children will eventually be at the stage where they can attend a normal school.Cerebral palsy is one of the most common childhood disorders that is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually during fetal development, or before the child is three years of age. The damage to areas in the brain governing movement disrupts the brain's ability to control movement and posture.
Many CP sufferers do not suffer a mental disability and with early physical rehabilitation can go on to live normal lives."Some of the children we have at our center are very smart so it is important they receive the right early treatment so they can go to a normal school and fulfill their potential," Sung says.The earlier a child with CP receives regular rehabilitation, the better their prospects of being self sufficient, she says.The children live at the center full-time so they can undergo consistent and intense rehabilitation which includes three sessions a week of acupressure massage.
The aim of the massage is to relax the children so acupuncture needles are not used and instead the therapist applies pressure to points that coincide with major organs in the body."Our purpose is to relax them so we just use acupressure and we sing, talk and tell them stories so they are not scared," Sung says."If a child has CP, the internal organs must also be very tight and not functioning properly. So for the first couple of months we focus on fixing the internal organs through the massage. "This improves their appetite, allows them to absorb nutrition and build their muscles and then we work on their rehabilitation."The children also receive what is known as "conductive education," using a process of basic classes and physical rehabilitation developed in Hungary.The combination of TCM and massage program and the Hungarian rehabilitation system has been so successful that some former students at the center now work there as therapists helping the next generation of children with CP.
Sung says the center is the last hope for many parents who mistakenly believed there was nothing that could be done for their child.The center is a non-profit organization but the cost of full-time care for a child is approximately 3,000 yuan (US$437) per semester. With many parents unable to meet the full cost, Sung says sponsorship is vital.Sponsors can directly sponsor a child and the center has held a number of events where sponsors can meet their child and see their progress. Last week the center held a yoga workshop with the children, at Y+ Yoga Center in Xintiandi. The event was designed to raise awareness of CP as well as provide therapeutic benefits for the children, with yoga and stretching helping to relax their muscles.This week the center also held a sports day where children with CP partnered with an able-bodied child to compete in a range of events.
Sung says the center is always looking for volunteers to assist in a range of day-to-day activities.Mette Strand is a Norwegian medical student who has spent six months volunteering at the center.The 19-year-old says she started helping with simple tasks such as helping with feeding but once she was better trained, she began teaching basic classes, including English."When I arrived I was working with some children who could not stand, and to see them take their first steps and now to see them walking is fantastic. Their progress is very inspiring," she says.
For more information on CereCare Wellness Center call 5349-4313, ext 26 (Chinese only) or email the center via its Website at www.cerecare.net.
The program at the CereCare Wellness Center for Children in Shanghai's Xuhui District involves regular acupressure massage and was developed by the 70-year-old Lu when she was a young woman after conventional treatment for CP had failed.Acupressure is an ancient form of healing similar to acupuncture but where no needles are used.Lu's sister Iris Sung, a director at the center, says Lu found the acupressure massage and traditional Chinese medicine worked very well on her, so she learned and adapted a treatment program to help other CP sufferers."They didn't know my sister had cerebral palsy until she was 18 and she underwent all types of very painful treatment. But she found acupressure to be the best," Sung says. "Seven acupressurists became her teachers and she learned the best from everyone.
Then she developed her own style and program of acupressure which is really effective."The treatment, along with an education program that involves rehabilitation, aims to loosen the joints and muscles, allowing children to better control their movements.The CereCare Wellness Center treats 32 children between the ages of one and 12. In addition to physical therapies, the center also provides basic education classes with the aim that the children will eventually be at the stage where they can attend a normal school.Cerebral palsy is one of the most common childhood disorders that is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually during fetal development, or before the child is three years of age. The damage to areas in the brain governing movement disrupts the brain's ability to control movement and posture.
Many CP sufferers do not suffer a mental disability and with early physical rehabilitation can go on to live normal lives."Some of the children we have at our center are very smart so it is important they receive the right early treatment so they can go to a normal school and fulfill their potential," Sung says.The earlier a child with CP receives regular rehabilitation, the better their prospects of being self sufficient, she says.The children live at the center full-time so they can undergo consistent and intense rehabilitation which includes three sessions a week of acupressure massage.
The aim of the massage is to relax the children so acupuncture needles are not used and instead the therapist applies pressure to points that coincide with major organs in the body."Our purpose is to relax them so we just use acupressure and we sing, talk and tell them stories so they are not scared," Sung says."If a child has CP, the internal organs must also be very tight and not functioning properly. So for the first couple of months we focus on fixing the internal organs through the massage. "This improves their appetite, allows them to absorb nutrition and build their muscles and then we work on their rehabilitation."The children also receive what is known as "conductive education," using a process of basic classes and physical rehabilitation developed in Hungary.The combination of TCM and massage program and the Hungarian rehabilitation system has been so successful that some former students at the center now work there as therapists helping the next generation of children with CP.
Sung says the center is the last hope for many parents who mistakenly believed there was nothing that could be done for their child.The center is a non-profit organization but the cost of full-time care for a child is approximately 3,000 yuan (US$437) per semester. With many parents unable to meet the full cost, Sung says sponsorship is vital.Sponsors can directly sponsor a child and the center has held a number of events where sponsors can meet their child and see their progress. Last week the center held a yoga workshop with the children, at Y+ Yoga Center in Xintiandi. The event was designed to raise awareness of CP as well as provide therapeutic benefits for the children, with yoga and stretching helping to relax their muscles.This week the center also held a sports day where children with CP partnered with an able-bodied child to compete in a range of events.
Sung says the center is always looking for volunteers to assist in a range of day-to-day activities.Mette Strand is a Norwegian medical student who has spent six months volunteering at the center.The 19-year-old says she started helping with simple tasks such as helping with feeding but once she was better trained, she began teaching basic classes, including English."When I arrived I was working with some children who could not stand, and to see them take their first steps and now to see them walking is fantastic. Their progress is very inspiring," she says.
For more information on CereCare Wellness Center call 5349-4313, ext 26 (Chinese only) or email the center via its Website at www.cerecare.net.
Labels: Acupuncture, Cerebral Palsy
20 August 2008
Nothing comes from wanting but doing
I am lucky My parents adopted me in 1973 after being their foster child for 7 yrs. The one problem being in care is: institutionalization. In this type of environment my needs were met but my social skills and self efficacy skills were not nutured. Being disabled I soon realized I was different and no one cared about my sense of self worth. All humans need nuturing and positive re-inforcement while in their pre cognitive learning stages. We should be more active in goal setting and allow children in care to become more self determined to choices.If social services had taught me to ask for things and allowed me to make choices rather then just controlling lives and being the "all knowing" state agency. I believe with no uncertency that I would today be more in control and more empowered to take action in self determining my goals and dreams .So when you r wondering what to do when lost or you just dont know where to turn ,call an agency that may deal with that issue and dont allow them to blow you off ,be persistant and understand you deserve better and if you network enough you will prevail.I'm 49 and still going after my dream of being a recording artist . I plan on pursueing and starting a program for disabled musicians to be seen and heard by studio executives as mandated in the federal disabilities act . We need representation at all levels of Government the larger the group the more people wil change policies.
Labels: learning
Believing you are the best: attempt ,adapt and overcome
I remember once somebody told me ,I was a dreamer and reality was I needed to just accept my short comings.I was so pissed I went out and performed for free at a local pub.I was asked back and the owner said "why are you limping?" I have Cerebral palsy" I replied.He feed me. after my gig he took a tip jar and said give this boy a hand with his gear and reach into your wallets ,he's disabled and trying to be self supporting. That was 25 yrs ago and thats what I remember unfortunitly our attitudes have changed the "me" generation has forgotton about being grateful for opportunities ,"Rights" seem to be more important then compassion ,helping someone less fortunate then yourself.We (differentlyabled) can be the voice of change by Networking and getting envolved politcally in both State and Federal bodies. I have been blessed with Cerebral Palsy ,because I am an inspiration to many People some I do not know but have heard from reliable sources. My cd is a good example of goodness of others it was done for free and played on Wolf 97.4 fm in Prince George B C Canada.Faith and getting out there works .Yet sometimes the road gets confusing when your body ,brain doesn't seem to fire properly.I do get tired and all of a sudden !......... I can't remember where I am or my legs start shaking and It can be embarassing when up on stage!!!! but all in all I say all is good when you let people know what you need and want dreams are reality if you are willing to go through the fire to to yourself that you can god bless ,The "California Kidd" "Never give in or UP!"
Labels: Cerebral Palsy
Law of Attraction
Patience,is a vertue .A smile even though your in pain; is infectious.who knows why I was born with a developmental disability?I do know I struggle without any real solid Government aid ,mostly due to not knowing who or how to navigate the system.I also feel social workers and the system are plagued with a work load by client who want an easier lifestyle. What is a disability? the word means :un-able to do.Very few of us are truly disabled.A better focus should be on one's degree's of ability.I have always worked to support myself mostly taking paycuts to have the job.I also have gone to school to achieve an AA degree in Social Services despite have moderate LD. There is a theory that says one will influence by law of attraction ,what does this mean? I smile ,Iam giving and cooperative but I still am measuredby my not quite average ability which has placed me in an un-equal and psychological depression as to hopelessness and frustration.I have played w/many Stars in my pursuit of my dreams:The late :Waylon Jennings In 82,Mac Wiesman 81,JJ Cale On a Jam in76.I have loved every minute But I still haven't achieved a consistancy in the music field people want "Blonde hair ,Blue eyed and moderately talanted 19 yr. olds.! All I have ever asked for is a ligitamate chance to live my dream and be self sufficient. I will someday meet some one who judges on heart ,and desire and talent . Go after your dreams ! Never Give In or Up.Your Dreams are important too.
Labels: developmental disabilities
19 August 2008
Our dream turned into a nightmare
IT WAS supposed to be the most magical moment of Sally Johnson's life.
As midwives placed her new born baby boy in her arms, she looked down adoringly into his little face - and realised he was not breathing.
Within seconds the delivery room at Wordlsey Hospital in Dudley went into overdrive as nurses and specialists began the battle to revive baby Owen.
That moment was nine years ago and in the intervening years Sally has battled - not only to get the best services for her son, whose lack of oxygen at birth led to him having cerebral palsy, but also to cope with its effect on herself.
The family hit the headlines this summer when Owen was finally awarded an ÂŁ8 million payout at the High Court to pay for his needs for the rest of his life.
But what about Sally's needs? How does a mum cope with a birth trauma on such a massive scale?
Although this summer Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust accepted responsibility, Sally spent years blaming herself for Owen's health problems.
In reality, there was nothing she could have done.
Midwives and nurses managing the birth at Wordsley Hospital did not call for an obstetrician after an abnormal test showed foetal distress during birth and as a result Owen experienced near total asphyxia, cutting off oxygen to his brain.
Independent medical experts found that Owen should have been born 17 minutes earlier when he would have been born "neurologically intact".
But initially, Sally and her husband Paul, had no idea what had happened.
"They put Owen on me and they let his dad cut the cord," recalls Sally, now aged 34.
"I knew immediately that there was something wrong. I had read so many books and seen so much stuff on the television about giving birth that I knew how the baby was supposed to be and he wasn't doing anything. He wasn't crying. He wasn't breathing."
As health specialists dashed in, Owen was resuscitated, placed in an incubator and rushed to the special care baby unit.
All the while his parents were in shock.
"He was our very special baby. We had planned so much and we had really wanted this baby and suddenly this was all happening," says Sally.
"It was just mayhem. I just kept having visions of someone standing over me saying 'I'm really sorry....'
"It felt like forever before he gave a gasp of air and they took him off to an incubator to the special care unit."
The couple were lost in a sea of uncertainty.
"It was 10.25pm when I had him but it was 1.30am before we were taken down to the unit. We were just left in a room until then," says Sally. "And when I saw him, nothing had prepared me for what I saw. He was so tiny and there were just all of these tubes everywhere. I couldn't hold him, all I could do was put my hand in and touch him.
"They told us the next 24 hours were crucial and we had a very poorly child but no-one could tell us what was happening or why."
Owen proved to be a little fighter. Within two days his condition had stabilised a nd in two weeks he was allowed back at the family's Dudley home. But the couple's nightmare was not over as they gradually discovered all of the health problems Owen had - and battled to find the truth.
"I hated myself," says Sally.
"I just kept asking 'what I had done?' and 'why me?' I had tried to do everything right but I kept thinking there must have been something I had done.
"We had a meeting with the hospital to try to find out if it was something we had done and they told us it was 'just one of those things'."
After nine months the couple were given Owen's diagnosis - he had cerebral palsy.
It helped immensely to have a diagnosis and to begin to plan for the future but even then the couple were finding it hard to cope.
"I was losing weight, I had all my hair cut off, I stopped caring what I looked like," says Sally.
"It was a really hard time. Anyone with a baby knows how hard it was but I had no experience at all of a child with special needs. All the babies I had held before had been healthy babies so I kept worrying about every single thing.
"I wasn't given any counselling and there wasn't any help for me. I did have anti-depressants for a short time but I didn't want to become reliant on them. My friends and family were there and Paul was doing all he could but he had to go to work and I just felt so isolated at home trying to cope.
"I felt all alone and it would have helped me so much if I had had someone to talk to and to help me."
The family wanted to do their best for Owen and, with the help of funding from Caudwell Children, he attended the Foundation for Conductive Education in Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham which specialises in helping child ren with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy. He also attends, and loves, Sledmere Primary School in Dudley.
But it has very often been an uphill battle ensuring all the appropriate support is in place, not least a five year battle for compensation for their son.
Over the years Owen has learned to talk, walk, feed himself and develop other movements, skills and interests.
Sadly his parents are now separated, although Paul, a 42-year-old brick layer, is still very much a hands-on dad.
"Paul is the best dad Owen could have," says Sally. "But with everything that was going on we just couldn't get on together any more."
Owen has turned out to be cheerful and bright as a button.
"He is quite intellectual and loves things like history," says Sally. "He is very lively and is always on the go. He loves all sports but his favourite is golf. He goes to the Adventure Golf at Star City as often as he can - they say he goes more than the professional golfers!"
Receiving the compensation has finally given the family space. Sally is preparing to move herself and Owen into a new bungalow in Moseley which can be adapted to meet the youngster's needs and the family are able to pay for care to ensure Sally is able to have some time to herself.
"At one point we were looking at having to sell our home to pay for the therapy that Owen needed," she says. "It is such a relief to know that Owen will now be cared for for all his life.
"We adore Owen. He is a very special child, CP or no CP, and there is a very special bond between us."
As midwives placed her new born baby boy in her arms, she looked down adoringly into his little face - and realised he was not breathing.
Within seconds the delivery room at Wordlsey Hospital in Dudley went into overdrive as nurses and specialists began the battle to revive baby Owen.
That moment was nine years ago and in the intervening years Sally has battled - not only to get the best services for her son, whose lack of oxygen at birth led to him having cerebral palsy, but also to cope with its effect on herself.
The family hit the headlines this summer when Owen was finally awarded an ÂŁ8 million payout at the High Court to pay for his needs for the rest of his life.
But what about Sally's needs? How does a mum cope with a birth trauma on such a massive scale?
Although this summer Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust accepted responsibility, Sally spent years blaming herself for Owen's health problems.
In reality, there was nothing she could have done.
Midwives and nurses managing the birth at Wordsley Hospital did not call for an obstetrician after an abnormal test showed foetal distress during birth and as a result Owen experienced near total asphyxia, cutting off oxygen to his brain.
Independent medical experts found that Owen should have been born 17 minutes earlier when he would have been born "neurologically intact".
But initially, Sally and her husband Paul, had no idea what had happened.
"They put Owen on me and they let his dad cut the cord," recalls Sally, now aged 34.
"I knew immediately that there was something wrong. I had read so many books and seen so much stuff on the television about giving birth that I knew how the baby was supposed to be and he wasn't doing anything. He wasn't crying. He wasn't breathing."
As health specialists dashed in, Owen was resuscitated, placed in an incubator and rushed to the special care baby unit.
All the while his parents were in shock.
"He was our very special baby. We had planned so much and we had really wanted this baby and suddenly this was all happening," says Sally.
"It was just mayhem. I just kept having visions of someone standing over me saying 'I'm really sorry....'
"It felt like forever before he gave a gasp of air and they took him off to an incubator to the special care unit."
The couple were lost in a sea of uncertainty.
"It was 10.25pm when I had him but it was 1.30am before we were taken down to the unit. We were just left in a room until then," says Sally. "And when I saw him, nothing had prepared me for what I saw. He was so tiny and there were just all of these tubes everywhere. I couldn't hold him, all I could do was put my hand in and touch him.
"They told us the next 24 hours were crucial and we had a very poorly child but no-one could tell us what was happening or why."
Owen proved to be a little fighter. Within two days his condition had stabilised a nd in two weeks he was allowed back at the family's Dudley home. But the couple's nightmare was not over as they gradually discovered all of the health problems Owen had - and battled to find the truth.
"I hated myself," says Sally.
"I just kept asking 'what I had done?' and 'why me?' I had tried to do everything right but I kept thinking there must have been something I had done.
"We had a meeting with the hospital to try to find out if it was something we had done and they told us it was 'just one of those things'."
After nine months the couple were given Owen's diagnosis - he had cerebral palsy.
It helped immensely to have a diagnosis and to begin to plan for the future but even then the couple were finding it hard to cope.
"I was losing weight, I had all my hair cut off, I stopped caring what I looked like," says Sally.
"It was a really hard time. Anyone with a baby knows how hard it was but I had no experience at all of a child with special needs. All the babies I had held before had been healthy babies so I kept worrying about every single thing.
"I wasn't given any counselling and there wasn't any help for me. I did have anti-depressants for a short time but I didn't want to become reliant on them. My friends and family were there and Paul was doing all he could but he had to go to work and I just felt so isolated at home trying to cope.
"I felt all alone and it would have helped me so much if I had had someone to talk to and to help me."
The family wanted to do their best for Owen and, with the help of funding from Caudwell Children, he attended the Foundation for Conductive Education in Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham which specialises in helping child ren with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy. He also attends, and loves, Sledmere Primary School in Dudley.
But it has very often been an uphill battle ensuring all the appropriate support is in place, not least a five year battle for compensation for their son.
Over the years Owen has learned to talk, walk, feed himself and develop other movements, skills and interests.
Sadly his parents are now separated, although Paul, a 42-year-old brick layer, is still very much a hands-on dad.
"Paul is the best dad Owen could have," says Sally. "But with everything that was going on we just couldn't get on together any more."
Owen has turned out to be cheerful and bright as a button.
"He is quite intellectual and loves things like history," says Sally. "He is very lively and is always on the go. He loves all sports but his favourite is golf. He goes to the Adventure Golf at Star City as often as he can - they say he goes more than the professional golfers!"
Receiving the compensation has finally given the family space. Sally is preparing to move herself and Owen into a new bungalow in Moseley which can be adapted to meet the youngster's needs and the family are able to pay for care to ensure Sally is able to have some time to herself.
"At one point we were looking at having to sell our home to pay for the therapy that Owen needed," she says. "It is such a relief to know that Owen will now be cared for for all his life.
"We adore Owen. He is a very special child, CP or no CP, and there is a very special bond between us."
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Education
The chance to live a full life
Young people with learning disabilities need better options when they leave school, writes Janet Murray
Janet Murray
The Guardian
When Sam, her daughter, left school, Carol Robbie hoped she would continue her education. But when her college application was turned down, her mother didn't know where to turn. Sam, who has severe learning disabilities, dyspraxia, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, had very limited options.
"I could understand why the college said no," says Robbie. "Given her needs, they felt they couldn't guarantee Sam's safety. Still, I was absolutely gutted."
Robbie needed to continue working full time, so day care was the only option. But Robbie was unhappy with her local respite centre: "The carers were nice, but the activities on offer were totally inappropriate. There was no progression. It seemed more about keeping Sam occupied than helping her move on."
There are an estimated 210,000 people with severe and profound learning disabilities in England. Many young people, like Sam, end up in inappropriate adult day centres once they have left school or find themselves isolated, without any services. Fewer than one in 20 go into paid work.
A government white paper called Valuing People, published in 2001, promised greater rights, inclusion, independence and choice for young people with learning difficulties. It recognised the need to start planning their transition to college or work from the age of 14.
Research carried out by the Norah Fry research centre a year later suggested a fifth of young people had left school without a transition plan. Almost half had little or no involvement in planning for their future. There were few options available to them, particularly when it came to employment.
In Valuing People, the government recognised that some college courses and some day-care provision were unsuitable for young adults with learning disabilities. Inappropriate courses and day care were cut, but in many cases they have not been replaced with something better.
A recent Learning and Skills Council (LSC) report shows college places have been cut by almost 15%.
Provision is patchy and access to opportunities can be a postcode lottery. But there are examples of good practice.
The Leighton project in Camden, north London, helps 16- to 25-year-olds move into paid work, training or further education.
The two-year programme, currently funded by the LSC, offers life skills, vocational training and a three-month work experience placement, one day a week.
Work placements
Yagmir Onglu, 22, has just finished a placement at Highgate library, helping with shelving, tidying and issuing books. She says: "Since I started the course I feel like a grown-up person. I'm an adult now, not a baby."
Kevin Riley, 21, did his work experience at John Lewis on Oxford Street. He shadowed another employee, helping to put stock on the shelves. With the support of project staff, he was able to travel independently to work from his home in Tottenham.
Before this, both Onglu and Riley had completed various college courses, typical of those available to young adults with learning disabilities. These may suit some, says project manager Jenny Pounde, but for many, there is a lack of progression.
"The frustrating thing is that after two years with us, some of our young people do get to the point where they are ready to work," says Pounde. "They need some support to get started, perhaps for someone to work alongside them for a few weeks or months, but there is no funding for that. Fast-forward a few months, and they can be back to square one."
Employers can be reluctant to provide opportunities for young people with learning disabilities, particularly as some can only manage part-time work and often need to work close to home.
Rabbi Yitzchak Freeman, chief executive of the special-needs charity Kisharon, which provides care and education for members of the Jewish community with learning disabilities, agrees there is very little funding for supported employment.
He cites an example of a pilot scheme in north London that had ÂŁ150,000 worth of funding to employ 15 "job coaches" to support young adults with learning disabilities. "The funding dried up after a year, and that was the end of that," he says.
Low expectations
Freeman believes employers are missing out. "Unfortunately, as a society, we've developed low expectations of people with learning disabilities. It's not uncommon to see people with learning disabilities working in your local supermarket, but that's not the only job they can do.
"They can be such a great asset. They are highly motivated, reliable, have a positive attitude, a good work ethic and can offer a good length of service."
At Kisharon's Asher Loftus business centre, a social enterprise for young adults with learning disabilities, positions are on offer in a variety of businesses, including a bike shop, repair workshop, print shop and wood turning.
"In our print shop, they are creasing, folding, stapling, packaging and stuffing envelopes. In the cycle shop, we've been able to train young adults with learning difficulties to do routine bike servicing - dismantling, lubricating, reassembling the bikes," says Freeman.
He believes the government has a responsibility to support the commercial sector to provide suitable employment opportunities, perhaps providing tax breaks or other incentives.
Employers, too, must face up to their responsibilities. According to the Disability Discrimination Act, employers are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments to help disabled people to work. "For those with learning disabilities, a reasonable adjustment might be to offer a verbal application process and a trial period," says Freeman.
Government promises
Valuing People Now, a white paper published last December, has acknowledged the shortcomings of Valuing People. The government is promising ÂŁ19m in funding for transition support and a transition plan for every young person, with the aim of getting them into college or employment when they leave school.
After a year in an unsuitable day-care centre, Sam Robbie's mother heard about a residential centre for young adults with similar levels of disability.
"Some people think that I'm heartless putting my daughter into residential care, but actually I'm giving her some independence, moving her on.
"She's in a more stimulating environment, she has friends. She's been to see Mamma Mia!, had a caravan holiday, gone bowling, and learned circus skills. She's learned to make her bed, she's done ironing. I'd never have been able to do that with her at home.
"What is important at this stage is that she is progressing, becoming more independent and leading a full life, which she has every right to do. I realise we are lucky. If we lived in a different part of the country, it could have been a completely different story."
¡ The charity Enable Scotland has produced a free CD-rom to guide young people through the transition to adulthood.
Janet Murray
The Guardian
When Sam, her daughter, left school, Carol Robbie hoped she would continue her education. But when her college application was turned down, her mother didn't know where to turn. Sam, who has severe learning disabilities, dyspraxia, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, had very limited options.
"I could understand why the college said no," says Robbie. "Given her needs, they felt they couldn't guarantee Sam's safety. Still, I was absolutely gutted."
Robbie needed to continue working full time, so day care was the only option. But Robbie was unhappy with her local respite centre: "The carers were nice, but the activities on offer were totally inappropriate. There was no progression. It seemed more about keeping Sam occupied than helping her move on."
There are an estimated 210,000 people with severe and profound learning disabilities in England. Many young people, like Sam, end up in inappropriate adult day centres once they have left school or find themselves isolated, without any services. Fewer than one in 20 go into paid work.
A government white paper called Valuing People, published in 2001, promised greater rights, inclusion, independence and choice for young people with learning difficulties. It recognised the need to start planning their transition to college or work from the age of 14.
Research carried out by the Norah Fry research centre a year later suggested a fifth of young people had left school without a transition plan. Almost half had little or no involvement in planning for their future. There were few options available to them, particularly when it came to employment.
In Valuing People, the government recognised that some college courses and some day-care provision were unsuitable for young adults with learning disabilities. Inappropriate courses and day care were cut, but in many cases they have not been replaced with something better.
A recent Learning and Skills Council (LSC) report shows college places have been cut by almost 15%.
Provision is patchy and access to opportunities can be a postcode lottery. But there are examples of good practice.
The Leighton project in Camden, north London, helps 16- to 25-year-olds move into paid work, training or further education.
The two-year programme, currently funded by the LSC, offers life skills, vocational training and a three-month work experience placement, one day a week.
Work placements
Yagmir Onglu, 22, has just finished a placement at Highgate library, helping with shelving, tidying and issuing books. She says: "Since I started the course I feel like a grown-up person. I'm an adult now, not a baby."
Kevin Riley, 21, did his work experience at John Lewis on Oxford Street. He shadowed another employee, helping to put stock on the shelves. With the support of project staff, he was able to travel independently to work from his home in Tottenham.
Before this, both Onglu and Riley had completed various college courses, typical of those available to young adults with learning disabilities. These may suit some, says project manager Jenny Pounde, but for many, there is a lack of progression.
"The frustrating thing is that after two years with us, some of our young people do get to the point where they are ready to work," says Pounde. "They need some support to get started, perhaps for someone to work alongside them for a few weeks or months, but there is no funding for that. Fast-forward a few months, and they can be back to square one."
Employers can be reluctant to provide opportunities for young people with learning disabilities, particularly as some can only manage part-time work and often need to work close to home.
Rabbi Yitzchak Freeman, chief executive of the special-needs charity Kisharon, which provides care and education for members of the Jewish community with learning disabilities, agrees there is very little funding for supported employment.
He cites an example of a pilot scheme in north London that had ÂŁ150,000 worth of funding to employ 15 "job coaches" to support young adults with learning disabilities. "The funding dried up after a year, and that was the end of that," he says.
Low expectations
Freeman believes employers are missing out. "Unfortunately, as a society, we've developed low expectations of people with learning disabilities. It's not uncommon to see people with learning disabilities working in your local supermarket, but that's not the only job they can do.
"They can be such a great asset. They are highly motivated, reliable, have a positive attitude, a good work ethic and can offer a good length of service."
At Kisharon's Asher Loftus business centre, a social enterprise for young adults with learning disabilities, positions are on offer in a variety of businesses, including a bike shop, repair workshop, print shop and wood turning.
"In our print shop, they are creasing, folding, stapling, packaging and stuffing envelopes. In the cycle shop, we've been able to train young adults with learning difficulties to do routine bike servicing - dismantling, lubricating, reassembling the bikes," says Freeman.
He believes the government has a responsibility to support the commercial sector to provide suitable employment opportunities, perhaps providing tax breaks or other incentives.
Employers, too, must face up to their responsibilities. According to the Disability Discrimination Act, employers are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments to help disabled people to work. "For those with learning disabilities, a reasonable adjustment might be to offer a verbal application process and a trial period," says Freeman.
Government promises
Valuing People Now, a white paper published last December, has acknowledged the shortcomings of Valuing People. The government is promising ÂŁ19m in funding for transition support and a transition plan for every young person, with the aim of getting them into college or employment when they leave school.
After a year in an unsuitable day-care centre, Sam Robbie's mother heard about a residential centre for young adults with similar levels of disability.
"Some people think that I'm heartless putting my daughter into residential care, but actually I'm giving her some independence, moving her on.
"She's in a more stimulating environment, she has friends. She's been to see Mamma Mia!, had a caravan holiday, gone bowling, and learned circus skills. She's learned to make her bed, she's done ironing. I'd never have been able to do that with her at home.
"What is important at this stage is that she is progressing, becoming more independent and leading a full life, which she has every right to do. I realise we are lucky. If we lived in a different part of the country, it could have been a completely different story."
¡ The charity Enable Scotland has produced a free CD-rom to guide young people through the transition to adulthood.
Labels: Carers, Employment
Interview with Author Brandon Ryan
I recently had the chance to interview the Author of The Emotional Struggle recently, and I knew it was going to be an interesting interview in terms of both Brandon and I have similar disabilities and I was intrigued to find out just where he gets his inspiration from to write the profound things he does and below is what we talked about:
Hello Brandon, its nice in meet you and a honour for me to interview you about your emotional struggle I understand you were born with Cerebral Palsy and I know that can effect people in different ways, did you ever feel different to your classmates when you were growing up ?
Brandon yes I did. Its tough when your confide to a wheel chair, watching others run and play and jump. Sometimes you have an entire table to yourself. And kids smile at you, but don't come and sit by you. Please understand that I am not trying to hand anyone a sob story, but rather expose them to life beyond them to life through another's eyes and get them to look at their own lives and struggles.
If so how did you deal with that?
Brandon Honestly, when your young. all you can do is mask the hurt. sure you can do other things. but it does not compare to being able to interact with others your age. and even so in today's world, not having a disability can be hard.
How did /does your parents and family live with your disability ?
Brandon They motivate me to give my all in what I do, they do the best they can everyday to care for me and love me. I oh them a lot, but never will be able to re-pay them.
If you had chance to change your life would you change anything ?
Brandon No, what I went through both past and present has made me who I am today. My life is my life. We all get dealt a certain hand of cards in life. and we can either do what we can with them or we can lay day and die. the choice is ours everyday. When did you realise that you could achieve things? Thats a hard question... As far as myself believing I could achieve anything. It wasn't really towards the end of my school years. When I met my friend Garret, he really showed me what it was like to care for another human being. He loved me without condition, and I believe when a person has this. Something changes inside the soul, not sure exactly what. But it happens. The world is a huge place and it can make one feel small and insignificant. Its hard for people in our generation, everyone feels the need to fit a certain mold or image and when that happens they can achieve anything. And that is not true, never has been and it never will be. The ability to achieve things comes from within yourself, and what this happens. We find truth. We then find out what were made of.
When did you first start writing and what was the first thing your wrote about?
Brandon I started writing my senior year of High School. My english teacher, Mr. Kritina introduced me to poetry and writing and expressing what was inside me. At that time I had a lot of despair and pain inside me that I was not sure what to do with me you know? So the paper was there, I grabbed a pen and started writing everything down that was inside. Good or bad Mr. Kritina believed in me and saw something in me that really saved my life.
Does the books you read inspire you to write or do you get inspiration from another source?
Brandon Yes and Yes. Many of the authors I read today inspire me. They teach me how to be a better writer. I have much respect for Patty Kirk who just released her first book called "Confessions of a Amateur Believer". She writes with such beauty. And other sources of inspiration come from music, music feeds certain moods that mike my chapters and blogs come out the way they do.
What made you write a book?
Brandon My mom, HAHAHA! She bugged me about it until one day I was like "Okay, here goes!" Also... You know I really felt like there was not enough being done for some people today who don't feel like life is worth living. I mean, I don't have the answers for everyones pain. But I would like to think that everyone has a voice, and if we don't use it are lives are meaningless you know? Even if my story is not sold in most bookstores is traveled throughout the world. And I believe with all my heart, that The Emotional Struggle is a book that people will keep finding out about for years to come.
Do you have plans for another book?
Brandon Yes I do, that is a question that is asked pretty much everyday. I know a lot of people think my first book is great, but I'm striving for better. More bold, honest, beautiful and poetic. Who knows, maybe the next book will be on a major publishing label and maybe even come out in the next year and a half. (smiles)
What does your family think of your book?
Brandon They love it, although my Mom has not read it yet. She'll need a big box of clean-exes to read it on her own. HAHA
Is writing your ideal profession?
Brandon Actually yes, I love it. For me its a way to release my soul to a world that needs great books. In honesty, if and when I meet a special women and get married. I want the books that I write to be something that my kids could look at and read as a way for me to teach them to live great lives. And the money has been good, that helps!
If you where given a word say âinspiration â you be able to write something?
Brandon write of the top of my head? No, I'd need to reflect and ponder. Inspiration is a word that everyone uses. And for me, I want to write fresh words for all who are willing to listen.
What does having cerebral palsy mean to you?
Brandon HAHA, I have never been asked that before. But I guess that there is a first time for everything. CP is something that people can't control, of course I didn't ask to have this condition. But my parents believe that if I didn't have CP they would have to bail me out of jail or something... Being that I am very well skilled in Martial Arts, I'd be the hero and save people who got picked on by others. But this is what I was given, and God has really gave me a sense that he has been with me since the very start of time and he held me together when I seem the most broken. So, I'm afraid I don't have a clear answer for your question. I just know that this is the life I was given, and each day is a gift and life is stronger than death, and life is not life is not limited by condition.
Well Brandon, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview and I would like to wish you all the best in the future.
Hello Brandon, its nice in meet you and a honour for me to interview you about your emotional struggle I understand you were born with Cerebral Palsy and I know that can effect people in different ways, did you ever feel different to your classmates when you were growing up ?
Brandon yes I did. Its tough when your confide to a wheel chair, watching others run and play and jump. Sometimes you have an entire table to yourself. And kids smile at you, but don't come and sit by you. Please understand that I am not trying to hand anyone a sob story, but rather expose them to life beyond them to life through another's eyes and get them to look at their own lives and struggles.
If so how did you deal with that?
Brandon Honestly, when your young. all you can do is mask the hurt. sure you can do other things. but it does not compare to being able to interact with others your age. and even so in today's world, not having a disability can be hard.
How did /does your parents and family live with your disability ?
Brandon They motivate me to give my all in what I do, they do the best they can everyday to care for me and love me. I oh them a lot, but never will be able to re-pay them.
If you had chance to change your life would you change anything ?
Brandon No, what I went through both past and present has made me who I am today. My life is my life. We all get dealt a certain hand of cards in life. and we can either do what we can with them or we can lay day and die. the choice is ours everyday. When did you realise that you could achieve things? Thats a hard question... As far as myself believing I could achieve anything. It wasn't really towards the end of my school years. When I met my friend Garret, he really showed me what it was like to care for another human being. He loved me without condition, and I believe when a person has this. Something changes inside the soul, not sure exactly what. But it happens. The world is a huge place and it can make one feel small and insignificant. Its hard for people in our generation, everyone feels the need to fit a certain mold or image and when that happens they can achieve anything. And that is not true, never has been and it never will be. The ability to achieve things comes from within yourself, and what this happens. We find truth. We then find out what were made of.
When did you first start writing and what was the first thing your wrote about?
Brandon I started writing my senior year of High School. My english teacher, Mr. Kritina introduced me to poetry and writing and expressing what was inside me. At that time I had a lot of despair and pain inside me that I was not sure what to do with me you know? So the paper was there, I grabbed a pen and started writing everything down that was inside. Good or bad Mr. Kritina believed in me and saw something in me that really saved my life.
Does the books you read inspire you to write or do you get inspiration from another source?
Brandon Yes and Yes. Many of the authors I read today inspire me. They teach me how to be a better writer. I have much respect for Patty Kirk who just released her first book called "Confessions of a Amateur Believer". She writes with such beauty. And other sources of inspiration come from music, music feeds certain moods that mike my chapters and blogs come out the way they do.
What made you write a book?
Brandon My mom, HAHAHA! She bugged me about it until one day I was like "Okay, here goes!" Also... You know I really felt like there was not enough being done for some people today who don't feel like life is worth living. I mean, I don't have the answers for everyones pain. But I would like to think that everyone has a voice, and if we don't use it are lives are meaningless you know? Even if my story is not sold in most bookstores is traveled throughout the world. And I believe with all my heart, that The Emotional Struggle is a book that people will keep finding out about for years to come.
Do you have plans for another book?
Brandon Yes I do, that is a question that is asked pretty much everyday. I know a lot of people think my first book is great, but I'm striving for better. More bold, honest, beautiful and poetic. Who knows, maybe the next book will be on a major publishing label and maybe even come out in the next year and a half. (smiles)
What does your family think of your book?
Brandon They love it, although my Mom has not read it yet. She'll need a big box of clean-exes to read it on her own. HAHA
Is writing your ideal profession?
Brandon Actually yes, I love it. For me its a way to release my soul to a world that needs great books. In honesty, if and when I meet a special women and get married. I want the books that I write to be something that my kids could look at and read as a way for me to teach them to live great lives. And the money has been good, that helps!
If you where given a word say âinspiration â you be able to write something?
Brandon write of the top of my head? No, I'd need to reflect and ponder. Inspiration is a word that everyone uses. And for me, I want to write fresh words for all who are willing to listen.
What does having cerebral palsy mean to you?
Brandon HAHA, I have never been asked that before. But I guess that there is a first time for everything. CP is something that people can't control, of course I didn't ask to have this condition. But my parents believe that if I didn't have CP they would have to bail me out of jail or something... Being that I am very well skilled in Martial Arts, I'd be the hero and save people who got picked on by others. But this is what I was given, and God has really gave me a sense that he has been with me since the very start of time and he held me together when I seem the most broken. So, I'm afraid I don't have a clear answer for your question. I just know that this is the life I was given, and each day is a gift and life is stronger than death, and life is not life is not limited by condition.
Well Brandon, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview and I would like to wish you all the best in the future.
Labels: author, Cerebral Palsy, dignity
18 August 2008
Paralympic Swimmer Calls Birmingham Home
Thirty-four-year-old Aimee Bruder has competed in Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. Now sheâs on her way to Beijing, to represent the U.S. in four different events. Sheâs a highly decorated swimmer whoâs looking to add to her medal collection.
She may be only 4â10â and she may suffer from cerebral palsy, but Aimee Bruder is a powerful figure in the world of Paralympic swimming. Her motto is âsmall but mightyâ and she lives it out loud everyday.
âMy parents didnât raise me to be any different than my siblings. They taught me to be self-sufficient and try things,â Bruder said.
So as a child, when Bruder watched her brother jump into the pool and learn to swim, she naturally followed. Sheâs been swimming ever since.
âItâs something I can do with my family. I like that. I like the fact itâs something our family shares as a bond,â Bruder said.
Bruder is a college graduate who works 40 hours a week at the Lakeshore Foundation and trains for several hours a day: swimming, weight training, practicing yoga. Itâs prepared more than just her body.
âSwimming has helped me build my strength emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually,â she said.
In Bruderâs spare time, she works with physically disabled children through the Paralympic academy program. She wants to pass onto them, the lessons, the gifts that other athletes have given her.
âThey donât sit back and go âoh, poor you. Youâve got a disability. Letâs take care of you.â They just look at me as Aimee, purely just Aimee,â Bruder said.
Just Aimee already has 13 medals to her name and sheâs looking for more.
Aimee calls Birmingham home now but sheâs originally from Cincinnati. When sheâs back visiting family, Aimee likes to cross train with sled hockey.
She may be only 4â10â and she may suffer from cerebral palsy, but Aimee Bruder is a powerful figure in the world of Paralympic swimming. Her motto is âsmall but mightyâ and she lives it out loud everyday.
âMy parents didnât raise me to be any different than my siblings. They taught me to be self-sufficient and try things,â Bruder said.
So as a child, when Bruder watched her brother jump into the pool and learn to swim, she naturally followed. Sheâs been swimming ever since.
âItâs something I can do with my family. I like that. I like the fact itâs something our family shares as a bond,â Bruder said.
Bruder is a college graduate who works 40 hours a week at the Lakeshore Foundation and trains for several hours a day: swimming, weight training, practicing yoga. Itâs prepared more than just her body.
âSwimming has helped me build my strength emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually,â she said.
In Bruderâs spare time, she works with physically disabled children through the Paralympic academy program. She wants to pass onto them, the lessons, the gifts that other athletes have given her.
âThey donât sit back and go âoh, poor you. Youâve got a disability. Letâs take care of you.â They just look at me as Aimee, purely just Aimee,â Bruder said.
Just Aimee already has 13 medals to her name and sheâs looking for more.
Aimee calls Birmingham home now but sheâs originally from Cincinnati. When sheâs back visiting family, Aimee likes to cross train with sled hockey.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy
PAUL HEATON STOCKTON FRINGE 2008
Aaron Fortheringham
16-year-old Las Vegas native Aaron Fotheringham is not your typical teenager. Stricken with spina bifida, a birth defect that results in an underdeveloped spinal cord, Aaron began using a wheelchair in combination with crutches by the age of three. By the time Aaron was eight, he was confined to a wheelchair full-time.
Growing up, Aaron would accompany his brother to the local skate park and watch him do tricks on his BMX bike. At the encouragement of his brother, one day Aaron attempted to ride his wheelchair up and down the parkâs ramps. Needless to say, he became addicted to this newfound hobby.
Realizing that his current wheelchair was too unsafe for this kind of activity, Aaronâs parents contacted Colours In Motion, a company known for making products for wheelchair-bound athletes. Aaron received a new wheelchair constructed of lightweight, durable material with a four-wheel suspension. With this sort of stability, Aaron was able to practice many of the stunts that skateboarders and BMX riders are capable of.
Aaron honed his craft until he was confident enough to begin entering competitions. Presently, he competes against BMX riders in the Vegas Am Jam series and considers himself an âextremeâ wheelchair athlete.
Aaron, who has coined his sport âhardcore sitting,â made headlines all over the world when he posted a clip of himself performing a back flip on the popular video website YouTube. He claims to be the first person in a wheelchair to ever accomplish such a feat. Aaronâs other specialty is known as a 180-degree âaerial,â a trick where he spins around 180 degrees while in midair. Aaron plans to pull off a new move, where he incorporates the aerial into his back flip, that he calls the âflair.â
Aaron now collaborates with Colours In Motion to enhance the design of their manual wheelchairs, particularly for everyday circumstances. Meanwhile, the company sponsors him with a custom competition chair that is practically indestructible.
Aaron sets a good example for other extreme athletes by suggesting that anyone attempting these dangerous stunts wear protective headgear. He has been the victim of multiple injuries while performing tricks, of which the most severe was a broken elbow. To reduce the risk of injury, Aaron tests new tricks by landing on cushions first. Then, he moves on to a more rigid plastic surface atop the cushions before finally trying them out on the normal ramp.
Growing up, Aaron would accompany his brother to the local skate park and watch him do tricks on his BMX bike. At the encouragement of his brother, one day Aaron attempted to ride his wheelchair up and down the parkâs ramps. Needless to say, he became addicted to this newfound hobby.
Realizing that his current wheelchair was too unsafe for this kind of activity, Aaronâs parents contacted Colours In Motion, a company known for making products for wheelchair-bound athletes. Aaron received a new wheelchair constructed of lightweight, durable material with a four-wheel suspension. With this sort of stability, Aaron was able to practice many of the stunts that skateboarders and BMX riders are capable of.
Aaron honed his craft until he was confident enough to begin entering competitions. Presently, he competes against BMX riders in the Vegas Am Jam series and considers himself an âextremeâ wheelchair athlete.
Aaron, who has coined his sport âhardcore sitting,â made headlines all over the world when he posted a clip of himself performing a back flip on the popular video website YouTube. He claims to be the first person in a wheelchair to ever accomplish such a feat. Aaronâs other specialty is known as a 180-degree âaerial,â a trick where he spins around 180 degrees while in midair. Aaron plans to pull off a new move, where he incorporates the aerial into his back flip, that he calls the âflair.â
Aaron now collaborates with Colours In Motion to enhance the design of their manual wheelchairs, particularly for everyday circumstances. Meanwhile, the company sponsors him with a custom competition chair that is practically indestructible.
Aaron sets a good example for other extreme athletes by suggesting that anyone attempting these dangerous stunts wear protective headgear. He has been the victim of multiple injuries while performing tricks, of which the most severe was a broken elbow. To reduce the risk of injury, Aaron tests new tricks by landing on cushions first. Then, he moves on to a more rigid plastic surface atop the cushions before finally trying them out on the normal ramp.
Labels: Cycling, Hydrotherapy
17 August 2008
Paralympic Sport TV Trailer 2008
Kid Connection ready for action
After months of planning and construction, the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department and the Blue River Community Foundation are ready to open the Kid Connection playground in Kennedy Park.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. on Wednesday will mark the official opening, and the public is invited to see what the new play area has to offer.
Although all the children in the community will be able to use the new recreation area, this playground was planned specifically to meet the needs of disabled children. Children and adults confined to wheelchairs - or simply those with mobility limitations - were virtually barred from most of the playgrounds in Shelbyville because it was too difficult to get to the play equipment, and much of the equipment was geared only to children without disabilities.
Wednesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony is open to anyone who chooses to attend, but invitations have been sent to Shares Inc., Especially Kidz and the Blue River Special Education Cooperative so as many people with disabilities as possible will hear about the new playground and attend the celebration.
As executive director of the Blue River Community Foundation, Susan Furgeson's attention was caught in February 2007 when she heard about a $160,000 grant through the Kellogg Foundation to provide funds for improving access for people with disabilities to the city's parks systems. The BRCF needed to partner with a recreation provider before pursuing the grant, and the director of Shelbyville Parks and Recreation, Karen Martin, was excited about the idea from the beginning.
In October 2007, Furgeson was notified that Shelbyville had received the grant - then the hard work really began.
Everyone plays
Furgeson and Martin began working on a design for the playground that would focus on activities that disabled children and adults could enjoy, but the Kellogg Foundation quickly told them that the park must utilize "universal design."
"This was a learning process for all of us," Furgeson said. "We were thinking only about a playground for disabled children, but the Kellogg Foundation wanted a playground where kids of all ability levels could play together side-by-side."
Knowing that the concept of universal design was difficult for its grantees to understand, the Kellogg Foundation put them in touch with experts in the field. Jennifer Skulsky, a consultant with the National Center on Accessibility in Bloomington, met with the committee of community partners working on the playground design and explained how the area could appeal to all children.
Modifying the plans for the playground to include activities for children of all ability levels increased the cost of the project to $174,366, but Furgeson said it was worth it to make the playground practical for all children and adults, not just disabled ones.
She noted that sometimes disabled adults want the option of taking their children or grandchildren to the park, and Kid Connection will make that possible.
Soft landings
Some of the parks use pea gravel or mulch around the play equipment and leading up to it, but these surfaces made it very difficult to run a wheelchair. The surface under and around the Kid Connection equipment is called poured-in-place, and it is a soft rubber and urethane component that is mixed and applied on-site.
Made out of recycled tires, the surface at Kennedy Park Kid Connection is tinted green and even looks like grass from a distance. Wheelchairs can move across it easily, and if children or adults fall on the springy surface, the impact is considerably softened compared to asphalt or concrete.
The brightly colored playground equipment is guaranteed to pull the attention of children and adults of all abilities, and cement sidewalks lead from the paved parking lot so that access is guaranteed. The two towers at Kid Connection can be reached by a ramp or stairs, and most of the equipment could be enjoyed by children of any ability.
The Sway Fun swing, for example, is large enough to accommodate several wheelchairs, but children without disabilities also can sit on benches and appreciate the swinging motion.
There are even several large puzzles written in Braille that people with limited eyesight can read, but children without vision problems can read them also.
Getting the grant
To receive the $160,000, the Kellogg Foundation required grantees to come up with a match of $125,000 with $50,000 placed into an endowment fund to provide funds for future accessibility upgrades to the city's parks. The Shelbyville Parks Department committed $30,000 to the project and Shares Inc. and its subsidiary, WAP Inc., donated $15,000 each. The Shelbyville Rotary Club gave $8,000, the Beaty/C-Tech Fund, which is held at the BRCF, awarded the Kid Connection a $2,500 grant, and Makuta Technics gave $1,000. The BRCF donated donated $35,000 for a 1:2 match, which meant that for every $2 donated, the foundation donated an additional $1 up to the total $35,000.
Furgeson said on Thursday that only $15,000 more is needed to complete the match that Kellogg requires. She said that if businesses, organizations or individuals want to make a donation, they should contact her at the foundation at (317) 392-7955 or brf@blueriverfoundation.com or Martin at (317) 392-5128.
Labels: wheelchairs
16 August 2008
More Rays
She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind. 'It's hard to say exactly how many there were, but in the range of a few thousand.
'We were surrounded by them, without seeing the edge of the school, and we could see many under the water surface too. I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experience nature at his best.'
Measuring up to 7 ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden Rays are also more prosaically known as Cow Nose Rays. They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance.
Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when
in large schools. The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.
Cownose ray
(Rhinoptera bonasus)
Credit: Brenna Hernandez
AZA Institution: Shedd Aquarium
Like their namesake, the cownose rays are quite placid. They can often be seen swimming up to divers in exhibits such as the Caribbean Reef at Shedd Aquarium. Such interactions can help dispel myths that certain ray species are dangerous, while instilling the need to respect all animals and inspiring visitors to look past their fears in order to recognize the uniqueness and importance of our planet's diversity.
'We were surrounded by them, without seeing the edge of the school, and we could see many under the water surface too. I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experience nature at his best.'
Measuring up to 7 ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden Rays are also more prosaically known as Cow Nose Rays. They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance.
Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when
in large schools. The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.
Cownose ray
(Rhinoptera bonasus)
Credit: Brenna Hernandez
AZA Institution: Shedd Aquarium
Like their namesake, the cownose rays are quite placid. They can often be seen swimming up to divers in exhibits such as the Caribbean Reef at Shedd Aquarium. Such interactions can help dispel myths that certain ray species are dangerous, while instilling the need to respect all animals and inspiring visitors to look past their fears in order to recognize the uniqueness and importance of our planet's diversity.
Rays off coast of Mexico
Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.
Gliding silently beneath the waves they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.
Gliding silently beneath the waves they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.
Stand For Something
Stand for something or you will fall for anything!
By Deborah Pipas
This statement was made by Alexander Hamilton, of course he was talking about something entirely different than disability. So often we forget that we need a purpose in our lives. It is up to each of us to choose our own convictions and the things that we will stand for on our journey.
In the past few years my life has been deeply touched and changed by the disability of a loved one. Often in the past I found myself taking the âwhateverâ attitude. In other words do what ever you wish just donât bother me with the details. After much thought, I have realized that it is a very poor attitude indeed! Attitude can cause unhappiness in our lives and usually we are the ones making that choice. It takes real commitment to stand for the things we believe in no matter what others think about our ideas and convictions. Advocacy for the disabled and their families, and assisting others in seeking education and resources to become their own self advocate are immensely important in my plan for the future.
There are a many disabled folks who literally cannot stand for themselves but they are still figuratively able to stand for the things in which they believe. Most of us are able to stand for our rights as human beings and we do have the power to make others know that just because an individual is disabled, does not mean that person is incapable of entertaining thoughts and feelings concerning all sorts of issues that truly belong to them. For those that donât have that ability it has become a life choice for me to stand in their place.
As we become more aware of all the different types of disabilities in our society, we begin to see those that are disabled from birth, others that are disabled by accidents, a vast number of people that are mentally disabled and far too many other disabilities to list here. We all have a disability in one way or another, for some of us we may experience poor vision or mild hearing loss which is so minor it doesnât even qualify for a real disability but, it is just the same. Others go through life burdened down by emotional issues that limit their quality of life.
Hurting people are everywhere throughout our world. Some isolate themselves by choice, others donât know how to make friends or they have been so badly hurt or abused that they donât trust anyone. People separate themselves from others just to avoid rejection, daily we see those who put on their best face and march out to do their jobs, personal errands or whatever they must do just to return home and close the world outside. This is another just form of disability.
Are you trying to close out the world? Maybe reading this will help you to realize that emotionally that is just what you are doing. Could it be that out of fear or mistrust of others you are not extending a helping hand to anyone? How can we expect anyone to extend a helping hand to us when we keep the emotional doors closed and locked? Do we avoid helping others because we fear the outcome?
Each of us must endeavor to locate the resources that apply to our personal needs. This is not always an easy task especially when we insist on doing it alone. It is up to each of us as an individual to educate ourselves and to do the research to find answers to our own needs. However, if we allow others to be a part of our world we can overcome the loneliness that we bring upon ourselves through our own emotional disability.
We must stand for something! What are you going to stand for? Will you reach out to others and endeavor to make a difference, or will you close the door and hide inside yourself because you are afraid that you will be hurt emotionally? There is truly power in numbers so if we stand unified we can accomplish much more than we can ever imagine.
Believe in your dream, search for your dream, help someone else accomplish their dream and your dream will become a reality.
By Deborah Pipas
This statement was made by Alexander Hamilton, of course he was talking about something entirely different than disability. So often we forget that we need a purpose in our lives. It is up to each of us to choose our own convictions and the things that we will stand for on our journey.
In the past few years my life has been deeply touched and changed by the disability of a loved one. Often in the past I found myself taking the âwhateverâ attitude. In other words do what ever you wish just donât bother me with the details. After much thought, I have realized that it is a very poor attitude indeed! Attitude can cause unhappiness in our lives and usually we are the ones making that choice. It takes real commitment to stand for the things we believe in no matter what others think about our ideas and convictions. Advocacy for the disabled and their families, and assisting others in seeking education and resources to become their own self advocate are immensely important in my plan for the future.
There are a many disabled folks who literally cannot stand for themselves but they are still figuratively able to stand for the things in which they believe. Most of us are able to stand for our rights as human beings and we do have the power to make others know that just because an individual is disabled, does not mean that person is incapable of entertaining thoughts and feelings concerning all sorts of issues that truly belong to them. For those that donât have that ability it has become a life choice for me to stand in their place.
As we become more aware of all the different types of disabilities in our society, we begin to see those that are disabled from birth, others that are disabled by accidents, a vast number of people that are mentally disabled and far too many other disabilities to list here. We all have a disability in one way or another, for some of us we may experience poor vision or mild hearing loss which is so minor it doesnât even qualify for a real disability but, it is just the same. Others go through life burdened down by emotional issues that limit their quality of life.
Hurting people are everywhere throughout our world. Some isolate themselves by choice, others donât know how to make friends or they have been so badly hurt or abused that they donât trust anyone. People separate themselves from others just to avoid rejection, daily we see those who put on their best face and march out to do their jobs, personal errands or whatever they must do just to return home and close the world outside. This is another just form of disability.
Are you trying to close out the world? Maybe reading this will help you to realize that emotionally that is just what you are doing. Could it be that out of fear or mistrust of others you are not extending a helping hand to anyone? How can we expect anyone to extend a helping hand to us when we keep the emotional doors closed and locked? Do we avoid helping others because we fear the outcome?
Each of us must endeavor to locate the resources that apply to our personal needs. This is not always an easy task especially when we insist on doing it alone. It is up to each of us as an individual to educate ourselves and to do the research to find answers to our own needs. However, if we allow others to be a part of our world we can overcome the loneliness that we bring upon ourselves through our own emotional disability.
We must stand for something! What are you going to stand for? Will you reach out to others and endeavor to make a difference, or will you close the door and hide inside yourself because you are afraid that you will be hurt emotionally? There is truly power in numbers so if we stand unified we can accomplish much more than we can ever imagine.
Believe in your dream, search for your dream, help someone else accomplish their dream and your dream will become a reality.
Labels: Advocacy
Pain Relief with Bowen Therapy
Bowen Therapist Dr. Heidi Rootes from Vitality Clinic in Vancouver talks about how Bowen therapy can help relieve a variety of different pains, from muscle cramps to severe sciatica.
Labels: Bowen Therapy, Employment
15 August 2008
Tropic Thunder Blasted by Disability-Rights Groups
By Terri Mauro
Tropic Thunder, the Ben Stiller comedy opening Wednesday, is being sold as an equal-opportunity offender, the kind of film that has Jack Black making fart jokes and Robert Downey Jr. in blackface. You don't expect a lot of sensitivity from a rowdy R-rated satire on the excesses of Hollywood actors and war movies. But advocates for people with developmental disabilities are accusing the filmmakers of crossing the line between good dirty fun and hate speech.
Disability-rights groups including The Arc, Special Olympics, and the National Down Syndrome Congress are not amused by a subplot involving Stiller's character, an action-movie star who made an unsuccessful stab at Oscar respectability by playing a man with intellectual disabilities in a movie called Simple Jack. Well, we'd say "a man with intellectual disabilities." The film says "retard." A lot. Journalist Patricia E. Bauer, who has been covering the brewing controversy in her Disability News blog, shared this approximate tally after an advance viewing:
Number of repetitions of the word "retard" or its variations: At least 16 in the "full retard" scene alone, not counting the uses of words like "idiot," "moron," "moronical," "imbecile," "stupid," "dumb" and "the dumbest M*****F***** that ever lived." All are used to describe the character of Simple Jack, who is described in an introductory segment as a "mentally impaired farm hand who can talk to animals."
That "full retard" scene (see a video on the About.com Movies site) involves Stiller and Downey discussing the perils of getting too far into a role like "Simple Jack," with Downey's more accomplished actor character advising Stiller's to "never go full retard." That phrase already landed on a t-shirt, and the Simple Jack movie had its own website for a while featuring the tagline, "Once Upon a Time ... There Was a Retard."
The film has its Los Angeles premiere today; also today, screenings are scheduled for disability-rights groups in the hope of heading off protests. Based on Bauer's observations from her early screening, it seems as though the offensive material is pervasive enough that it would be difficult to excise quickly. DreamWorks, the studio behind the film, has already indicated that no such cuts will be made. Perhaps they're hoping that advocates will decide it's no big deal once the material is viewed in context.
Or, more likely, they don't care. I have an unhappy suspicion that the target audience for a movie like this is one that will be more eager to see it if they think it's drawing protests. When you're trying to cultivate an air of outrageousness, picketers and boycotts kind of do your selling for you, don't they? Especially when you're offending a group that the public at large doesn't exactly bend over backwards to be respectful toward. In a way, I'm more worried about my daughter's English teacher who thought "Mongoloid" was a perfectly good word to put on a vocabulary test than I am about a deliberately offensive comedy using an offensive word offensively.
Except ... does this comedy really mean to be as heedlessly offensive as it claims? They had me going for a while, until I read this exchange in an interview with the stars in this week's Entertainment Weekly about the potential for problems with Downey's skin-darkening character:
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The challenge with that character was to find the right line. You want to make fun of this pompous actor, but if you play it wrong, it verges on being minstrel-like. Your costar Brandon T. Jackson told me there was a scene in the script where Osiris uses the N-word and that he said it went over the line.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR.: Brandon might have saved the movie that day.
BEN STILLER: For sure. We were rehearsing in Hawaii and we got to that scene and I said to him, ''What do you think of this?'' Brandon said, ''This feels wrong.'' It was definitely a constant process of feeling it out.
Hmm. Feeling it out. Finding the line between rowdy fun and hate speech. How handy it must be to have somebody on set who can let you know when you've gone "over the line." I was reminded of something Bauer wrote early in her coverage of the controversy, in response to that "equal-opportunity offender" excuse:
People of different races surely were involved in the making of this film, and were able to express opinions about which references were humorous and which might have gone too far. So were people with different sexual orientations. How many people with cognitive disabilities were involved in the making of this film? Were any people with cognitive disabilities involved in focus groups for this film? How many are employed by Dreamworks, or by parent company Paramount?
I doubt there are any good answers to those questions. I've had respect for this studio and these actors in the past, and it sort of amazes me that it would have occurred to no one to get a reality check on this plot from someone involved with Special Olympics or The Arc. For those who think all this furor is just proof that these organizations can't take a joke, it's instructive to look at the relationship between Special Olympics and another crude comedy that played on stereotypes, the Farrelly Brothers' The Ringer. That film was enthusiastically embraced and promoted by Special Olympics, and not for nothing, employed many actors with intellectual disabilities who were in a position to provide a counterpoint to those stereotypes.
No such counterpoint is offered in Tropic Thunder, and not much creative thought seems to have gone into this particular storyline. And that's too bad, because I don't think actors who take on disability roles as awards-bait are a bad target for satire. I've read interviews with actors who seem to believe that they understand everything there is to know about living with a disability because they played a disabled character, and I'd be willing to laugh at that. Using self-consciously politically correct language, certainly a valid target in liberal Hollywood, might actually have made the satire sharper. It ought to have been possible to make this about mocking self-absorbed and condescending actors, as the filmmakers claim was their aim, and not about mocking people with disabilities.
Falling back on an offensive word to get laughs is lazy comedy, and if the film's potential fans aren't bothered by the language, they should be bothered by that.
What do you make of all this? Will you boycott the film? Would you have seen it in the first place? Do you think protests will hurt the film or help it? Share your thoughts
Tropic Thunder, the Ben Stiller comedy opening Wednesday, is being sold as an equal-opportunity offender, the kind of film that has Jack Black making fart jokes and Robert Downey Jr. in blackface. You don't expect a lot of sensitivity from a rowdy R-rated satire on the excesses of Hollywood actors and war movies. But advocates for people with developmental disabilities are accusing the filmmakers of crossing the line between good dirty fun and hate speech.
Disability-rights groups including The Arc, Special Olympics, and the National Down Syndrome Congress are not amused by a subplot involving Stiller's character, an action-movie star who made an unsuccessful stab at Oscar respectability by playing a man with intellectual disabilities in a movie called Simple Jack. Well, we'd say "a man with intellectual disabilities." The film says "retard." A lot. Journalist Patricia E. Bauer, who has been covering the brewing controversy in her Disability News blog, shared this approximate tally after an advance viewing:
Number of repetitions of the word "retard" or its variations: At least 16 in the "full retard" scene alone, not counting the uses of words like "idiot," "moron," "moronical," "imbecile," "stupid," "dumb" and "the dumbest M*****F***** that ever lived." All are used to describe the character of Simple Jack, who is described in an introductory segment as a "mentally impaired farm hand who can talk to animals."
That "full retard" scene (see a video on the About.com Movies site) involves Stiller and Downey discussing the perils of getting too far into a role like "Simple Jack," with Downey's more accomplished actor character advising Stiller's to "never go full retard." That phrase already landed on a t-shirt, and the Simple Jack movie had its own website for a while featuring the tagline, "Once Upon a Time ... There Was a Retard."
The film has its Los Angeles premiere today; also today, screenings are scheduled for disability-rights groups in the hope of heading off protests. Based on Bauer's observations from her early screening, it seems as though the offensive material is pervasive enough that it would be difficult to excise quickly. DreamWorks, the studio behind the film, has already indicated that no such cuts will be made. Perhaps they're hoping that advocates will decide it's no big deal once the material is viewed in context.
Or, more likely, they don't care. I have an unhappy suspicion that the target audience for a movie like this is one that will be more eager to see it if they think it's drawing protests. When you're trying to cultivate an air of outrageousness, picketers and boycotts kind of do your selling for you, don't they? Especially when you're offending a group that the public at large doesn't exactly bend over backwards to be respectful toward. In a way, I'm more worried about my daughter's English teacher who thought "Mongoloid" was a perfectly good word to put on a vocabulary test than I am about a deliberately offensive comedy using an offensive word offensively.
Except ... does this comedy really mean to be as heedlessly offensive as it claims? They had me going for a while, until I read this exchange in an interview with the stars in this week's Entertainment Weekly about the potential for problems with Downey's skin-darkening character:
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The challenge with that character was to find the right line. You want to make fun of this pompous actor, but if you play it wrong, it verges on being minstrel-like. Your costar Brandon T. Jackson told me there was a scene in the script where Osiris uses the N-word and that he said it went over the line.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR.: Brandon might have saved the movie that day.
BEN STILLER: For sure. We were rehearsing in Hawaii and we got to that scene and I said to him, ''What do you think of this?'' Brandon said, ''This feels wrong.'' It was definitely a constant process of feeling it out.
Hmm. Feeling it out. Finding the line between rowdy fun and hate speech. How handy it must be to have somebody on set who can let you know when you've gone "over the line." I was reminded of something Bauer wrote early in her coverage of the controversy, in response to that "equal-opportunity offender" excuse:
People of different races surely were involved in the making of this film, and were able to express opinions about which references were humorous and which might have gone too far. So were people with different sexual orientations. How many people with cognitive disabilities were involved in the making of this film? Were any people with cognitive disabilities involved in focus groups for this film? How many are employed by Dreamworks, or by parent company Paramount?
I doubt there are any good answers to those questions. I've had respect for this studio and these actors in the past, and it sort of amazes me that it would have occurred to no one to get a reality check on this plot from someone involved with Special Olympics or The Arc. For those who think all this furor is just proof that these organizations can't take a joke, it's instructive to look at the relationship between Special Olympics and another crude comedy that played on stereotypes, the Farrelly Brothers' The Ringer. That film was enthusiastically embraced and promoted by Special Olympics, and not for nothing, employed many actors with intellectual disabilities who were in a position to provide a counterpoint to those stereotypes.
No such counterpoint is offered in Tropic Thunder, and not much creative thought seems to have gone into this particular storyline. And that's too bad, because I don't think actors who take on disability roles as awards-bait are a bad target for satire. I've read interviews with actors who seem to believe that they understand everything there is to know about living with a disability because they played a disabled character, and I'd be willing to laugh at that. Using self-consciously politically correct language, certainly a valid target in liberal Hollywood, might actually have made the satire sharper. It ought to have been possible to make this about mocking self-absorbed and condescending actors, as the filmmakers claim was their aim, and not about mocking people with disabilities.
Falling back on an offensive word to get laughs is lazy comedy, and if the film's potential fans aren't bothered by the language, they should be bothered by that.
What do you make of all this? Will you boycott the film? Would you have seen it in the first place? Do you think protests will hurt the film or help it? Share your thoughts
Labels: developmental disabilities, Down syndrome
Disabled access protest at cinema
An Odeon spokeswoman said they were looking at alternative sites
Protesters gathered outside a cinema after a disabled teenage girl had to crawl up stairs because she could not take her wheelchair in.
Amy Clements, 15, who has spina bifida, organised the protest outside Hereford's Odeon after her experience.
The protesters were calling for wheelchair access to be improved at the Commercial Road cinema.
However, Odeon said it was not possible to adapt the present building but they were looking for another site.
Amy said she was left feeling "embarrassed" when she was left crawling up the stairs when she went to see the St Trinian's film with three friends.
She said: "My friends went down to see where I could go and they opened a side door, but only found a big hall with stairs.
"My friend offered to carry me up there so I could get up there, but I was scared she was going to drop me, so I crawled up there.
"It was very hard because it was a hard floor. It was embarrassing for me."
More than 20 people took part in the protest on Thursday morning.
'Segregate people'
Jim Lawes, president of Hereford's Access for All scheme, said they had been campaigning "for years" to get the cinema to improve disabled access.
He said: "Just because a kid is in a wheelchair shouldn't mean they can't enjoy the same things as others.
"They should not segregate people in this way."
A spokeswoman for the Odeon cinema said they had been looking into the issue.
In a statement, she said: "The existing arrangements at the Odeon Hereford have been thoroughly reviewed to examine the various options available to provide wheelchair access to the cinema auditorium.
"Unfortunately, after the review Odeon regrets that it is not feasible at present to include the facilities to provide access for people in wheelchairs at this particular cinema.
"As a result of this, Odeon is looking at an alternative site in Hereford and is currently in active dialogue with developers and further information and timings will be issued in due course."
Protesters gathered outside a cinema after a disabled teenage girl had to crawl up stairs because she could not take her wheelchair in.
Amy Clements, 15, who has spina bifida, organised the protest outside Hereford's Odeon after her experience.
The protesters were calling for wheelchair access to be improved at the Commercial Road cinema.
However, Odeon said it was not possible to adapt the present building but they were looking for another site.
Amy said she was left feeling "embarrassed" when she was left crawling up the stairs when she went to see the St Trinian's film with three friends.
She said: "My friends went down to see where I could go and they opened a side door, but only found a big hall with stairs.
"My friend offered to carry me up there so I could get up there, but I was scared she was going to drop me, so I crawled up there.
"It was very hard because it was a hard floor. It was embarrassing for me."
More than 20 people took part in the protest on Thursday morning.
'Segregate people'
Jim Lawes, president of Hereford's Access for All scheme, said they had been campaigning "for years" to get the cinema to improve disabled access.
He said: "Just because a kid is in a wheelchair shouldn't mean they can't enjoy the same things as others.
"They should not segregate people in this way."
A spokeswoman for the Odeon cinema said they had been looking into the issue.
In a statement, she said: "The existing arrangements at the Odeon Hereford have been thoroughly reviewed to examine the various options available to provide wheelchair access to the cinema auditorium.
"Unfortunately, after the review Odeon regrets that it is not feasible at present to include the facilities to provide access for people in wheelchairs at this particular cinema.
"As a result of this, Odeon is looking at an alternative site in Hereford and is currently in active dialogue with developers and further information and timings will be issued in due course."
Labels: wheelchairs
Making a Splash with ÂŁ3m
A LEISURE centre in Stockton is all set for a ÂŁ3m wave of investment.
Stockton Councilâs planning committee meet today to discuss Tees Activeâs proposals for Splash, pictured above, in the town centre.
These include extending and refurbishing its Activ8 Fitness Suite and increasing capacity from a 45-station to a 75-station gym.
Two new multi-functional rooms would be built, along with new and improved changing rooms, an extended and refurbished entrance and a modern, larger cafe.
New activities would include martial arts, community events, health sessions, mini gymnastics, aerobics, spinning, wrestling, sports wall and the latest dance mat technology.
The existing through route from the car park to Church Road would also be relocated westwards.
A spokesman for Stockton Council said: âThe redeveloped Splash will be an even bigger and better place to get fit and have fun in central Stockton.
âWe anticipate the project will begin in November and last for about one year and weâre aiming to keep disruption to services to a minimum.â No objections have been raised. However, Sport England said it felt the application should be delayed until a Local Needs Assessment is completed.
A spokesman said: âWork on Stockton Local Needs Assessment is under way but to our knowledge has not reached a stage where it is advanced enough to help inform the kind of investment that is being proposed as part of this development.â
But Stockton Councilâs planning officers have recommended the application stating: âThere is a need for the expansion of the health and leisure facilities at Splash due to the imminent closure of the Tilery sports centre.â
As previously reported, Stockton Sports Centre in Tilery will close later this year.
Splash was opened in 2001 by the chairman of Sport England
Stockton Councilâs planning committee meet today to discuss Tees Activeâs proposals for Splash, pictured above, in the town centre.
These include extending and refurbishing its Activ8 Fitness Suite and increasing capacity from a 45-station to a 75-station gym.
Two new multi-functional rooms would be built, along with new and improved changing rooms, an extended and refurbished entrance and a modern, larger cafe.
New activities would include martial arts, community events, health sessions, mini gymnastics, aerobics, spinning, wrestling, sports wall and the latest dance mat technology.
The existing through route from the car park to Church Road would also be relocated westwards.
A spokesman for Stockton Council said: âThe redeveloped Splash will be an even bigger and better place to get fit and have fun in central Stockton.
âWe anticipate the project will begin in November and last for about one year and weâre aiming to keep disruption to services to a minimum.â No objections have been raised. However, Sport England said it felt the application should be delayed until a Local Needs Assessment is completed.
A spokesman said: âWork on Stockton Local Needs Assessment is under way but to our knowledge has not reached a stage where it is advanced enough to help inform the kind of investment that is being proposed as part of this development.â
But Stockton Councilâs planning officers have recommended the application stating: âThere is a need for the expansion of the health and leisure facilities at Splash due to the imminent closure of the Tilery sports centre.â
As previously reported, Stockton Sports Centre in Tilery will close later this year.
Splash was opened in 2001 by the chairman of Sport England
Labels: Sports, Stockton-on-Tees
Technology a key part of paralympic sports
Watch the Paralympics for any length of time and you will quickly see that technology plays an integral part in the event.
When athletes with disabilities compete, there is a need to provide some support in most sports.
From the need to adapt wheelchairs for use in racing, basketball, tennis and wheelchair rugby, to the Flex Feet prosthetics made famous by the "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius of South Africa, the range of technological aids for Paralympic athletes is growing all the time.
Associate Professor Lachlan Thompson from the school of aeronautics and mechanical engineering at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology says advances like the Flex Feet - prosthetics fitted in place of amputated legs using carbon fibre and titanium for strength, light weight and extra flexibility - "very clearly are used to help people achieve quite exceptional performances".
RMIT has eight professional researchers, lecturers and professors plus 20 post-graduate students, all intent on engineering the next advance for Olympic and Paralympic sport, including motor sports for disabled people. They form part of a national and international quest to develop new sporting technology.
"It's a challenge, it's the most rewarding part of my career I've ever had," Professor Thompson says. "I've seen athletes with bicycles I've designed get on the dais. I've seen Paralympians get on the dais. When you develop technology and the athletes using it win or do a personal best, it's addictive, it's like running the race yourself."
How do scientists go about changing the way athletes compete in their sports? "You read the rules first. You say to yourself this is what we can't do [legally]. Now let's start working out how to make this person go faster."
In addition to the Flex Feet, the introduction of new wheelchair technology in time for Atlanta and Sydney - with many chairs made from titanium or aircraft aluminium - led to improved performances, but the criticism from some quarters was that the new technology was just not widely enough available.
It is true that in comparison, say, with the new Speedo swimsuit, the latest Paralympic technology is not as widely available. Almost every swimmer at the Olympics had the new suit, where many people could not afford the latest high-tech wheelchairs or carbon fibre Flex Feet, or other advances.
Professor Thompson acknowledges the ability to spread the technology is largely a matter of dollars and cents. "If it became trendy tomorrow for people to wear prosthetic feet, and everybody wanted one, they would have to be mass produced and you would get economies of scale," he says.
"We know that with this technology we can give [disabled] people a better quality of life - there's a social benefit that flows from having this technology at the Paralympics."
He believes the spread of technology is definitely improving. "The fact that people can now get Flex Feet [commercially] in Sydney or Melbourne, rather than having to go to a clinic, is great."
Professor Thompson says the age of technological improvement has not stalled since the days of 1996-2000. "It's still improving, it's going ahead in leaps and bounds,'' he says.
"In the past there was a lot of trial and error. Now there is such a database [of knowledge] built up, that we can design something for all types of athletes. [However] it gets very hard to produce technology that gives a dominant edge to a particular athlete."
Finger-strengthening gloves
One area of technological improvement is in production of gloves. "For people who have poor finger strength, they get gloves that have small carbon fibre inserts. If you need the ability to have a high drawback [of a string] in archery, for example, the gloves give added strength for the fingers."
Another area of improvement is in clothing, not just swimwear. "One of the big problems for athletes is they often below the waist don't have the sense of feeling which means they can't tell when they are getting very cold."
This means when athletes are waiting between rounds or for their turn to compete, they can get extremely cold, which reduces their ability to perform at their optimum.
Some of the new clothing allows athletes to remain warm until they are actually performing, at which point activity is sensed prompting the release of excess heat.
Flex Foot technology initially was fairly limited, suitable only for certain types of amputees. These days, however, it doesn't matter whether an athlete's leg has been amputated at the knee or the ankle, the technology is available to fit.
Professor Thompson says that while there are questions of equity in Paralympic sport, the widening of availability will not only have an effect on times and performances in Beijing, but will also improve levels of general competition.
"I think what we're going to see is that where in the past you had one athlete who had the in-built advantage from the technology [and with significant ability] now you are going to see two or three athletes in particular events with that advantage.
"The fact that someone else is pounding along half a metre behind you is going to motivate you. The prospect of being beaten is going to motivate you. You will see this reflected on the times and the performances, and it means that races and competitions will be closer [than before].
"I think there will always be occasions you will have an outstanding athlete whether it's Olympics, world championships or Paralympics. There will always be one or two people who will dominate sports, but it [their time at the top] will be for two to three years, not two or three Paralympics. People will be working harder to catch up."
When athletes with disabilities compete, there is a need to provide some support in most sports.
From the need to adapt wheelchairs for use in racing, basketball, tennis and wheelchair rugby, to the Flex Feet prosthetics made famous by the "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius of South Africa, the range of technological aids for Paralympic athletes is growing all the time.
Associate Professor Lachlan Thompson from the school of aeronautics and mechanical engineering at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology says advances like the Flex Feet - prosthetics fitted in place of amputated legs using carbon fibre and titanium for strength, light weight and extra flexibility - "very clearly are used to help people achieve quite exceptional performances".
RMIT has eight professional researchers, lecturers and professors plus 20 post-graduate students, all intent on engineering the next advance for Olympic and Paralympic sport, including motor sports for disabled people. They form part of a national and international quest to develop new sporting technology.
"It's a challenge, it's the most rewarding part of my career I've ever had," Professor Thompson says. "I've seen athletes with bicycles I've designed get on the dais. I've seen Paralympians get on the dais. When you develop technology and the athletes using it win or do a personal best, it's addictive, it's like running the race yourself."
How do scientists go about changing the way athletes compete in their sports? "You read the rules first. You say to yourself this is what we can't do [legally]. Now let's start working out how to make this person go faster."
In addition to the Flex Feet, the introduction of new wheelchair technology in time for Atlanta and Sydney - with many chairs made from titanium or aircraft aluminium - led to improved performances, but the criticism from some quarters was that the new technology was just not widely enough available.
It is true that in comparison, say, with the new Speedo swimsuit, the latest Paralympic technology is not as widely available. Almost every swimmer at the Olympics had the new suit, where many people could not afford the latest high-tech wheelchairs or carbon fibre Flex Feet, or other advances.
Professor Thompson acknowledges the ability to spread the technology is largely a matter of dollars and cents. "If it became trendy tomorrow for people to wear prosthetic feet, and everybody wanted one, they would have to be mass produced and you would get economies of scale," he says.
"We know that with this technology we can give [disabled] people a better quality of life - there's a social benefit that flows from having this technology at the Paralympics."
He believes the spread of technology is definitely improving. "The fact that people can now get Flex Feet [commercially] in Sydney or Melbourne, rather than having to go to a clinic, is great."
Professor Thompson says the age of technological improvement has not stalled since the days of 1996-2000. "It's still improving, it's going ahead in leaps and bounds,'' he says.
"In the past there was a lot of trial and error. Now there is such a database [of knowledge] built up, that we can design something for all types of athletes. [However] it gets very hard to produce technology that gives a dominant edge to a particular athlete."
Finger-strengthening gloves
One area of technological improvement is in production of gloves. "For people who have poor finger strength, they get gloves that have small carbon fibre inserts. If you need the ability to have a high drawback [of a string] in archery, for example, the gloves give added strength for the fingers."
Another area of improvement is in clothing, not just swimwear. "One of the big problems for athletes is they often below the waist don't have the sense of feeling which means they can't tell when they are getting very cold."
This means when athletes are waiting between rounds or for their turn to compete, they can get extremely cold, which reduces their ability to perform at their optimum.
Some of the new clothing allows athletes to remain warm until they are actually performing, at which point activity is sensed prompting the release of excess heat.
Flex Foot technology initially was fairly limited, suitable only for certain types of amputees. These days, however, it doesn't matter whether an athlete's leg has been amputated at the knee or the ankle, the technology is available to fit.
Professor Thompson says that while there are questions of equity in Paralympic sport, the widening of availability will not only have an effect on times and performances in Beijing, but will also improve levels of general competition.
"I think what we're going to see is that where in the past you had one athlete who had the in-built advantage from the technology [and with significant ability] now you are going to see two or three athletes in particular events with that advantage.
"The fact that someone else is pounding along half a metre behind you is going to motivate you. The prospect of being beaten is going to motivate you. You will see this reflected on the times and the performances, and it means that races and competitions will be closer [than before].
"I think there will always be occasions you will have an outstanding athlete whether it's Olympics, world championships or Paralympics. There will always be one or two people who will dominate sports, but it [their time at the top] will be for two to three years, not two or three Paralympics. People will be working harder to catch up."
Labels: Sports
North Mother spends life savings to cure spine condition
NHS refused ÂŁ35,000 operation
FIGHTING FIT: Marjory Muir has seen a vast improvement since surgery which doctors refused her.
A north mother was forced to spend almost ÂŁ35,000 on surgery after NHS medics told her they could do nothing to fix her curved spine.
During seven years of ineffective treatment, including physiotherapy, acupuncture and painful nerve-route injections, Marjory Muir, 47, of Wellside Road, Balloch, near Inverness, was never once referred to an expert in adult scoliosis.
When she inquired about surgery to relieve her of the crippling pain in her back, one orthopaedics specialist warned her it was too risky and âno one in the UK will touch youâ.
But 18 months after a six-hour operation in London, Mrs Muir, who was 5ft before the surgery, now claims to have grown two inches and dropped two dress sizes around her waist.
She claims her high blood pressure has been controlled, her digestive problems are âvastly improvedâ and she is no longer in constant pain down the left side of her body.
The human resources director with Tulloch Homes Group now wants to push the Scottish Government to fund a dedicated adult scoliosis expert north of the border.
Mrs Muir believes she is one of at least 100 adult scoliosis sufferers in Scotland, but surgeons expert in the illness in Scotland operate only on children.
The mother-of-one was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis after complaining of back pain to her doctor when she was 25. After having her son eight years ago, her health deteriorated significantly.
âI was scrunched up, I had a hump on my back and my shoulders were down,â Mrs Muir said. It also left her with a constant pain down her left-hand side and severe sciatica in both legs.
In 2006, after years of treatments, her doctors admitted defeat. But she soon discovered adults in other parts of the UK were being offered surgery for the same condition.
In January 2007, London surgeon Stewart Tucker operated on her, de-rotating her rib cage and her spine, and inserting two titanium rods, 15 screws and three hooks. Mrs Muir now has a scar from the nape of her neck to the bottom of her back.
She used her savings to pay for the operation. The surgery itself cost just ÂŁ3,000 but the anaesthetic cost ÂŁ1,500, and the hospital costs amounted to ÂŁ30,000.
Mrs Muir insisted it was money well spent. âItâs made a vast difference to my overall health. I had high blood pressure and quite a lot of difficulty getting it under control.
âThey didnât connect it with scoliosis. I was squashed up inside. I had digestive problems, which have vastly improved because everything has been given space inside.â
Mrs Muir is now surveying other adults with scoliosis in Scotland for a report for Highland MSP Dave Thompson who has pledged to raise it with the government.
Mr Thompson said: âThis is obviously an issue of great concern to people suffering from this debilitating condition and their families and I applaud Marjory's campaigning efforts to secure better services for them. Iâm happy to assist those efforts by raising this important issue with the Scottish Government.â
A government spokesman said: âAlthough we cannot comment on individual cases, we would always expect patients to be offered the most appropriate treatment. In deciding a particular course of treatment, clinicians must use their professional judgment to identify the most suitable treatment.â
FIGHTING FIT: Marjory Muir has seen a vast improvement since surgery which doctors refused her.
A north mother was forced to spend almost ÂŁ35,000 on surgery after NHS medics told her they could do nothing to fix her curved spine.
During seven years of ineffective treatment, including physiotherapy, acupuncture and painful nerve-route injections, Marjory Muir, 47, of Wellside Road, Balloch, near Inverness, was never once referred to an expert in adult scoliosis.
When she inquired about surgery to relieve her of the crippling pain in her back, one orthopaedics specialist warned her it was too risky and âno one in the UK will touch youâ.
But 18 months after a six-hour operation in London, Mrs Muir, who was 5ft before the surgery, now claims to have grown two inches and dropped two dress sizes around her waist.
She claims her high blood pressure has been controlled, her digestive problems are âvastly improvedâ and she is no longer in constant pain down the left side of her body.
The human resources director with Tulloch Homes Group now wants to push the Scottish Government to fund a dedicated adult scoliosis expert north of the border.
Mrs Muir believes she is one of at least 100 adult scoliosis sufferers in Scotland, but surgeons expert in the illness in Scotland operate only on children.
The mother-of-one was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis after complaining of back pain to her doctor when she was 25. After having her son eight years ago, her health deteriorated significantly.
âI was scrunched up, I had a hump on my back and my shoulders were down,â Mrs Muir said. It also left her with a constant pain down her left-hand side and severe sciatica in both legs.
In 2006, after years of treatments, her doctors admitted defeat. But she soon discovered adults in other parts of the UK were being offered surgery for the same condition.
In January 2007, London surgeon Stewart Tucker operated on her, de-rotating her rib cage and her spine, and inserting two titanium rods, 15 screws and three hooks. Mrs Muir now has a scar from the nape of her neck to the bottom of her back.
She used her savings to pay for the operation. The surgery itself cost just ÂŁ3,000 but the anaesthetic cost ÂŁ1,500, and the hospital costs amounted to ÂŁ30,000.
Mrs Muir insisted it was money well spent. âItâs made a vast difference to my overall health. I had high blood pressure and quite a lot of difficulty getting it under control.
âThey didnât connect it with scoliosis. I was squashed up inside. I had digestive problems, which have vastly improved because everything has been given space inside.â
Mrs Muir is now surveying other adults with scoliosis in Scotland for a report for Highland MSP Dave Thompson who has pledged to raise it with the government.
Mr Thompson said: âThis is obviously an issue of great concern to people suffering from this debilitating condition and their families and I applaud Marjory's campaigning efforts to secure better services for them. Iâm happy to assist those efforts by raising this important issue with the Scottish Government.â
A government spokesman said: âAlthough we cannot comment on individual cases, we would always expect patients to be offered the most appropriate treatment. In deciding a particular course of treatment, clinicians must use their professional judgment to identify the most suitable treatment.â
Labels: Acupuncture, back pain, Physiotherapy, Scoliosis
Physio goes to new heights
My Physio sessions seems to be taking me to new heights, following my Bowen therapy I am feeling really good and I cant believe how much more flexible I am, I know that might sound daft when I have a metal rod in my spine but to be honest its as if I donât have my spine fused because I can move better than I ever have. This week I went back to see my regular physio so that we could have a catch up and a one on one session to see where we were at. At the beginning we had a long discussion about how I was feeling in general and I also talked about how felt concerned still that I was rotating from my pelvis still and that I wasnât too happy, because I hadnât rotated since well before my spine op and as a result I was concerned I was doing something wrong.
It actually turned out that the rotation I am experiencing is something quite normal and natural, although my spine is fused from mid to lower the top half is fine and it is that part of my spine that is allowing the movement to happen. I have not experienced this before now because my body has been locked up so therefore no messages were getting through to allow normal movement, and since having Bowen, my body has completely unlocked and my muscles are now functioning as they should of done all the time, so consequently I am now experiencing new body movements and sensations that everyone has when they move there body. I therefore donât need to worry anymore just accept that its perfectly ok to do what I am doing, and above all enjoy the new experiences it gives me, I have to say it is nice not to be restricted anymore and movement is great!!!
We then went into the gym and I did some strength work on some of the machines and I have to say I havenât been able to use the machines before because of the high risk of the movements causing a spasm but this time I was working out with the other people in there with the help of my Physio and it felt really good, although she warned me that I might ache and bit a bit sore, but again this is exactly what other people feel when they first go to the gym. I have to say that I do ache a little bit but I am not concerned I just enjoying the freedom.
It actually turned out that the rotation I am experiencing is something quite normal and natural, although my spine is fused from mid to lower the top half is fine and it is that part of my spine that is allowing the movement to happen. I have not experienced this before now because my body has been locked up so therefore no messages were getting through to allow normal movement, and since having Bowen, my body has completely unlocked and my muscles are now functioning as they should of done all the time, so consequently I am now experiencing new body movements and sensations that everyone has when they move there body. I therefore donât need to worry anymore just accept that its perfectly ok to do what I am doing, and above all enjoy the new experiences it gives me, I have to say it is nice not to be restricted anymore and movement is great!!!
We then went into the gym and I did some strength work on some of the machines and I have to say I havenât been able to use the machines before because of the high risk of the movements causing a spasm but this time I was working out with the other people in there with the help of my Physio and it felt really good, although she warned me that I might ache and bit a bit sore, but again this is exactly what other people feel when they first go to the gym. I have to say that I do ache a little bit but I am not concerned I just enjoying the freedom.
Labels: Bowen Therapy, Employment
Shopmobility you are a great service!!!!
Well yesterday Mum and I had our first shopping trip together for a long time, we decided that while I was on holiday this week we would try and go to Middlesbrough shopping. The only concern was that Mum cant push her chair very well, so I decide that I would ring Shopmobility up to see if they still did the volunteering side to help people with there shopping, and wow I was in luck!!! So I booked one of there volunteers in advance ready for our shopping trip. I then rang one of my good friends who have a wheelchair accessible taxi and we were off for the day!!!!
It was a little bit hair raising when we got to the car park because we had to go up the ramp and we just to say got under, I thought it was going to get stuck, anyway my friend said oh donât worry we can go back as a convertible its fine!!!!. We managed to off load ok and headed for the shopmobility shop and I could tell on Mumâs face she felt as though she was free!!! This to me is something to treasure considering what she has gone through. We went into the shop to register with them and wait for the volunteer to arrive and then we were off!! Just as we were going to go out he dashed back to get a bag to go on the back of the chair. I saw mum smile and she said oooo thatâs big, plenty of room for the bags!!! , so we were off into the mall and straight into the shops, Mum getting pushed and me whizzing along in my powerchair it was great because we didnât have to worry about getting stuck or anything, and it was a reassuring feeling that we had someone with us, and I could see mum was relaxed, because the volunteer was really careful and we all had a great laugh and spend loads.
We went to MacDonaldâs for dinner and although its big I thought it was a bit of a mistake because it was really busy, but we managed all the same Mum and I found a table and he went and queued for the food and we all sat together and had chat. Then Mum got her second wind so to speak and we were off again. By the time we got back to Shopmobility we had completely filled the bag and more and we had had a great time, and something that we will be doing again soon, now we know we can.
It was a little bit hair raising when we got to the car park because we had to go up the ramp and we just to say got under, I thought it was going to get stuck, anyway my friend said oh donât worry we can go back as a convertible its fine!!!!. We managed to off load ok and headed for the shopmobility shop and I could tell on Mumâs face she felt as though she was free!!! This to me is something to treasure considering what she has gone through. We went into the shop to register with them and wait for the volunteer to arrive and then we were off!! Just as we were going to go out he dashed back to get a bag to go on the back of the chair. I saw mum smile and she said oooo thatâs big, plenty of room for the bags!!! , so we were off into the mall and straight into the shops, Mum getting pushed and me whizzing along in my powerchair it was great because we didnât have to worry about getting stuck or anything, and it was a reassuring feeling that we had someone with us, and I could see mum was relaxed, because the volunteer was really careful and we all had a great laugh and spend loads.
We went to MacDonaldâs for dinner and although its big I thought it was a bit of a mistake because it was really busy, but we managed all the same Mum and I found a table and he went and queued for the food and we all sat together and had chat. Then Mum got her second wind so to speak and we were off again. By the time we got back to Shopmobility we had completely filled the bag and more and we had had a great time, and something that we will be doing again soon, now we know we can.
Labels: wheelchairs
13 August 2008
Over the top workout
Trampoline gym finds fun in fitness
Sky Zone fitness programmer Anthony Woods gets some air during his full-body trampoline workout.
If youâre bouncing off the walls at Sky Zone in Rocklin, itâs a good thing. And itâs hard not to with more than 6,300 square feet of trampolines lining the floors and walls of the fitness, event and fun center.
The establishment is gearing up for its grand opening Friday with plans to introduce the Roseville and Rocklin area to âa brand new way to move,â which includes their inventive term ârouncingâ meaning running and bouncing on trampolines connected together with foam-covered seams.
The orange, blue and black facility tucked off Industrial Avenue, emits energy. Visitors will find kids, adults, fitness-gurus and special needs children partaking in the rouncing, fitness classes, dodge ball tournaments and games.
âItâs not just for the kids, we appeal to anyone from the age of 1 to 81,â said Jeffrey Platt, manager of Sky Zone Recreation Center. âFrom couch potatoes to athletes.â
The findings of trampoline use have been positive since opening their first location in Las Vegas and second in St. Louis.
âWe knew we had this incredible playing service and we had no idea what to do with it,â Platt said.
The idea was patented and turned into a trial and error investment with a surprising fitness component to trampoline bouncing.
âEverything that we do here is fun and the underlying theme is fitness,â Platt said.
Sky Zone holds 55-minute SkyRobics structured fitness classes that are low-impact and include medicine ball drills, abdominal work and of course, jumping in the air.
Anthony Woods is in charge of the fitness program at the Rocklin location for both kids and adults. âJust being on the court and seeing what it does for your body,â he said, is what got him hooked on trampoline exercise.
Woods said heâs played every sport and was amazed at the full-body trampoline workout.
âEverything you do up there depends on you. You can go at your own pace,â he said.
The higher the jumps, the more energy burned and calories lost (and a person can burn up to 1,000 calories in the class, Platt said). But itâs also fun.
âThey feel clumsy, very shocked (at the intensity of the workout), but theyâre having fun, theyâre laughing,â Woods said.
Whether people come in for fitness or fun, Platt said everyone leaves with a new experience.
âWhen they experience it, all you see are smiling faces,â he said.
Another aspect of fitness is SkyTherapy 4Kids for children with disorders such as autism and cerebral palsy.
âThey come and just bounce and love bouncing,â Platt said.
Sky Zone has developed relationships with programs geared toward childrenâs disorders and companies fighting against childhood obesity, which is shown through their partnership with the American Heart Association, Midwest affiliate. They hope to also make an impact in the community here as well, Platt said.
One of the reasons behind the Rocklin location was the Sacramento areaâs status of being a âfamily-oriented, active city,â according to Platt.
And Sky Zone offers plenty of family-friendly activities from their SkyZone game, trying to jump through the suspended hoop with a ball or throwing the ball through the triangle above the hoop, to their SkyLimpics involving Olympic events such as tug-of-war, relays, basketball shots and soccer skills.
Safety is always a concern for parents and Sky Zone makes certain each person is equipped with shoes with ankle support and soles with tire-like grips that also keep the court clean, Platt said.
âSafety has always been our No. 1,â said Jeffreyâs father Richard Platt, who is the managing partner for Sky Zone Recreation Center.
All managers are CPR-certified and the courts are monitored at all times by trained court monitors. Everyone signs a liability form and safety videos run on many of their 15 plasma-screen television screens throughout the facility.
Jeffrey said some of the most common accidents with trampoline use is from falling off or through the bottom and the netting acts as just that, a safety net. Netting is above the trampoline walls and below the floor.
With the combination of safety, fitness and fun, it makes sense why this has been popular in the other two locations and thereâs a theory Jeffrey has as to why the idea has caught on for kids and adults alike.
âWho doesnât like to be free from earthâs gravity?â he said. âItâs the only time you can feel like Superman. And for adults, it makes them feel like a kid again.â
Open sessions for bouncing at Sky Zone start every half-hour for $9 an hour, but reservations are recommended, especially for groups.
For information on corporate events, birthday parties, fitness class schedules and dodge ball tournaments, go to www.skyzonesports.com.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Exercise
Welfare to work: A false reasoning is driving benefit cuts | Society
James Purnell, who initiated a review of the conditions attached to benefits given to lone parents, unemployed people and disabled claimants.
There is a scene in Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine where the film-maker investigates the home life of a six-year-old boy who has shot his Michigan classmate. He discovers that the boy lives with his mother and young siblings, but rarely sees his one parent. To qualify for food stamps and healthcare, mum is on a Welfare to Work programme which forces her out of the house early in the morning to make the 60-mile bus journey to the first of her two jobs. Despite travelling three hours a day to hold down two menial jobs she is unable to make ends meet and is evicted by the landlord. Days before the shooting, she takes her family to live at her brother's house, which is where her young son, unbeknown to her, lays his hands on a gun. How does a government welfare policy that results in a child being brought up by effectively two absent parents benefit the community, asks the local sheriff.
I was reminded of this emotive episode after the work and pensions secretary, James Purnell, ordered a review of the conditions attached to benefits given to lone parents, unemployed people and disabled claimants. The review, which started last week, is being undertaken by Paul Gregg, a Bristol University academic who has specialised in the interaction between benefits and income. The review is in addition to punitive proposals contained in a welfare green paper published last month to make lone parents with children as young as five prepare themselves for work, disabled claimants find a job or face tougher sanctions, and those on jobseeker's allowance for more than two years work for their dole.
A paper accompanying the review cites evidence from abroad that demonstrates how requiring participation in full-time work experience as a condition of receiving benefit, such as the Workfare schemes in the US, Canada and Australia, can get more people into work. The paper, More Support, Higher Expectations, does contain a note of caution about the US model, which despite its success at reducing the numbers on welfare was accompanied by a rise in absolute child poverty. This suggests, says the paper, that "elements of this policy approach - such as time-limiting benefits - would not further our [the UK government's] long-term goals", which are to help people find work and escape poverty.
Critics of the US Workfare scheme say people were prevented from getting, or staying in a job not because they were workshy but because of a variety of problems ranging from demands of childcare, to violent boyfriends and drugs and alcohol. These barriers to employment must be tackled before laying the blame on the individual and forfeiting their right to benefits, they argued.
In the UK, the voluntary sector has been strangely silent over the potentially disastrous consequences of coercing vulnerable people into work. Is this because many charities will be bidding for the contracts to run the new welfare system or because they fear a Tory government would impose even tougher rules? Earlier this year, David Cameron proposed a mandatory, year-long work programme of street cleaning for any jobless welfare claimant who had been signing on for two years. But attempts by politicians to win the crown as the most hardline welfare reformer leads to dangerous posturing at the expense of the most vulnerable in society.
Recent research by Ruth Patrick, a social policy graduate in Leeds suggests that while many disabled people want to work, compulsion and the threat of benefit withdrawal are clumsy tools to achieve this. Focus groups found it was discrimination by employers and poor access to the workplace that prevented disabled people from getting a job. Like the lone parents in the US, this demonstrates how deducting benefits to reduce worklessness is based on a false analysis of the problems preventing people finding work. The government should listen to welfare claimants, instead of using them to score political points.
Labels: David Cameron, Employment
12 August 2008
A look behind the Paralympics
Britain's hopefuls in Beijing
In 1948, Dr Ludwig Guttmann, a neurologist at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire, launched the forerunner of the Paralympic Games. He believed sport was vital to the recovery of war veterans injured in World War Two and organised a competition to coincide with the 1948 London Olympics.
Since the 1988 games in Seoul, Paralympics have taken place at the same venues as the Olympics. In today's competitions a classification system operates, similar to that used in boxing, where athletes are grouped according to their functional ability. There are five groups: amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries and other disabilities ("les autres"). These groupings aim to ensure fair competition between athletes with similar degrees of disability.
At the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Britain achieved the second highest number of gold medals, 35. This year the British squad hopes to improve on this with 205 athletes competing in 18 of the 20 sports.
Drugs and Dishonesty
But as with other sporting competitions, the Paralympics are open to cheating. At the Sydney games in 2000, the Spanish basketball team won gold in a competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Ten of the 12-man squad were later found to have no disabilities. As a result, the International Paralympic Committee suspended the category of "athletes with an intellectual disability" - a decision that learning disability charities, such as Mencap, hope will be overturned in time for the London 2012 Paralympics.
Paralympic organisers share the Olympic movement's fight against drugs, but face additional problems such as "boosting" - a practice where athletes with spinal cord injuries attempt to stimulate their bodies by sitting on pins or ball bearings. While they will feel no pain, their nervous system reacts and increases their blood pressure. Boosting to improve performance, like doping, is illegal in competition.
One of Britain's best-known wheelchair racers, Daniel Sadler, was banned from competitions in 2002 when it was discovered that he was not disabled. He protested, saying that he had never claimed to have a disability. Although banned by the International Paralympic Committee, some disabled athletes defended Sadler as they felt he had no obvious advantage over disabled competitors.
Promoting sport
The Olympics aim to leave a legacy for the host country. The Paralympics are no different, but in this case the focus will be on promoting disability sport and improved physical access to public buildings.
In the run-up to the 2012 London Paralympics, the "Inclusive and Active" strategy has been developed to help local authorities increase opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport and physical activity.
Having signed up to the strategy, the London Borough of Southwark is hoping to build on its existing range of sports activities for disabled people, which includes specialist coaches for football, gymnastics, swimming, sailing and tennis. Southwark also plans to start work on a coaching Âprogramme to train disabled adults as qualified coaches.
Glyn Newberry, a sports development officer for Southwark, coaches the Millwall disabilities football team. He says: "The team has a wide range of disabilities, including spinal problems, cerebral palsy, deafness, epilepsy and behavioural issues. None prevents them playing superb football. They love coming here, whatever the weather. We hope to increase the rate of participation for people with disabilities. And, who knows, some of the young people we encourage today may be our Paralympians of the future."
Britain's Medal Hopes
â Sarah Storey, cyclist
Former Paralympic swimmer Sarah Storey will be cycling in Beijing, her fifth Paralympic Games. Her preparation involves a gruelling training regime: "Between now and Beijing I will be racing every Wednesday evening at local club 10-mile road time trial events. My training schedule also includes two or three track sessions a week, as well as two or three road rides of about 80km," says Storey. "I hope to bring home medals in my pursuit and road time trial."
â Simon Munn, wheelchair basketball player
Simon Munn, 40, will also be travelling to his fifth games as the veteran of the men's wheelchair basketball team. He says: "My career highlight was winning silver in Atlanta. Getting the bronze in Athens [in 2004] was just as good though because, although it was a step down, the standard has come along a lot since then."
â Josie Pearson, wheelchair rugby player
Wheelchair rugby is perhaps the most aggressive Paralympic event, but this has not deterred Josie Pearson, who will make history by becoming the first woman to represent Britain at the sport. Pearson remains unfazed being the lone female in the team: "To be the first female ever selected for the Paralympic GB rugby team is a real honour. I don't feel any different for being the only female in the sport because when you get on court you have a role to play and you're so focused on what you're doing, nothing else matters."
Events to watch out for
â Boccia
Boccia evolved from an ancient Greek ball game and became a Paralympic sport at the 1992 Barcelona games. Men and women compete together in teams or in individual events. The aim is to throw leather balls as close as possible to the jack, a white target ball.
â Cycling
Cycling is a relatively new discipline for disabled athletes. Blind or visually impaired cyclists compete on tandem bicycles with a sighted team-mate. Amputees and riders with other permanent disabilities use standard racing bicycles, but specific adaptations are permitted to improve safety.
â Swimming
Swimmers compete in freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, individual medley and relay using a variety of starting positions - in the water, a sitting dive or a standing start. South African swimmer Natalie Du Toit, a former Paralympic competitor, hopes to become the first amputee to gain a medal at the summer Olympics 10k open water swimming event.
â Wheelchair basketball
Teams are comprised of five players and seven substitutes. A player is not allowed to touch the playing surface with his or her feet while in possession of the ball. As in able-bodied basketball, players must bounce the ball when moving with it.
â Wheelchair rugby
Wheelchair rugby was invented in the 1970s in Canada by people who had become quadriplegics as a result of spinal cord injuries. Collisions are frequent in this explosive game, originally known as murderball, as players try to stop their opponents crossing the goal line. Wheelchair rugby is open to male or female athletes, with teams of four players and eight substitutes.
âThe Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games take place between 6 and 17 September. Highlights will be shown on BBC Two on weekdays between 7pm and 8pm, with live coverage on weekends between 12.50am and 4.30pm.
In 1948, Dr Ludwig Guttmann, a neurologist at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire, launched the forerunner of the Paralympic Games. He believed sport was vital to the recovery of war veterans injured in World War Two and organised a competition to coincide with the 1948 London Olympics.
Since the 1988 games in Seoul, Paralympics have taken place at the same venues as the Olympics. In today's competitions a classification system operates, similar to that used in boxing, where athletes are grouped according to their functional ability. There are five groups: amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries and other disabilities ("les autres"). These groupings aim to ensure fair competition between athletes with similar degrees of disability.
At the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Britain achieved the second highest number of gold medals, 35. This year the British squad hopes to improve on this with 205 athletes competing in 18 of the 20 sports.
Drugs and Dishonesty
But as with other sporting competitions, the Paralympics are open to cheating. At the Sydney games in 2000, the Spanish basketball team won gold in a competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Ten of the 12-man squad were later found to have no disabilities. As a result, the International Paralympic Committee suspended the category of "athletes with an intellectual disability" - a decision that learning disability charities, such as Mencap, hope will be overturned in time for the London 2012 Paralympics.
Paralympic organisers share the Olympic movement's fight against drugs, but face additional problems such as "boosting" - a practice where athletes with spinal cord injuries attempt to stimulate their bodies by sitting on pins or ball bearings. While they will feel no pain, their nervous system reacts and increases their blood pressure. Boosting to improve performance, like doping, is illegal in competition.
One of Britain's best-known wheelchair racers, Daniel Sadler, was banned from competitions in 2002 when it was discovered that he was not disabled. He protested, saying that he had never claimed to have a disability. Although banned by the International Paralympic Committee, some disabled athletes defended Sadler as they felt he had no obvious advantage over disabled competitors.
Promoting sport
The Olympics aim to leave a legacy for the host country. The Paralympics are no different, but in this case the focus will be on promoting disability sport and improved physical access to public buildings.
In the run-up to the 2012 London Paralympics, the "Inclusive and Active" strategy has been developed to help local authorities increase opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport and physical activity.
Having signed up to the strategy, the London Borough of Southwark is hoping to build on its existing range of sports activities for disabled people, which includes specialist coaches for football, gymnastics, swimming, sailing and tennis. Southwark also plans to start work on a coaching Âprogramme to train disabled adults as qualified coaches.
Glyn Newberry, a sports development officer for Southwark, coaches the Millwall disabilities football team. He says: "The team has a wide range of disabilities, including spinal problems, cerebral palsy, deafness, epilepsy and behavioural issues. None prevents them playing superb football. They love coming here, whatever the weather. We hope to increase the rate of participation for people with disabilities. And, who knows, some of the young people we encourage today may be our Paralympians of the future."
Britain's Medal Hopes
â Sarah Storey, cyclist
Former Paralympic swimmer Sarah Storey will be cycling in Beijing, her fifth Paralympic Games. Her preparation involves a gruelling training regime: "Between now and Beijing I will be racing every Wednesday evening at local club 10-mile road time trial events. My training schedule also includes two or three track sessions a week, as well as two or three road rides of about 80km," says Storey. "I hope to bring home medals in my pursuit and road time trial."
â Simon Munn, wheelchair basketball player
Simon Munn, 40, will also be travelling to his fifth games as the veteran of the men's wheelchair basketball team. He says: "My career highlight was winning silver in Atlanta. Getting the bronze in Athens [in 2004] was just as good though because, although it was a step down, the standard has come along a lot since then."
â Josie Pearson, wheelchair rugby player
Wheelchair rugby is perhaps the most aggressive Paralympic event, but this has not deterred Josie Pearson, who will make history by becoming the first woman to represent Britain at the sport. Pearson remains unfazed being the lone female in the team: "To be the first female ever selected for the Paralympic GB rugby team is a real honour. I don't feel any different for being the only female in the sport because when you get on court you have a role to play and you're so focused on what you're doing, nothing else matters."
Events to watch out for
â Boccia
Boccia evolved from an ancient Greek ball game and became a Paralympic sport at the 1992 Barcelona games. Men and women compete together in teams or in individual events. The aim is to throw leather balls as close as possible to the jack, a white target ball.
â Cycling
Cycling is a relatively new discipline for disabled athletes. Blind or visually impaired cyclists compete on tandem bicycles with a sighted team-mate. Amputees and riders with other permanent disabilities use standard racing bicycles, but specific adaptations are permitted to improve safety.
â Swimming
Swimmers compete in freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, individual medley and relay using a variety of starting positions - in the water, a sitting dive or a standing start. South African swimmer Natalie Du Toit, a former Paralympic competitor, hopes to become the first amputee to gain a medal at the summer Olympics 10k open water swimming event.
â Wheelchair basketball
Teams are comprised of five players and seven substitutes. A player is not allowed to touch the playing surface with his or her feet while in possession of the ball. As in able-bodied basketball, players must bounce the ball when moving with it.
â Wheelchair rugby
Wheelchair rugby was invented in the 1970s in Canada by people who had become quadriplegics as a result of spinal cord injuries. Collisions are frequent in this explosive game, originally known as murderball, as players try to stop their opponents crossing the goal line. Wheelchair rugby is open to male or female athletes, with teams of four players and eight substitutes.
âThe Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games take place between 6 and 17 September. Highlights will be shown on BBC Two on weekdays between 7pm and 8pm, with live coverage on weekends between 12.50am and 4.30pm.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Deafness, epilepsy, Sports
THIS IS A CEILING MURAL IN A SMOKER'S LOUNGE
There's another..below.
BATHROOM PAINTED FLOOR!!!
IMAGINE YOU ARE AT A PARTY ....
Tenth floor of a hi-rise building.....
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO VISIT THE BATHROOM...
You open the door...
NOW, REMEMBER
THE FLOOR IS JUST A PAINTED FLOOR!
KINDA TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY.....
DOESN'T IT?
BATHROOM PAINTED FLOOR!!!
IMAGINE YOU ARE AT A PARTY ....
Tenth floor of a hi-rise building.....
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO VISIT THE BATHROOM...
You open the door...
NOW, REMEMBER
THE FLOOR IS JUST A PAINTED FLOOR!
KINDA TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY.....
DOESN'T IT?
11 August 2008
Holistic living
Changing the Landscape of our Bodies
by Karin Twohig
As a veteran body worker of over 25 years, I have discovered that it is completely possible to change the patterns of our bodies. Bowenwork, a revolutionary healing modality (named in July 2004 as one of âthe most innovative body therapiesâ by O The Oprah Magazine) transforms the landscape of the entire body by reminding us of its original blueprint of perfect health. Bowenwork adjusts tension levels by working through the nervous system and releasing tissue memory that holds the structure restricted or frozen. This allows the structure itself to change its holding patterns that determine what the body landscape looks like.
After 13 years as a deep tissue massage therapist, I discovered that Bowenwork not only could change the body using no force, but could also integrate the information on a deeper level. This has changed my life. Now, 14 years later, I use Bowenwork exclusively and have been teaching it for the past eight years to chiropractors, physical therapists, nurses, massage therapists, MDs and lay people alike.
Tom Bowen developed the unique healing system of Bowenwork in Australia about forty years ago. He developed his technique without having previous formal training in any modality or discipline. He saw his work as âa gift from God.â Bowen continued to develop and refine the technique throughout his lifetime by performing about 13,000 treatments a year.
Bowenwork involves gentle, yet powerful movements on muscle and connective tissue, and may be done through clothing. These movements prompt soft tissue release, sending neurological impulses to the brain. Because the impulses travel through the internal nervous system pathways, they stimulate whole brain responses which address every system in the bodyâinternal organ systems, as well as musculo-skeletal structure.
By selecting appropriate combinations and sequences of moves, the Bowen practitioner is able to address the body as a whole while targeting more specific problems. Healing occurs by affecting the bodyâs autonomic nervous system, which creates homeostasis at the cellular level.
Pauses are inserted between sets of these moves, which allow the brain to process and send messages to realign the body. It is thought that because the entire brain is stimulated, the original genetic pattern is re-awakened, releasing more recent injuries and compensation patterns even years after the original injury.
Respecting these pauses is an essential component of Bowenwork because they give the body sufficient time to remember and restore its own healthy, natural balance. They also allow the practitioner to work on multiple clients simultaneously. The gentleness of the Bowen Technique protects the therapist from overuse injury, while providing positive results and lasting effects for the client.
Treatments are individualized, generally lasting 60 minutes. Traumas, old injuries and chronic pain begin to unwind. Typically there is rapid change after addressing acute conditions and a steady improvement of chronic conditions. Bowenwork frequently triggers surprising and unexpected recoveries, even when nothing else has been successful.
Often only a few sessions are needed to alleviate long-standing complaints, whether they are structural or functional. Many people choose to have monthly or quarterly maintenance sessions once their initial complaint is addressed. It is ideal to have a session as soon after an injury as possible, before the body begins to compensate.
Dr. Robert Rowenâs Second Opinion Newsletter headlined Bowenwork therapy in July 2003 as âthe gentlest, most effective pain therapy ever.â People throughout the world have found lasting relief from lower back pain, sciatica, sports injuries, sprains, knee pain, shoulder restrictions, carpal tunnel, whiplash, migraines, headaches, TMJ, chronic sinus infections, fibromyalgia, chronic stress, neurological and digestive problems and countless other conditions.
Bowenwork is completely safe and appropriate for everyoneâfrom highly trained athletes to newborns, pregnant women, the elderly and the chronically ill. The most common reaction to Bowenwork is a deep sense of overall relaxation, relief from muscular tension and pain, and a heightened sense of well being.
Karin Twohig is a Bowen Practitioner and Instructor. Contact her to learn this unique Australian healing system at 831.238.2228 or visit www.bowenworkschool.com. Or visit the international website of the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia www.bowtech.com.
by Karin Twohig
As a veteran body worker of over 25 years, I have discovered that it is completely possible to change the patterns of our bodies. Bowenwork, a revolutionary healing modality (named in July 2004 as one of âthe most innovative body therapiesâ by O The Oprah Magazine) transforms the landscape of the entire body by reminding us of its original blueprint of perfect health. Bowenwork adjusts tension levels by working through the nervous system and releasing tissue memory that holds the structure restricted or frozen. This allows the structure itself to change its holding patterns that determine what the body landscape looks like.
After 13 years as a deep tissue massage therapist, I discovered that Bowenwork not only could change the body using no force, but could also integrate the information on a deeper level. This has changed my life. Now, 14 years later, I use Bowenwork exclusively and have been teaching it for the past eight years to chiropractors, physical therapists, nurses, massage therapists, MDs and lay people alike.
Tom Bowen developed the unique healing system of Bowenwork in Australia about forty years ago. He developed his technique without having previous formal training in any modality or discipline. He saw his work as âa gift from God.â Bowen continued to develop and refine the technique throughout his lifetime by performing about 13,000 treatments a year.
Bowenwork involves gentle, yet powerful movements on muscle and connective tissue, and may be done through clothing. These movements prompt soft tissue release, sending neurological impulses to the brain. Because the impulses travel through the internal nervous system pathways, they stimulate whole brain responses which address every system in the bodyâinternal organ systems, as well as musculo-skeletal structure.
By selecting appropriate combinations and sequences of moves, the Bowen practitioner is able to address the body as a whole while targeting more specific problems. Healing occurs by affecting the bodyâs autonomic nervous system, which creates homeostasis at the cellular level.
Pauses are inserted between sets of these moves, which allow the brain to process and send messages to realign the body. It is thought that because the entire brain is stimulated, the original genetic pattern is re-awakened, releasing more recent injuries and compensation patterns even years after the original injury.
Respecting these pauses is an essential component of Bowenwork because they give the body sufficient time to remember and restore its own healthy, natural balance. They also allow the practitioner to work on multiple clients simultaneously. The gentleness of the Bowen Technique protects the therapist from overuse injury, while providing positive results and lasting effects for the client.
Treatments are individualized, generally lasting 60 minutes. Traumas, old injuries and chronic pain begin to unwind. Typically there is rapid change after addressing acute conditions and a steady improvement of chronic conditions. Bowenwork frequently triggers surprising and unexpected recoveries, even when nothing else has been successful.
Often only a few sessions are needed to alleviate long-standing complaints, whether they are structural or functional. Many people choose to have monthly or quarterly maintenance sessions once their initial complaint is addressed. It is ideal to have a session as soon after an injury as possible, before the body begins to compensate.
Dr. Robert Rowenâs Second Opinion Newsletter headlined Bowenwork therapy in July 2003 as âthe gentlest, most effective pain therapy ever.â People throughout the world have found lasting relief from lower back pain, sciatica, sports injuries, sprains, knee pain, shoulder restrictions, carpal tunnel, whiplash, migraines, headaches, TMJ, chronic sinus infections, fibromyalgia, chronic stress, neurological and digestive problems and countless other conditions.
Bowenwork is completely safe and appropriate for everyoneâfrom highly trained athletes to newborns, pregnant women, the elderly and the chronically ill. The most common reaction to Bowenwork is a deep sense of overall relaxation, relief from muscular tension and pain, and a heightened sense of well being.
Karin Twohig is a Bowen Practitioner and Instructor. Contact her to learn this unique Australian healing system at 831.238.2228 or visit www.bowenworkschool.com. Or visit the international website of the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia www.bowtech.com.
Labels: back pain, Balance, Bowen Therapy, brain injuries, Employment, Fibromyalgia, Headaches
Taxis for disabled on the way
A DEDICATED taxi service for the disabled could be on the way if its backers can raise BD100,000 they need to get it off the ground.It is the brainchild of Bahrain Mobility International (BMI), which has already launched a first-of-its kind wheelchair repair service.
The organisation is now seeking backers for its subsidised taxi project, which would also cater to the country's blind.
It is now seeking sponsors to help it buy seven buses and cars, as well as pay salaries and other overheads.
"The disabled are really suffering because they don't have transport," said BMI vice-president Adel Sultan.
"If they get a job and can't drive they need to employ someone, so this service will make it easy for them.
"It is difficult for them to go in regular taxis so we will have specialised buses for wheelchair users."
He said the service would initially be aimed at those needing transport to work and hospital appointments, but in future could be extended into a 24-hour taxi service for the disabled.
"All this is a dream that is now coming into reality," said Mr Sultan.
"Since we started the golf tournament fundraiser three years ago we have been able to provide our services without struggling like before and this has given us the chance to think about other needs and services for the disabled.
"So for the first time we are now making a planning and development section in BMI."
Among the projects that BMI hopes will make a difference to Bahrain's disabled is the wheelchair repair workshop, located at its premises in Isa Town.
Thousands of disabled people across the country are expected to benefit from the new venture, which is the first of its kind in the country.
Workshop
The workshop also repairs motorised beds and has been made possible thanks to donations of BD7,000 from the Social Development Ministry and BD3,000 from the Bahrain Round Table.
The donations cover equipment, stock, running costs and salaries of a technician and a supervisor for one year, but it is expected to cost about BD5,000 to run the workshop annually.
Customers will be provided with a hired wheelchair while they are waiting and workshop staff can also give advice on buying and using a wheelchair.
Mr Sultan said the disabled and the elderly had been struggling for years because there wasn't a suitable wheelchair repair facility in Bahrain.
"They go to the shop they bought the wheelchair from and the trader doesn't have the parts and doesn't care about repairing it because it will not profit him much," he said.
"They are forced to go to a bicycle shop, but most companies don't supply parts - especially for powered wheelchairs.
"But now they can come to our workshop and we will only charge them the cost of the parts."
He said BMI had been working on the repair facility project for three years and was happy it was finally up and running.
"I was pushing for this because I know the suffering of wheelchair users, many of them call me up and say they have a flat tyre and can't go outside," said Mr Sultan.
"The wheelchair is an extension of their body. I use a calibre (a metal rod that stabilises the leg) and if something happens to it I can't walk.
"It's the same for the wheelchair user, if they have a problem they feel they are not independent.
"Everyone is very happy because at last they have somewhere to go."
BMI has a long-term plan to provide mobile repair services for wheelchair users who are unable to visit the workshop.
More than 6,000 disabled people are registered at the Social Development Ministry and more than 2,000 elderly use wheelchairs.
BMI is now compiling a database of wheelchair users in Bahrain and hopes the workshop will help them collect statistics.
It is also planning a project in October to provide the deaf and disabled with driving lessons.
That initiative is being sponsored by the ministry, which is providing BD30,000 to run the project for year.
"We will provide the driving instructor free of charge, we will have one for the deaf and one for those with physical disabilities," said Mr Sultan.
The organisation is now seeking backers for its subsidised taxi project, which would also cater to the country's blind.
It is now seeking sponsors to help it buy seven buses and cars, as well as pay salaries and other overheads.
"The disabled are really suffering because they don't have transport," said BMI vice-president Adel Sultan.
"If they get a job and can't drive they need to employ someone, so this service will make it easy for them.
"It is difficult for them to go in regular taxis so we will have specialised buses for wheelchair users."
He said the service would initially be aimed at those needing transport to work and hospital appointments, but in future could be extended into a 24-hour taxi service for the disabled.
"All this is a dream that is now coming into reality," said Mr Sultan.
"Since we started the golf tournament fundraiser three years ago we have been able to provide our services without struggling like before and this has given us the chance to think about other needs and services for the disabled.
"So for the first time we are now making a planning and development section in BMI."
Among the projects that BMI hopes will make a difference to Bahrain's disabled is the wheelchair repair workshop, located at its premises in Isa Town.
Thousands of disabled people across the country are expected to benefit from the new venture, which is the first of its kind in the country.
Workshop
The workshop also repairs motorised beds and has been made possible thanks to donations of BD7,000 from the Social Development Ministry and BD3,000 from the Bahrain Round Table.
The donations cover equipment, stock, running costs and salaries of a technician and a supervisor for one year, but it is expected to cost about BD5,000 to run the workshop annually.
Customers will be provided with a hired wheelchair while they are waiting and workshop staff can also give advice on buying and using a wheelchair.
Mr Sultan said the disabled and the elderly had been struggling for years because there wasn't a suitable wheelchair repair facility in Bahrain.
"They go to the shop they bought the wheelchair from and the trader doesn't have the parts and doesn't care about repairing it because it will not profit him much," he said.
"They are forced to go to a bicycle shop, but most companies don't supply parts - especially for powered wheelchairs.
"But now they can come to our workshop and we will only charge them the cost of the parts."
He said BMI had been working on the repair facility project for three years and was happy it was finally up and running.
"I was pushing for this because I know the suffering of wheelchair users, many of them call me up and say they have a flat tyre and can't go outside," said Mr Sultan.
"The wheelchair is an extension of their body. I use a calibre (a metal rod that stabilises the leg) and if something happens to it I can't walk.
"It's the same for the wheelchair user, if they have a problem they feel they are not independent.
"Everyone is very happy because at last they have somewhere to go."
BMI has a long-term plan to provide mobile repair services for wheelchair users who are unable to visit the workshop.
More than 6,000 disabled people are registered at the Social Development Ministry and more than 2,000 elderly use wheelchairs.
BMI is now compiling a database of wheelchair users in Bahrain and hopes the workshop will help them collect statistics.
It is also planning a project in October to provide the deaf and disabled with driving lessons.
That initiative is being sponsored by the ministry, which is providing BD30,000 to run the project for year.
"We will provide the driving instructor free of charge, we will have one for the deaf and one for those with physical disabilities," said Mr Sultan.
Labels: Deafness, wheelchairs
Bizarre, but it works brilliantly
When it comes to bizarre therapies, this week's -- the Dawson Program -- is top of the list.
Or rather it was when I first came across it and its Australian originator seven years ago. Armed with an eclectic collection of bells and bowls, horns and pipes, Cameron Dawson was a man you could never forget.
Then in his sixties, the Santa lookalike stunned DJ Gerry Ryan into silence on air -- no mean feat -- by correctly identifying and treating his back and digestive problems and a lazy eye.
Bizarre, it transpires, can also be brilliant and, for me, the Dawson Program, based on ancient traditions originating 5,000 years ago, falls into that category. Whenever something doesn't feel quite right healthwise it is my first port of call, and as a result I haven't needed to attend a doctor since first discovering it.
Developed more than 35 years ago, the technique, which is also known as Vibrational Kinesiology, treats a patient by correcting the malfunctions in their electrical field using sounds, affirmations, intention and semi-precious stones.
It is based on the belief that the human body is a self-creating and self-correcting system, given the opportunity to do so. Pivotal to this is the understanding that all life form vibrates at an optimum frequency of 77.6MHz.
Having trained with the late Cameron, Jill Kenny runs clinics in Kenmare and Kilmoyley in Co Kerry.
"When a client comes for a session it is like bringing their car for a service. Non-invasively, we check every bone, gland and organ in the body and get everything operating correctly again by working with the subconscious mind and sound frequencies.
"It differs from other therapies out there in that there is no manual re-adjustment back into alignment. Instead, when we work with the electrical fields the bodily corrections are carried out by the body itself in response to the sound therapy," explains Jill.
Spine straightening
As odd as this sounds, I remember distinctly feeling as if the curvature of my spine (scoliosis) straightened itself in a few minutes the first time I heard these fairly weird natural sounds being played by Cameron close to my body, as I repeated affirmations. This was followed by an intense heat in my back for two days. Who needs drugs when nature can do such a spectacular job instead?
To ensure the readjustment held I would play a correctional sounds CD once a week.
"The source of illness in the human body, according to the Dawson Program, is a combination of frequency malfunction, water and nutrient deficiency which can be further exacerbated by chemical damage or exposure to unusual forms of irritation to the cells."
On meeting Jill in her Kenmare clinic, she uses kinesiology to run through a set protocol of questions for my subconscious mind to answer. For those unfamiliar with kinesiology, it is also known as 'muscle-testing' and is based on the fundamental principle that the body doesn't lie.
When asked direct questions with no interference from the rational mind, the body clearly answers by its muscle strength -- if the answer is yes the muscle is strong, if no it is weak.
She gradually goes through the 28 main electrical frequencies of my system including the chakras (the energy centres of the body), the 14 meridians (the pathways that send the energy throughout the body) and the seven auric fields around my body.
Each of these systems, the Dawson Program claims, has individual frequencies that can be affected by shock, causing an imbalance to chemical, physical and emotional functions.
As she encounters imbalances -- such as my sacrum, due no doubt to the pressure of the baby or the two bones that were out of place in my neck -- she plays the sounds of cymbals, horns and Tibetan bowls, while I repeat affirmations relating to the associated emotion.
While she treats people for all sorts of issues, a growing area is that of dyslexia.
"Contrary to popular belief, Cameron's extensive study and work found dyslexia to be a visual impairment problem that has nothing to do with the basic intelligence of the individual.
"The eyesight problem, he believed, was caused by an emotional shock that leads to a malfunction of the electrical system and seeing the results achieved in a matter of minutes with child after child who comes in here unable to read and leaves reading, there is no doubt he was on to something."
Verdict: The Dawson Program is non-invasive and natural, albeit totally bizarre at first to realise the extent of the healing power of sound combined intention. Since then it has been my healthcare system.
Highly recommended.
A 60-minute session with Jill Kenny costs âŹ100.
To make an appointment call 086 847 0156
How does it work?
THE FACTS:
THE DAWSON Program combines the ancient knowledge and practices of the Egyptians, Chinese, Hindus, Buddhists and Shamanic healers, the sacred texts â including the Old and New Testaments â with the western knowledge of the bodyâs anatomy, physiology and pathology.
Some 35 years in the making â 20 years of research and an additional 15 of experience throughout the world â the seed from which it grew was an accident in which one of Dawsonâs children fell out of a truck, hitting her head.
Afterwards, her school grades plummeted and he brought her to an elder in Australia who instantly noticed a bone in her head was out of place. On the way home after being corrected, the young child told her dad she could again read the road signs.
This piqued the businessmanâs curiosity and, due to his own ill health later, he delved deeper into the ancient understandings shared by all indigenous cultures. The Dawson Program is now practiced worldwide.
THE EVIDENCE:
As a little-known therapy, no studies appear to have been carried out on the Dawson Program as yet. However anecdotally, the evidence shows significant results in relation to specific problems where often all else has failed, such as fertility issues, dyslexia, learning difficulties and autism.
It has also be found to be effective with a variety of more common conditions from back problems, headaches, panic attacks, depression, ME to MS.
- Niamh Hooper
Or rather it was when I first came across it and its Australian originator seven years ago. Armed with an eclectic collection of bells and bowls, horns and pipes, Cameron Dawson was a man you could never forget.
Then in his sixties, the Santa lookalike stunned DJ Gerry Ryan into silence on air -- no mean feat -- by correctly identifying and treating his back and digestive problems and a lazy eye.
Bizarre, it transpires, can also be brilliant and, for me, the Dawson Program, based on ancient traditions originating 5,000 years ago, falls into that category. Whenever something doesn't feel quite right healthwise it is my first port of call, and as a result I haven't needed to attend a doctor since first discovering it.
Developed more than 35 years ago, the technique, which is also known as Vibrational Kinesiology, treats a patient by correcting the malfunctions in their electrical field using sounds, affirmations, intention and semi-precious stones.
It is based on the belief that the human body is a self-creating and self-correcting system, given the opportunity to do so. Pivotal to this is the understanding that all life form vibrates at an optimum frequency of 77.6MHz.
Having trained with the late Cameron, Jill Kenny runs clinics in Kenmare and Kilmoyley in Co Kerry.
"When a client comes for a session it is like bringing their car for a service. Non-invasively, we check every bone, gland and organ in the body and get everything operating correctly again by working with the subconscious mind and sound frequencies.
"It differs from other therapies out there in that there is no manual re-adjustment back into alignment. Instead, when we work with the electrical fields the bodily corrections are carried out by the body itself in response to the sound therapy," explains Jill.
Spine straightening
As odd as this sounds, I remember distinctly feeling as if the curvature of my spine (scoliosis) straightened itself in a few minutes the first time I heard these fairly weird natural sounds being played by Cameron close to my body, as I repeated affirmations. This was followed by an intense heat in my back for two days. Who needs drugs when nature can do such a spectacular job instead?
To ensure the readjustment held I would play a correctional sounds CD once a week.
"The source of illness in the human body, according to the Dawson Program, is a combination of frequency malfunction, water and nutrient deficiency which can be further exacerbated by chemical damage or exposure to unusual forms of irritation to the cells."
On meeting Jill in her Kenmare clinic, she uses kinesiology to run through a set protocol of questions for my subconscious mind to answer. For those unfamiliar with kinesiology, it is also known as 'muscle-testing' and is based on the fundamental principle that the body doesn't lie.
When asked direct questions with no interference from the rational mind, the body clearly answers by its muscle strength -- if the answer is yes the muscle is strong, if no it is weak.
She gradually goes through the 28 main electrical frequencies of my system including the chakras (the energy centres of the body), the 14 meridians (the pathways that send the energy throughout the body) and the seven auric fields around my body.
Each of these systems, the Dawson Program claims, has individual frequencies that can be affected by shock, causing an imbalance to chemical, physical and emotional functions.
As she encounters imbalances -- such as my sacrum, due no doubt to the pressure of the baby or the two bones that were out of place in my neck -- she plays the sounds of cymbals, horns and Tibetan bowls, while I repeat affirmations relating to the associated emotion.
While she treats people for all sorts of issues, a growing area is that of dyslexia.
"Contrary to popular belief, Cameron's extensive study and work found dyslexia to be a visual impairment problem that has nothing to do with the basic intelligence of the individual.
"The eyesight problem, he believed, was caused by an emotional shock that leads to a malfunction of the electrical system and seeing the results achieved in a matter of minutes with child after child who comes in here unable to read and leaves reading, there is no doubt he was on to something."
Verdict: The Dawson Program is non-invasive and natural, albeit totally bizarre at first to realise the extent of the healing power of sound combined intention. Since then it has been my healthcare system.
Highly recommended.
A 60-minute session with Jill Kenny costs âŹ100.
To make an appointment call 086 847 0156
How does it work?
THE FACTS:
THE DAWSON Program combines the ancient knowledge and practices of the Egyptians, Chinese, Hindus, Buddhists and Shamanic healers, the sacred texts â including the Old and New Testaments â with the western knowledge of the bodyâs anatomy, physiology and pathology.
Some 35 years in the making â 20 years of research and an additional 15 of experience throughout the world â the seed from which it grew was an accident in which one of Dawsonâs children fell out of a truck, hitting her head.
Afterwards, her school grades plummeted and he brought her to an elder in Australia who instantly noticed a bone in her head was out of place. On the way home after being corrected, the young child told her dad she could again read the road signs.
This piqued the businessmanâs curiosity and, due to his own ill health later, he delved deeper into the ancient understandings shared by all indigenous cultures. The Dawson Program is now practiced worldwide.
THE EVIDENCE:
As a little-known therapy, no studies appear to have been carried out on the Dawson Program as yet. However anecdotally, the evidence shows significant results in relation to specific problems where often all else has failed, such as fertility issues, dyslexia, learning difficulties and autism.
It has also be found to be effective with a variety of more common conditions from back problems, headaches, panic attacks, depression, ME to MS.
- Niamh Hooper
New therapy changed my life
womanâs spinal condition responds to treatment
A north-east woman has said that a new therapy has turned her life around and left her better able to deal with a severe spinal condition.
Gillian Lawson had to give up work and was living with the fear of ending up in a wheelchair due to a sideways curvature of the spine known as scoliosis, which affects around 3% of the population.
The 52-year-old, of Strathdon in Aberdeenshire, was diagnosed in her 20s but the condition deteriorated until she could not stand for any longer than 10 minutes at a time.
She loved her job as a chef but had to cut her working time down to just two days a week and then stop altogether.
As the curves in her spine decreased her co-ordination and balance, Mrs Lawson also had to give up her favourite hobby of Scottish dancing. She felt desperate and alone.
âI was diagnosed in my mid-20s while I was pregnant but it was not really a big issue until five or 10 years ago when it started to become quite painful,â said Mrs Lawson. âI had four children and the pregnancies became harder and harder. If the spine is not straight it is very tough.
âThe medical profession were hopeless, useless and totally disinterested. Medics will say it doesnât get any worse but the pain got much, much worse. They are not really interested because they only have one option, which is inserting rods into the spine. It is major surgery.â
However, this summer she was offered a beacon of hope when she heard about a specialist clinic in England. After a free initial consultation she had a four-week course of intensive, exercise-based therapy in June.
Having felt isolated for so long, she met others suffering the same condition and, for the first time, felt as though someone was really looking at and working with her spine and other problems.
She now has to do a series of specialist strengthening exercises every day, which she was taught at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic in Suffolk, but she can manage her condition by herself and feels fitter and more confident.
âI feel so much stronger,â she said.
âI only finished the treatment about a month ago but it has made a big difference very quickly.
âI feel like I will be able to go back to work and would even like to try going to the gym.
âIf a young girl goes to that clinic it really could arrest the condition.â
A north-east woman has said that a new therapy has turned her life around and left her better able to deal with a severe spinal condition.
Gillian Lawson had to give up work and was living with the fear of ending up in a wheelchair due to a sideways curvature of the spine known as scoliosis, which affects around 3% of the population.
The 52-year-old, of Strathdon in Aberdeenshire, was diagnosed in her 20s but the condition deteriorated until she could not stand for any longer than 10 minutes at a time.
She loved her job as a chef but had to cut her working time down to just two days a week and then stop altogether.
As the curves in her spine decreased her co-ordination and balance, Mrs Lawson also had to give up her favourite hobby of Scottish dancing. She felt desperate and alone.
âI was diagnosed in my mid-20s while I was pregnant but it was not really a big issue until five or 10 years ago when it started to become quite painful,â said Mrs Lawson. âI had four children and the pregnancies became harder and harder. If the spine is not straight it is very tough.
âThe medical profession were hopeless, useless and totally disinterested. Medics will say it doesnât get any worse but the pain got much, much worse. They are not really interested because they only have one option, which is inserting rods into the spine. It is major surgery.â
However, this summer she was offered a beacon of hope when she heard about a specialist clinic in England. After a free initial consultation she had a four-week course of intensive, exercise-based therapy in June.
Having felt isolated for so long, she met others suffering the same condition and, for the first time, felt as though someone was really looking at and working with her spine and other problems.
She now has to do a series of specialist strengthening exercises every day, which she was taught at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic in Suffolk, but she can manage her condition by herself and feels fitter and more confident.
âI feel so much stronger,â she said.
âI only finished the treatment about a month ago but it has made a big difference very quickly.
âI feel like I will be able to go back to work and would even like to try going to the gym.
âIf a young girl goes to that clinic it really could arrest the condition.â
Technology expands work-at-home options for disabled
As discussed in a number of past articles, people with disabilities who want to work have often been limited by the realities of company location or infrastructure. However, thanks to the explosion in affordable home PCs and the Internet, these same people now have more options than ever before to engage in meaningful, successful and gainful employment by working from their homes.
For example, in "NewsNet," the magazine of the state of Ohio's Rehabilitation Services Commission, two people with disabilities were highlighted who were successfully and gainfully employed from their homes with the use of their own PCs. One individual was visually impaired, while the second was dealing with a significant orthopedic disorder. The first individual was in her mid-20s, while the second person was in her mid-30s.
The visually impaired person became a successful employee for an Ohio medical trans- cription firm through a combination of her own hard work and the assistance of her ORSC rehabilitation team. After graduating from her local community college where she developed an interest in pursuing a career in medical transcription, the first young woman determined that there was also a career center in the area that offered (among other specialties) courses in both medical terminology and medical transcription, both job specialties which are still in demand today.
She was also able to secure her required textbooks on audio discs, while further using a program called Victor Pro to access the large amount of material which needed to be memorized. Moreover, this same young woman was able to take the majority of her needed courses at home. She even received her materials in a usable format via e-mail and took weekly tests with the assistance of a friend who read the questions to her.
After a three-month trial period, she was hired full time by a medical transcription firm. Her employer still characterizes her as "having the many qualities that I look for in an employee, such as confidence in her abilities. She has also overcome many obstacles by initiating solutions on her own. I was also impressed by her perseverance."
The orthopedically disabled young woman had been working for more than 15 years for the same company, which made the decision to close its operations in Ohio. Consequently, after finding herself out of work while disabled, she began work with the ORSC, who worked individually and creatively with her to find ways to accommodate her disability, while assisting her in securing gainful employment.
In order to ease her orthopedic difficulties, the ORSC, after securing her computer, was also able to load onto it a voice-activated software program called Dragon Dictate. This allowed the woman to direct her computer functions with her voice, rather than through the keyboard. Moreover, the ORSC also purchased access to ACT for the young woman. ACT was a sales software system used then, and was known for its assistance in helping its users to develop and build their sales in a wide variety of applications.
Armed with these tools, the woman was hired by a home-based sales firm which provided various sales support services to other numerous associations and businesses. Her employer has commented, "While she has never had structured sales training, her work in her previous job provided her with the significant attributes of attention to detail and self discipline -- critical keys to success in sales."
Like most employers, both of the ones just mentioned were seeking employees who are attentive to detail, are self-disciplined and have a strong work ethic, just like the attributes held by most people with disabilities who want to work, have employable skills and are ready to contribute their talents to a willing employer.
The ever-burgeoning availability of PCs, armed with the great equalizing force of the Internet, has opened up a host of new employment opportunities and options for many people with disabilities. It just takes an employer with vision to take advantage of this new tool for their growth and the opening of new hiring possibilities for people with disabilities. Of course, the person with a disability who has those attributes and the desire to work at finding and securing that job is still the key ingredient.
Paul Rendine is chairman of the Disability Advocates of Delmarva Inc. group. Call him at 410-860-1137 or send e-mail to paulrendine@comcast.net.
For example, in "NewsNet," the magazine of the state of Ohio's Rehabilitation Services Commission, two people with disabilities were highlighted who were successfully and gainfully employed from their homes with the use of their own PCs. One individual was visually impaired, while the second was dealing with a significant orthopedic disorder. The first individual was in her mid-20s, while the second person was in her mid-30s.
The visually impaired person became a successful employee for an Ohio medical trans- cription firm through a combination of her own hard work and the assistance of her ORSC rehabilitation team. After graduating from her local community college where she developed an interest in pursuing a career in medical transcription, the first young woman determined that there was also a career center in the area that offered (among other specialties) courses in both medical terminology and medical transcription, both job specialties which are still in demand today.
She was also able to secure her required textbooks on audio discs, while further using a program called Victor Pro to access the large amount of material which needed to be memorized. Moreover, this same young woman was able to take the majority of her needed courses at home. She even received her materials in a usable format via e-mail and took weekly tests with the assistance of a friend who read the questions to her.
After a three-month trial period, she was hired full time by a medical transcription firm. Her employer still characterizes her as "having the many qualities that I look for in an employee, such as confidence in her abilities. She has also overcome many obstacles by initiating solutions on her own. I was also impressed by her perseverance."
The orthopedically disabled young woman had been working for more than 15 years for the same company, which made the decision to close its operations in Ohio. Consequently, after finding herself out of work while disabled, she began work with the ORSC, who worked individually and creatively with her to find ways to accommodate her disability, while assisting her in securing gainful employment.
In order to ease her orthopedic difficulties, the ORSC, after securing her computer, was also able to load onto it a voice-activated software program called Dragon Dictate. This allowed the woman to direct her computer functions with her voice, rather than through the keyboard. Moreover, the ORSC also purchased access to ACT for the young woman. ACT was a sales software system used then, and was known for its assistance in helping its users to develop and build their sales in a wide variety of applications.
Armed with these tools, the woman was hired by a home-based sales firm which provided various sales support services to other numerous associations and businesses. Her employer has commented, "While she has never had structured sales training, her work in her previous job provided her with the significant attributes of attention to detail and self discipline -- critical keys to success in sales."
Like most employers, both of the ones just mentioned were seeking employees who are attentive to detail, are self-disciplined and have a strong work ethic, just like the attributes held by most people with disabilities who want to work, have employable skills and are ready to contribute their talents to a willing employer.
The ever-burgeoning availability of PCs, armed with the great equalizing force of the Internet, has opened up a host of new employment opportunities and options for many people with disabilities. It just takes an employer with vision to take advantage of this new tool for their growth and the opening of new hiring possibilities for people with disabilities. Of course, the person with a disability who has those attributes and the desire to work at finding and securing that job is still the key ingredient.
Paul Rendine is chairman of the Disability Advocates of Delmarva Inc. group. Call him at 410-860-1137 or send e-mail to paulrendine@comcast.net.
Labels: Employment
10 August 2008
Jemmaâs set to make a splash!
Pool star feels good for Beijing
JEMMA LOWE has not long passed her driving test and will still very much be wearing her sporting L-plates in Beijing.
READY FOR ACTION: Jemma Lowe with coach Graeme Anthwhistle
The 18-year-old swimmer - whose campaign begins tomorrow with the 100m butterfly heats - is in uncharted territory as one of three Teessiders making their Olympic debuts in China but is determined to rise to the occasion at the Water Cube aquatic centre.
Judging by her form this year, the Hartlepool teenager stands every chance of enhancing her reputation as one of the brightest young talents in British swimming - and possibly winning a medal.
She swam a near three-second personal best in April to win the 200m butterfly at the British Championships, which doubled as the Olympic trials, and won silver in the 100m. Then she followed up with an outstanding two World Short Course Championship bronze medals in the 100m butterfly and medley relay in Manchester.
And her personal best times, which include two British long course records of 57.78sec and 2min 6.64sec for the 100m and 200m butterfly, are among the fastest in the world this year and rank on the all-time global list.
Jemma, who will be swimming the 100m and 200m butterfly in Beijing, along with the 4x100m medley relay, said the success has strengthened her inner belief as she keeps a level head for the 29th Games.
âThe times I got at the trials made me think I had a chance of getting a medal at the Worlds,â said the Borough of Stockton Swim Scheme star.
âIâd never even thought of that before. That has given me a boost for Beijing but I donât want to get too excited.
âIâve just got to keep focused and do my best. Iâm not nervous at all, Iâm more excited than anything.â
The former High Tunstall School pupil said it is the realisation of a lifelong ambition to be going to the Olympics - but stressed that she is treating it like any other event.
âItâs my first time at the Olympics and it means everything to me to be going,â she said.
âIâve been training for 10 years, all of those lengths of the pool and all that swimming takes up a lot of my time and a lot of my social time.
âI donât get much time for that and obviously the Olympics is the biggest thing in sport.
âItâs the highest level and why everyone does sport. People say itâs just an experience because of the London Games coming up 2012.
âBut I think itâs going to be just as hard qualifying for 2012 as it was this year.
âBecause there are always young, new people coming up all the time. Iâm just going to go for it this time, Iâm not going to make up the numbers.
âIt was never really about 2008 for us, the main one had always been 2012.
âBut I donât see it as coming four years early because Iâve been working really hard.
âIâm going to go for it and try my very best and see what happens.
âItâs another competition at the end of the day. Iâve competed in so many competitions and just think of all the stuff Iâve had to do to get there and of the things Iâve been through.â
Jemma, who has overcome a back injury to qualify, is Hartlepoolâs first Olympian for 40 years - swimmers Margaret Auton and Dorothy Harrison were the townâs last representatives in Mexico 1968.
âItâs crazy to be the first Olympian from Hartlepool for so long and Iâm proud to be keeping up the tradition,â she said.
And, unlike in the 2006 Commonwealth Games when she swam for Wales, she will be accompanied by club coach Graeme Anthwhistle, who is part of the GB Olympic coaching set-up.
âI was really happy when I found out Graeme was going because he knows what Iâm like,â she said of the mentor who has overseen her rise through the swimming ranks.
Jemma believes the 200m butterfly represents her best chance of a top placing and expects the heats to be even more intense than the finals.
She said: âIâve always preferred the
100, probably because itâs shorter!
âBut my 200 always seems to get me up there. I looked at the results from last time and most of the semi-final times were faster than the final because everyone maxes out in the semis to get into the final.â
Australian Jessicah Schipper and Polandâs Otylia Jedrzejczak are the established butterfly powerhouses and event favourites, and Jemma hopes to be at the front of a fiercely competitive chasing pack with little to choose between them.
âThey will be my biggest rivals, along with a Japanese girl, and we donât know what the Chinese will do because they arenât anywhere in the rankings,â said the ex-English Martyrs Sixth Form student.
âThere is always the one random one that comes through that no-one has heard of before as well.â
Hartlepoolâs Sports Personality of the Year is currently completing her Olympic build-up in Osaka, Japan with the rest of the British Swimming squad.
Training aside and her immediate aim is to stay healthy and avoid any last-minute minor colds or viruses - and any self-inflicted injuries.
âThings are falling into place hopefully. Iâm injury and niggle-free,â she said.
âAlthough having said that, Iâm a bit accident-prone! My first nationals when I was 12 I broke my toe on a plant pot two weeks before.
âAnd when I went to Mexico on an altitude training camp I was running down a ramp and didnât even fall over but my knee went and I did a medial ligament.
âSo itâs no running down ramps or gardening between now and Beijing!â
Britainâs swimmers, like their cycling counterparts, excelled at this yearâs World Championships in taking a record 24 medals, three of them gold.
And Jemma feels they can maintain their high standards in the Far East.
âI think and hope Britain will do better than we have ever done,â she said.
Labels: Sports
09 August 2008
Wheelchair rights scale Everest
Today, Aaron Shelbourne had an extra-happy birthday. There was the looming possibility that it wouldnât be so, however, as his party plans involved staging a protest outside Everest restaurant on Queen Street West in response to the discriminatory treatment he allegedly endured while dining there in mid-March. Aaron has cerebral palsy and is confined to a motorized wheelchair. He has to travel with an aide and communicates through Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC), but is well aware of his surroundings and understands when people talk to him. Even after a few minutes speaking with him through the help of his aide Jonah, itâs easy to see that the words and phrases he chooses from an AAC board using eye movement and nods of his head are just a fraction of what he is trying to express. Though wheelchair bound, he is often out and about in the city, and last week was even in Montreal attending a conference on AAC.
But during his last meal at Everest, as Jonah explained to a crowd of about 35 gathered in front of the restaurant, when Aaron had to use the washroom his wheelchair nicked the bathroom door because it wasnât easily accessible. Then, as Aaron and his aide were leaving the restaurant, they were asked not to come back. According to a letter that Aaron sent to the owner after the incident, manager Karma Sanchok said that the restaurant was newly renovated and wheelchairs arenât welcome because they cause damage. The appalling logic of this accusation is almost something straight out of a Family Guy episode.
Aaron returned to the restaurant on March 28 with supporters from the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) and DAMN2025 asking for a public apology, but was met with considerable hostility and a litany of excuses, captured on this (questionably edited) video. With a Facebook group going strong at nearly 1,300 members Aaron was back again today with his simple, but significant request that the owners apologize, or else he would be pursuing a human rights claim.
Admittedly, trying to find a washroom when youâre healthy and able-bodied, just wandering around on Queen Street, can be a bladder-straining exercise in intestinal fortitude. It usually requires standing in line at Starbucks, or sweet talking your way past a sales associate or breaking down and buying something inconsequential to justify your presence as a âcustomerâ â that is if the establishment in question even has a public restroom at all. But try going through this same quest for the porcelain grail when confined to a wheelchair.
This barrier is only compounded by a distinctly Torontonian architectural quirk: most of the great little restaurants that are both affordable and hip have their toilets located down a steep and narrow flight of stairs in the basement of whichever ancient building they occupy. Ironically, Everest has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Aaron was simply unaware of them, and directed his aide to take him to the most obvious one. In a city where accessible washrooms are scarce, I canât imagine that Aaron would be basing this decision on anything other than reactive instinct to try and make due.
While the exact exchange between Sanchok and Aaronâs aide is still not entirely clear, the restaurateur was willing to apologize today, and even offered for him and his aide to come and enjoy a free birthday lunch any time. Sanchok maintains that Everest is wheelchair accessible and that Aaron is welcome any time. Aaron seemed satisfied with the apology, but expressed frustration with the original discrimination and the way that everything played out in the first place. They asked that Everest take better care to make disabled customers aware of the washroom because, says Jonah, âWhatâs the point of having one if you donât make people aware of it?â
This story may have had a happy ending, but itâs still amazing that in running a business of any kind, you could be so ignorant of the very people you are trying to serve. Whether itâs providing wheelchair accessible washrooms or something as simple as communicating with disabled patrons, there should be no need for excuses. But when even extending the basic courtesy of allowing disabled people in the front door is still a step away for many Toronto establishments, sometimes this city seems to exist in some kind of dark age of accessibility. Next time the reaction may be a little more drastic.
But during his last meal at Everest, as Jonah explained to a crowd of about 35 gathered in front of the restaurant, when Aaron had to use the washroom his wheelchair nicked the bathroom door because it wasnât easily accessible. Then, as Aaron and his aide were leaving the restaurant, they were asked not to come back. According to a letter that Aaron sent to the owner after the incident, manager Karma Sanchok said that the restaurant was newly renovated and wheelchairs arenât welcome because they cause damage. The appalling logic of this accusation is almost something straight out of a Family Guy episode.
Aaron returned to the restaurant on March 28 with supporters from the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) and DAMN2025 asking for a public apology, but was met with considerable hostility and a litany of excuses, captured on this (questionably edited) video. With a Facebook group going strong at nearly 1,300 members Aaron was back again today with his simple, but significant request that the owners apologize, or else he would be pursuing a human rights claim.
Admittedly, trying to find a washroom when youâre healthy and able-bodied, just wandering around on Queen Street, can be a bladder-straining exercise in intestinal fortitude. It usually requires standing in line at Starbucks, or sweet talking your way past a sales associate or breaking down and buying something inconsequential to justify your presence as a âcustomerâ â that is if the establishment in question even has a public restroom at all. But try going through this same quest for the porcelain grail when confined to a wheelchair.
This barrier is only compounded by a distinctly Torontonian architectural quirk: most of the great little restaurants that are both affordable and hip have their toilets located down a steep and narrow flight of stairs in the basement of whichever ancient building they occupy. Ironically, Everest has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Aaron was simply unaware of them, and directed his aide to take him to the most obvious one. In a city where accessible washrooms are scarce, I canât imagine that Aaron would be basing this decision on anything other than reactive instinct to try and make due.
While the exact exchange between Sanchok and Aaronâs aide is still not entirely clear, the restaurateur was willing to apologize today, and even offered for him and his aide to come and enjoy a free birthday lunch any time. Sanchok maintains that Everest is wheelchair accessible and that Aaron is welcome any time. Aaron seemed satisfied with the apology, but expressed frustration with the original discrimination and the way that everything played out in the first place. They asked that Everest take better care to make disabled customers aware of the washroom because, says Jonah, âWhatâs the point of having one if you donât make people aware of it?â
This story may have had a happy ending, but itâs still amazing that in running a business of any kind, you could be so ignorant of the very people you are trying to serve. Whether itâs providing wheelchair accessible washrooms or something as simple as communicating with disabled patrons, there should be no need for excuses. But when even extending the basic courtesy of allowing disabled people in the front door is still a step away for many Toronto establishments, sometimes this city seems to exist in some kind of dark age of accessibility. Next time the reaction may be a little more drastic.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, wheelchairs
Disabled student refused access to Coventry bus
A DISABLED student was outraged when he was told he couldn't get on a bus because his wheelchair was too big.
The bus pulled away and left 23-year-old James Cullis at the side of the street.
The Warwick University student, of Gibbet Hill, Coventry, was ready to get on board a bus in New Union Street, city centre, last Thursday lunchtime.
But the driver refused to let him on. James says the driver told him the wheelchair was too large to get on the vehicle.
James, who was born with cerebral palsy, usually pays for a Daysaver ticket but had to shell out ÂŁ10 for a taxi to get home.
He was waiting for the bus after shopping for food with his carer in the city centre.
The full-time Warwick University student, who has just finished his masters in politics and is waiting for the results, has never been denied access to the No 12 bus before.
James said: "I got so angry and lost my temper - he didn't even drive the bus up to the pavement to give me a chance.
"He said my wheelchair was too big for the bus and drove off.
"The law says disabled people have a right just like anybody else to go on public transport.
"Something must be done to stop this happening again. I want to take this further - they can't get away with treating people like that.
"This was a legal infringement of my rights and as a member of the public I deserve to use the service without this problem."
A spokesman for Travel Coventry said: "We would like to publicly apologise to Mr Cullis.
"We carry hundreds of disabled people on our buses every day and have launched an investigation into the particular incident.
"It seems that we have not hit our usual high standards of customer care but we wish to welcome him back on board our bus as soon as possible."
The bus pulled away and left 23-year-old James Cullis at the side of the street.
The Warwick University student, of Gibbet Hill, Coventry, was ready to get on board a bus in New Union Street, city centre, last Thursday lunchtime.
But the driver refused to let him on. James says the driver told him the wheelchair was too large to get on the vehicle.
James, who was born with cerebral palsy, usually pays for a Daysaver ticket but had to shell out ÂŁ10 for a taxi to get home.
He was waiting for the bus after shopping for food with his carer in the city centre.
The full-time Warwick University student, who has just finished his masters in politics and is waiting for the results, has never been denied access to the No 12 bus before.
James said: "I got so angry and lost my temper - he didn't even drive the bus up to the pavement to give me a chance.
"He said my wheelchair was too big for the bus and drove off.
"The law says disabled people have a right just like anybody else to go on public transport.
"Something must be done to stop this happening again. I want to take this further - they can't get away with treating people like that.
"This was a legal infringement of my rights and as a member of the public I deserve to use the service without this problem."
A spokesman for Travel Coventry said: "We would like to publicly apologise to Mr Cullis.
"We carry hundreds of disabled people on our buses every day and have launched an investigation into the particular incident.
"It seems that we have not hit our usual high standards of customer care but we wish to welcome him back on board our bus as soon as possible."
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, wheelchairs
Paralympian prepares for fourth Games
PARALYMPIAN Stephen Payton is hoping to complete a quartet of success at this year's games in Beijing.
The athlete will be running in his fourth and final Paralympics next month.
Despite this competition being his last, Mr Payton aims to equal his personal best for the 400m.
The 31-year-old, from Westoe Crown Village, South Shields, works as a sports therapy technician at the University of Teesside.
He was born with minimal cerebral palsy, the least affected category of the condition's seven levels.
Originally from Livingston, Scotland, he started running at the age of 11, and became involved in disability sports five years later after a chance meeting with Pete Wyman, a national Scottish coach.
Since 1994 he has competed for the UK, running in both the 200m and 400m.
He has clinched a 400m gold medal at Atlanta in 1996, a silver in Sydney 2000 and bronze at the last games in Athens four years ago.
His week includes 30 hours training at Gateshead International Stadium, Gypsies Green Stadium in South Shields, the University's gym and runs on South Shields beach.
Mr Payton said: "I'm looking forward to the Paralympics as a whole.
"It's a fantastic experience to be in this very unique competition.
"I feel confident that I can catch up to my personal best of 51.3 seconds for the 400m in Sydney.
"The medal I'm most proud of is the bronze in Athens, as I'd fractured my right ankle nine months before."
Before flying to Beijing, Mr Payton aims to use the Environmental Chamber in the University's Olympia Building.
This simulates extreme temperatures for athletes to prepare them for competing in different climates.
He said: "I'll also be watching the Olympics this month. I want to see what's happening and how the athletes are coping with the smog and humidity."
Mr Payton will fly to Manuca, a Portuguese enclave on mainland China, at the end of the month and then travels to Beijing on September 5 to prepare for the qualifying rounds.
He added: "I'll still be involved in sport at some level but my immediate needs are my wife Silvia and our child, whose birth is due any time.
"And I won't miss fitting my life and work around my training schedule!"
The athlete will be running in his fourth and final Paralympics next month.
Despite this competition being his last, Mr Payton aims to equal his personal best for the 400m.
The 31-year-old, from Westoe Crown Village, South Shields, works as a sports therapy technician at the University of Teesside.
He was born with minimal cerebral palsy, the least affected category of the condition's seven levels.
Originally from Livingston, Scotland, he started running at the age of 11, and became involved in disability sports five years later after a chance meeting with Pete Wyman, a national Scottish coach.
Since 1994 he has competed for the UK, running in both the 200m and 400m.
He has clinched a 400m gold medal at Atlanta in 1996, a silver in Sydney 2000 and bronze at the last games in Athens four years ago.
His week includes 30 hours training at Gateshead International Stadium, Gypsies Green Stadium in South Shields, the University's gym and runs on South Shields beach.
Mr Payton said: "I'm looking forward to the Paralympics as a whole.
"It's a fantastic experience to be in this very unique competition.
"I feel confident that I can catch up to my personal best of 51.3 seconds for the 400m in Sydney.
"The medal I'm most proud of is the bronze in Athens, as I'd fractured my right ankle nine months before."
Before flying to Beijing, Mr Payton aims to use the Environmental Chamber in the University's Olympia Building.
This simulates extreme temperatures for athletes to prepare them for competing in different climates.
He said: "I'll also be watching the Olympics this month. I want to see what's happening and how the athletes are coping with the smog and humidity."
Mr Payton will fly to Manuca, a Portuguese enclave on mainland China, at the end of the month and then travels to Beijing on September 5 to prepare for the qualifying rounds.
He added: "I'll still be involved in sport at some level but my immediate needs are my wife Silvia and our child, whose birth is due any time.
"And I won't miss fitting my life and work around my training schedule!"
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Sports
Special sports day held for disabled pupils
LAUGHTER and fun filled the air at this special sports day for disabled pupils at the Percy Hedley Foundation in Forest Hall.
The pupils would not be able to enjoy the activities without extra support â and extra funding to pay for it.
But thanks to a cash boost of more than ÂŁ5,000, around 100 youngsters were able to enjoy a fun-filled day like any able-bodied pupils.
The sports day was held as part of the summer school activities taking place during the holidays at Percy Hedley School.
Children had the chance to try out powerchair football, which uses electric wheelchairs to play a ball game now recognised by the Football Association.
They also played wheelchair basketball and relay races with water as well as egg-and-spoon races and raft races. Fundraiser Des Bustard, from the school, said: âEvents like our sports day gives so much joy to our students and their families.
âWe do not receive statutory funding during the school holidays and therefore without donations we would be unable to organise a summer school for our students.
âIt was fun and games with the emphasis on making it an enjoyable day with activities for everyone.â
The Percy Hedley Foundation supports children with disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy to communication and learning difficulties.
Its summer school was granted an award of ÂŁ5,517 from the Postcode Lottery, which has just given out more than ÂŁ53,000 worth of cheques to charities in the North East.
Other groups to benefit include Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Mencap North East and Help the Aged.
The pupils would not be able to enjoy the activities without extra support â and extra funding to pay for it.
But thanks to a cash boost of more than ÂŁ5,000, around 100 youngsters were able to enjoy a fun-filled day like any able-bodied pupils.
The sports day was held as part of the summer school activities taking place during the holidays at Percy Hedley School.
Children had the chance to try out powerchair football, which uses electric wheelchairs to play a ball game now recognised by the Football Association.
They also played wheelchair basketball and relay races with water as well as egg-and-spoon races and raft races. Fundraiser Des Bustard, from the school, said: âEvents like our sports day gives so much joy to our students and their families.
âWe do not receive statutory funding during the school holidays and therefore without donations we would be unable to organise a summer school for our students.
âIt was fun and games with the emphasis on making it an enjoyable day with activities for everyone.â
The Percy Hedley Foundation supports children with disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy to communication and learning difficulties.
Its summer school was granted an award of ÂŁ5,517 from the Postcode Lottery, which has just given out more than ÂŁ53,000 worth of cheques to charities in the North East.
Other groups to benefit include Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Mencap North East and Help the Aged.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, holiday, Sports
Highway code issued for mobility scooters
Mobility scooters, capable of hitting speeds up 8mph, are being kept in check by a new highway code, warning users of the dangers of speeding and drink driving.
It is hoped the booklet will help enforce the strict 4mph rule (8mph on the road) and convey the dangers the elderly and disabled face on the vehicles.
Herefordshire Council has spent hundreds of pounds drawing up the booklet, which features cartoon characters in various scenarios, such as one man who has got his scarf caught under his wheel, and a granny caught up in traffic.
The guidelines helpfully advise users: "Do not use your scooter if you have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs".
It warns users: "Make sure that you know what all the switches and levers on your scooter do, and that you can control it properly before you go out on it."
It points out the potential pitfalls scooter users face, telling them to plan their journey accordingly and make sure they have enough battery power as "steep hills, high kerbs or other obstructions may make it impossible to tackle certain routes".
The new code also forbid extra passengers from hitching a ride - including pets which may prove a distraction.
Road Safety Officer Ann Mann said 500 of the booklets had been made up with a view for more to be produced and possibly rolled out to other areas should they prove successful.
She said: "Any vehicle, whether it is a car, HGV, bicycle, mobility scooter or motorcycle, if not used safely and with consideration could cause considerable damage to the user or other people.
"We've done this as a little reminder and we've put it into a nice and easy format so that people can understand the responsibilities mobility scooter users have."
Mobility scooter user, Irene Bickington, from Coventry, who has cerebral palsy, said: "It seems like a waste of money to me.
"I can see their intentions and perhaps some of it does make sense, but I can't see many scooter users being big drink and drugs users.
"Saying 'make sure you know what everything does on your scooter' is a little bit patronising. What do they take us for?
"Some of the advice does make sense, I'll give them that, but a lot of it is just barmy."
Earlier this week, an 81-year-old man was stopped by the police for driving his 8mph mobility scooter on a high-speed dual carriageway.
When police attempted to intervene, the man, who was not named, complained he found other roads "too slow".
The driver set off from his home on Hayling Island near Havant in the morning, heading for an electronics shop seven miles away in Farlington on the outskirts of Portsmouth, before being picked up by the police and given a lift home in a van.
He was not breaking the law however, as legally mobility scooters can be driven on dual carriageways, although police strongly advise against it.
It is hoped the booklet will help enforce the strict 4mph rule (8mph on the road) and convey the dangers the elderly and disabled face on the vehicles.
Herefordshire Council has spent hundreds of pounds drawing up the booklet, which features cartoon characters in various scenarios, such as one man who has got his scarf caught under his wheel, and a granny caught up in traffic.
The guidelines helpfully advise users: "Do not use your scooter if you have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs".
It warns users: "Make sure that you know what all the switches and levers on your scooter do, and that you can control it properly before you go out on it."
It points out the potential pitfalls scooter users face, telling them to plan their journey accordingly and make sure they have enough battery power as "steep hills, high kerbs or other obstructions may make it impossible to tackle certain routes".
The new code also forbid extra passengers from hitching a ride - including pets which may prove a distraction.
Road Safety Officer Ann Mann said 500 of the booklets had been made up with a view for more to be produced and possibly rolled out to other areas should they prove successful.
She said: "Any vehicle, whether it is a car, HGV, bicycle, mobility scooter or motorcycle, if not used safely and with consideration could cause considerable damage to the user or other people.
"We've done this as a little reminder and we've put it into a nice and easy format so that people can understand the responsibilities mobility scooter users have."
Mobility scooter user, Irene Bickington, from Coventry, who has cerebral palsy, said: "It seems like a waste of money to me.
"I can see their intentions and perhaps some of it does make sense, but I can't see many scooter users being big drink and drugs users.
"Saying 'make sure you know what everything does on your scooter' is a little bit patronising. What do they take us for?
"Some of the advice does make sense, I'll give them that, but a lot of it is just barmy."
Earlier this week, an 81-year-old man was stopped by the police for driving his 8mph mobility scooter on a high-speed dual carriageway.
When police attempted to intervene, the man, who was not named, complained he found other roads "too slow".
The driver set off from his home on Hayling Island near Havant in the morning, heading for an electronics shop seven miles away in Farlington on the outskirts of Portsmouth, before being picked up by the police and given a lift home in a van.
He was not breaking the law however, as legally mobility scooters can be driven on dual carriageways, although police strongly advise against it.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy
Creative Hands therapy benefits those with limited mobility
Art meets medicine in a unique form of vocational therapy that employees of Avenues adult vocational rehabilitation program in Pottville are learning.
Through the Creative Hands pottery program, which began last month, employees are learning a new skill that also has therapeutic benefits, said Denise Keitsock, the program supervisor at Lessieâs Greenhouse and Gift Shop, a supervised vocational rehabilitation workshop for individuals who are physically and/or mentally challenged.
Working with the pliable clay increases and improves strength, flexibility and dexterity, which is particularly beneficial for those who may have limited or impaired mobility or stiffness in their fingers, hands and upper body, Keitsock said.
âItâs also a real good way to build confidence and self-esteem, and a sense of achievement,â she said. âThe pottery workshop is one of the many things Avenues employees are learning which will help them seek employment in the competitive work force.â
Approximately 30 adults work in the supervised workshop, which is located in the Avenues building at 2 Park St., Agricultural Park, Pottsville.
Mary Byrne, owner of the Mad Potter, Pottsville, helped the group get started by donating the use of her kiln to fire the molded pieces.
âWhen I first heard about it, I thought it was an excellent idea,â she said. âWorking with clay is very calming, very relaxing; I have customers all the time who tell me that itâs their form of therapy. And it does give a real sense of accomplishment. Youâre taking a piece of mud, and turning it into something useful, like a coffee mug or a plate, a bowl. Itâs a creative outlet.â
Using their hands to press and shape the clay, the employees design the brown stoneware into ashtrays, bowls, birdfeeders, plates and other functional items.
âEvery piece is as unique as each individual,â Keitsock said.
Theyâre called pinch pots because theyâre created by pinching the clay, she said.
Employees in the pottery workshop work on their projects in the activity room, and when the pieces are finished, theyâre delivered to Byrneâs shop at 6 S. Centre St., where she fires them in her kiln. The finished work is then sold in the Avenues gift shop.
Many of the employees in the pottery workshop also work in the carpentry and greenhouse occupational therapy program at Avenues.
The greenhouse is named after Lessie Weaver, the late daughter of Mal Weaver Bartram, a founding member of United Cerebral Palsy of Schuylkill, Carbon and Northumberland counties.
The agency was founded as UCP in 1952 by a group of parents, and now serves the diverse needs of people with cerebral palsy as well as many different disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism and pervasive developmental disorder.
When the name was changed to Avenues in 2004, the UCP Greenhouse was renamed as a tribute to Bartramâs daughter, who suffered from cerebral palsy.
In the greenhouse program, Avenues employees learn all types of planting skills, working with greenhouse supervisors and program specialists.
They grow seasonal flowers that they sell to the public during seasonal community sales, as well as balloon bouquets, gift baskets, seasonal items, dried arrangements and other creative items.
In the Trash to Treasures carpentry program employees take apart, refinish and paint old donated items, and transform them into decorative and functional household objects like coat-racks, plant stands, shelves, furniture, bookcases, tables and picture frames.
Through the Creative Hands pottery program, which began last month, employees are learning a new skill that also has therapeutic benefits, said Denise Keitsock, the program supervisor at Lessieâs Greenhouse and Gift Shop, a supervised vocational rehabilitation workshop for individuals who are physically and/or mentally challenged.
Working with the pliable clay increases and improves strength, flexibility and dexterity, which is particularly beneficial for those who may have limited or impaired mobility or stiffness in their fingers, hands and upper body, Keitsock said.
âItâs also a real good way to build confidence and self-esteem, and a sense of achievement,â she said. âThe pottery workshop is one of the many things Avenues employees are learning which will help them seek employment in the competitive work force.â
Approximately 30 adults work in the supervised workshop, which is located in the Avenues building at 2 Park St., Agricultural Park, Pottsville.
Mary Byrne, owner of the Mad Potter, Pottsville, helped the group get started by donating the use of her kiln to fire the molded pieces.
âWhen I first heard about it, I thought it was an excellent idea,â she said. âWorking with clay is very calming, very relaxing; I have customers all the time who tell me that itâs their form of therapy. And it does give a real sense of accomplishment. Youâre taking a piece of mud, and turning it into something useful, like a coffee mug or a plate, a bowl. Itâs a creative outlet.â
Using their hands to press and shape the clay, the employees design the brown stoneware into ashtrays, bowls, birdfeeders, plates and other functional items.
âEvery piece is as unique as each individual,â Keitsock said.
Theyâre called pinch pots because theyâre created by pinching the clay, she said.
Employees in the pottery workshop work on their projects in the activity room, and when the pieces are finished, theyâre delivered to Byrneâs shop at 6 S. Centre St., where she fires them in her kiln. The finished work is then sold in the Avenues gift shop.
Many of the employees in the pottery workshop also work in the carpentry and greenhouse occupational therapy program at Avenues.
The greenhouse is named after Lessie Weaver, the late daughter of Mal Weaver Bartram, a founding member of United Cerebral Palsy of Schuylkill, Carbon and Northumberland counties.
The agency was founded as UCP in 1952 by a group of parents, and now serves the diverse needs of people with cerebral palsy as well as many different disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism and pervasive developmental disorder.
When the name was changed to Avenues in 2004, the UCP Greenhouse was renamed as a tribute to Bartramâs daughter, who suffered from cerebral palsy.
In the greenhouse program, Avenues employees learn all types of planting skills, working with greenhouse supervisors and program specialists.
They grow seasonal flowers that they sell to the public during seasonal community sales, as well as balloon bouquets, gift baskets, seasonal items, dried arrangements and other creative items.
In the Trash to Treasures carpentry program employees take apart, refinish and paint old donated items, and transform them into decorative and functional household objects like coat-racks, plant stands, shelves, furniture, bookcases, tables and picture frames.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, Employment, Occupational Therapy
Schools out or should that be works out
Well I am pleased to say that I am in my element this week, I am off work next week for the first time in months, it's been a long time since I have had a break from work as we have been so busy, but I am looking forward too it, and also the olympics have started so I'm happy as I love watching the sports.
It has been a while since I gave an update on things for Mum and its because we have been busy with Physio and hospital appointments, but Mum finally got discharged from the consultant as everything has healed up so now she can concentrate on mastering her limb.
In terms of her limb, she is doing really well in my opinion and is able to keep the limb on for longer and is walking more each time, she doesn't wear it everyday but we are building up on that.
Mum and I are looking forward to our first shopping trip next week on our own, well I have organised with Shopmobility to have a volunteer come with us to help push Mum as she finds pushing the wheelchair very tiring and hard work, I will let you know how we get on, shop till we drop!!!! is what I say
It has been a while since I gave an update on things for Mum and its because we have been busy with Physio and hospital appointments, but Mum finally got discharged from the consultant as everything has healed up so now she can concentrate on mastering her limb.
In terms of her limb, she is doing really well in my opinion and is able to keep the limb on for longer and is walking more each time, she doesn't wear it everyday but we are building up on that.
Mum and I are looking forward to our first shopping trip next week on our own, well I have organised with Shopmobility to have a volunteer come with us to help push Mum as she finds pushing the wheelchair very tiring and hard work, I will let you know how we get on, shop till we drop!!!! is what I say
Labels: wheelchairs
07 August 2008
Scheme helps disabled 999 callers
A database for people with disabilities which helps them make contact with police is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.
People with a speech impediment can register with the police and are given a personal identification number (PIN).
The original idea came from Chris Channon, a Nottinghamshire man with cerebral palsy.
Called Pegasus, the scheme means police know the nature of the disability and that the call is not a hoax.
The Pegasus system gives a pin number to those that need help when calling 999.
It has been piloted in Nottinghamshire since April.
Mr Channon said: "The development and piloting of the Pegasus pin code database is a radically new approach to providing 999 access to people with speech impairments.
"Knowing that the police are willing to listen helps me to live in the community with a greater degree of confidence."
When people registered with Pegasus contact the police they need only quote their PIN number which stops the caller having to spend valuable time trying to give personal details.
Insp Tony Dennis from Nottinghamshire Police said: "If a PIN number is quoted we will know that it's not a hoax call if someone doesn't speak straightaway.
"The pilot has gone well and we are now ready for other people with disabilities to register."
Watch film
People with a speech impediment can register with the police and are given a personal identification number (PIN).
The original idea came from Chris Channon, a Nottinghamshire man with cerebral palsy.
Called Pegasus, the scheme means police know the nature of the disability and that the call is not a hoax.
The Pegasus system gives a pin number to those that need help when calling 999.
It has been piloted in Nottinghamshire since April.
Mr Channon said: "The development and piloting of the Pegasus pin code database is a radically new approach to providing 999 access to people with speech impairments.
"Knowing that the police are willing to listen helps me to live in the community with a greater degree of confidence."
When people registered with Pegasus contact the police they need only quote their PIN number which stops the caller having to spend valuable time trying to give personal details.
Insp Tony Dennis from Nottinghamshire Police said: "If a PIN number is quoted we will know that it's not a hoax call if someone doesn't speak straightaway.
"The pilot has gone well and we are now ready for other people with disabilities to register."
Watch film
Labels: Cerebral Palsy
New opportunity in the workplace
THE Remploy factory in Poole, which has disabled staff, has been the focus of attention in recent months over a battle to secure its future.
The reports reminded Margaret Stark, nĂŠe Linch, of the 1950s when her father Alfred was employed at the factory which was set up under the 1944 Disabled Persons (Employment) Act by Ernest Bevin, then Minister of Labour.
The company was formally founded in April 1945, and the first Remploy factory opened in 1946 making furniture and violins at Bridgend in South Wales where many of the workers were disabled ex-miners.
The name was derived from the word "re-employ" and adopted in 1946 as Remploy, until then called the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation.
The company went on to develop factories throughout the UK where school furniture, motor components and chemical, biological and nuclear protection suits for police and military in Britain and overseas were manufactured.
With the decline in manufacturing in the UK in the 1980s Remploy looked at other ways of employing disabled people and expanded into the service sector, creating businesses such as E-Cycle and helping people find work with other companies.
They offer advice, pre-employment training, employment opportunities and support for disabled people and those with a health condition, and also employers on relevant issues in the workplace.
Margaret, who lives in Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, worked at Remploy for two years in the early 50s as one of the able-bodied staff before she married Michael.
Her father Alfred lived in Trafalgar Road as a boy and when he became a postman in the Winton area lived in Moordown until he had to give up his job because of ill health.
He then became a verger at St Marks' Church, Talbot Village, and when his health worsened he got a job at Remploy.
The reports reminded Margaret Stark, nĂŠe Linch, of the 1950s when her father Alfred was employed at the factory which was set up under the 1944 Disabled Persons (Employment) Act by Ernest Bevin, then Minister of Labour.
The company was formally founded in April 1945, and the first Remploy factory opened in 1946 making furniture and violins at Bridgend in South Wales where many of the workers were disabled ex-miners.
The name was derived from the word "re-employ" and adopted in 1946 as Remploy, until then called the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation.
The company went on to develop factories throughout the UK where school furniture, motor components and chemical, biological and nuclear protection suits for police and military in Britain and overseas were manufactured.
With the decline in manufacturing in the UK in the 1980s Remploy looked at other ways of employing disabled people and expanded into the service sector, creating businesses such as E-Cycle and helping people find work with other companies.
They offer advice, pre-employment training, employment opportunities and support for disabled people and those with a health condition, and also employers on relevant issues in the workplace.
Margaret, who lives in Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, worked at Remploy for two years in the early 50s as one of the able-bodied staff before she married Michael.
Her father Alfred lived in Trafalgar Road as a boy and when he became a postman in the Winton area lived in Moordown until he had to give up his job because of ill health.
He then became a verger at St Marks' Church, Talbot Village, and when his health worsened he got a job at Remploy.
Labels: Employment
Ali gets Paralympic call-up
A Stafford woman is celebrating after being selected for the Beijing Olympic Games.
But instead of taking to the track and field herself, sports physiotherapist Ali Glover will be providing vital hands-on support to athletes.
Thatâs because Ali has been appointed lead physio for the Great Britain Paralympic Team, meaning she will be ensuring the muscles and joints of some of the best disabled competitors in the world are in tip-top condition. Most of the time, Ali works at Achilles Heal physiotherapy and sports injury clinic in Millbank.
But she is also a physiotherapist with UK Athletics and has been working at Loughboroughâs High Performance Centre, preparing athletes.
Ali will be joined by colleague Brett Nagata, who has been selected by Team Canada to be the physiotherapist with the Canadian wheelchair basketball team
But instead of taking to the track and field herself, sports physiotherapist Ali Glover will be providing vital hands-on support to athletes.
Thatâs because Ali has been appointed lead physio for the Great Britain Paralympic Team, meaning she will be ensuring the muscles and joints of some of the best disabled competitors in the world are in tip-top condition. Most of the time, Ali works at Achilles Heal physiotherapy and sports injury clinic in Millbank.
But she is also a physiotherapist with UK Athletics and has been working at Loughboroughâs High Performance Centre, preparing athletes.
Ali will be joined by colleague Brett Nagata, who has been selected by Team Canada to be the physiotherapist with the Canadian wheelchair basketball team
Labels: Physiotherapy, Sports
Miller is the king of clubs
STEPHEN MILLER is bidding for an incredible fourth consecutive gold medal in Beijing.
Paralympian Miller was born with cerebral palsy but has overcome his physical limitations to break world records and become an inspiration for other disabled athletes.
His discipline is contested by athletes with cerebral palsy who use a wheelchair. They sit and throw a wooden club â which looks like a skittle â backwards into the field of play.
Sounds easy, until you consider that Miller cannot tie his shoelaces or make a cup of tea because of his condition.
Miller, 28, won gold in the club throw in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. He is the world-record holder with throws in excess of 33 metres.
The Newcastle-born star recently published his autobiography titled âParalympianâ.
It was launched at St Jamesâ Park and fittingly for the Newcastle United fanatic, the forward was written by Toon boss Kevin Keegan.
Keegan, who has known Miller for a number of years, said: âI know how hard it is to compete at the highest level. Itâs no different in any sport.
âIt takes dedication, courage and self-belief. Stephen has those qualities in abundance. His story is inspiring.â
Miller said: âMy pals say Iâm too young to write an autobiography yet! Itâs taken me two years but Iâm glad I did it!â
The Paralympics â which start in Beijing on September 6 â began life 60 years ago in Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire.
Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a neurologist working with World War II veterans with spinal injuries at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, began using sport as a vital part of their rehabilitation.
These became known as the Stoke Mandeville Games and in July 1948, Guttmann established competitions to coincide with the London Olympics.
The Paralympics have since become the pinnacle of competition for disabled athletes.
Kelly Holmes, a BT ambassador, said: âThe Paralympics are the most inspirational Games and involve the most inspirational people imaginable.
âMany of those competing were once able-bodied but for one reason or another have lost limbs or are in wheelchairs.
âIf that happened to me I would be shattered but these are men and women who have turned that into something positive.
âThey still have to train hard and be dedicated and focused.
âI really hope when the Paralympics come to London in 2012 the whole nation will get behind them.â
Paralympian Miller was born with cerebral palsy but has overcome his physical limitations to break world records and become an inspiration for other disabled athletes.
His discipline is contested by athletes with cerebral palsy who use a wheelchair. They sit and throw a wooden club â which looks like a skittle â backwards into the field of play.
Sounds easy, until you consider that Miller cannot tie his shoelaces or make a cup of tea because of his condition.
Miller, 28, won gold in the club throw in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. He is the world-record holder with throws in excess of 33 metres.
The Newcastle-born star recently published his autobiography titled âParalympianâ.
It was launched at St Jamesâ Park and fittingly for the Newcastle United fanatic, the forward was written by Toon boss Kevin Keegan.
Keegan, who has known Miller for a number of years, said: âI know how hard it is to compete at the highest level. Itâs no different in any sport.
âIt takes dedication, courage and self-belief. Stephen has those qualities in abundance. His story is inspiring.â
Miller said: âMy pals say Iâm too young to write an autobiography yet! Itâs taken me two years but Iâm glad I did it!â
The Paralympics â which start in Beijing on September 6 â began life 60 years ago in Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire.
Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a neurologist working with World War II veterans with spinal injuries at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, began using sport as a vital part of their rehabilitation.
These became known as the Stoke Mandeville Games and in July 1948, Guttmann established competitions to coincide with the London Olympics.
The Paralympics have since become the pinnacle of competition for disabled athletes.
Kelly Holmes, a BT ambassador, said: âThe Paralympics are the most inspirational Games and involve the most inspirational people imaginable.
âMany of those competing were once able-bodied but for one reason or another have lost limbs or are in wheelchairs.
âIf that happened to me I would be shattered but these are men and women who have turned that into something positive.
âThey still have to train hard and be dedicated and focused.
âI really hope when the Paralympics come to London in 2012 the whole nation will get behind them.â
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Sports
06 August 2008
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius, a South African Paralympic runner missing both legs from the knee down, is known as âBlade Runnerâ due to the shape of his prosthetic legs that he wears during competition. Pistoriusâ reputation has also earned him the moniker âfastest man on no legs.â Modern technology has allowed Pistorius to bypass manual wheelchair racing events and still compete on two feet. He currently owns the double amputee world records in the 100, 200, and 400-meter sprints, which he has achieved while donning the Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fiber transtibial artificial limbs manufactured by Ossur.
In 2007, Pistorius participated in his first international raceâone for able-bodied runners. Of course, controversy followed him throughout the days approaching, during, and after the event because people questioned whether his bionic legs gave him an unfair edge over the fully-functional competitors. Also that year, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) modified its rulebook to prohibit the use of âany technical device that incorporates springs, wheels, or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device.â The organization maintained that the alteration was not targeting Pistorius in particular.
Scientists who monitored some of Pistoriusâ efforts at the track administered tests to determine whether he had a distinct advantage over runners without disabilities; they agreed that he did indeed. Based on these findings, IAAF declared him ineligible to take part in any event under its jurisdiction, meaning he was banned from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as well. This decision was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on May 16, 2008 on the grounds that the IAAF did not have enough evidence to substantiate its claim that the prostheses granted Pistorius superhuman ability.
After this ruling was reversed, Pistorius still had time to qualify for the Summer Olympics, but he failed to perform well enough to make the South African team. Even though he finished third in the 400-meter race in Lucerne, Switzerland on July 16, 2008 with a personal best time of 46.25 seconds, Pistorius fell just short of the Olympic qualifying minimum of 45.55 seconds. The South African Olympic Committee also overlooked him for the 4x400 meter relay squad because four other runners had attained better personal times. If he had been selected, Pistorius would have broken down a barrier by becoming the first leg amputee runner to ever compete in the history of the Olympics.
Now, Pistorius is setting his sights on the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He believes this is an achievable goal because sprinters typically reach the pinnacles of their careers between the ages of 26 and 29. Pistorius will be 25 by the games in London with two or three years of Olympic preparation training under his belt.
Labels: Sports
New and exciting opportunity for Disabled Travellers, their families and Carers
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our new project in France that is offering accessible and supported holidays for disabled people.
We are English, but have been living in France for 5 years and have spent that time renovating/converting an old cotton mill on the banks of the River Jaudy in La Roche Derrien.
The specific aim was to be able to offer a fully accessible environment where disabled people could come and stay, as individuals, groups or as a family and everybody could enjoy themselves and relax.
We not only offer the accommodation, but also equipment hire, adapted transport, support workers and much more. We are on hand at all times to ensure that peoples needs are met as far as possible.
The Cotton Mill has been transformed into six light and airy apartments, all with level access showers, raised toilets, grab rails, wheel under sinks, etc the garden itself is also accessible with large seating areas, bbq's, children's play area, etc too. With off road parking it is an ideal setting for anyone who wishes to visit the area.
There is a lot of information on our website - www.ineedaholidaytoo.com which has great photos of each apartment, the area, the equipment, has measurements of apartments, doors, heights of beds, etc. All the important things that invariably any disabled traveller would want to know in advance!
Best Wishes and thank you for your time.
Jacqui Alban
www.ineedaholidaytoo.com
We are English, but have been living in France for 5 years and have spent that time renovating/converting an old cotton mill on the banks of the River Jaudy in La Roche Derrien.
The specific aim was to be able to offer a fully accessible environment where disabled people could come and stay, as individuals, groups or as a family and everybody could enjoy themselves and relax.
We not only offer the accommodation, but also equipment hire, adapted transport, support workers and much more. We are on hand at all times to ensure that peoples needs are met as far as possible.
The Cotton Mill has been transformed into six light and airy apartments, all with level access showers, raised toilets, grab rails, wheel under sinks, etc the garden itself is also accessible with large seating areas, bbq's, children's play area, etc too. With off road parking it is an ideal setting for anyone who wishes to visit the area.
There is a lot of information on our website - www.ineedaholidaytoo.com which has great photos of each apartment, the area, the equipment, has measurements of apartments, doors, heights of beds, etc. All the important things that invariably any disabled traveller would want to know in advance!
Best Wishes and thank you for your time.
Jacqui Alban
www.ineedaholidaytoo.com
05 August 2008
SIRF Community Carnival
Stockton International Riverside Festival Community Carnival parade on Saturday brought the town centre to a standstill, as colourful dance, theatre and youth groups took to the streets to bang the drum for multi-cultural Teesside.
Labels: Stockton-on-Tees
Morgan Dunnigan makes strides
Each step is a success for 8-year-old
Less than three years after she underwent surgery to remove a tumor in her spinal cord, Morgan Dunnigan has made remarkable strides toward recovery. Although she was paralyzed immediately after her surgery, Morgan now walks laps around the track at Martinsville High School.
By JENNIFER BEELER - Bulletin Intern
Among the cross country runners and driver education students one early morning at the Martinsville High School track, Morgan Dunnigan smiled as she used her crutches to walk a mile.
Walking is no small feat for Morgan, 8, who underwent surgery to remove 98 percent of a tumor in her spinal cord in December 2005. After finding the tumor from an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) on Dec. 8, Morganâs condition worsened over the next few days until she lost feeling and movement of her extremities the night before the surgery, according to her father, Colin Dunnigan.
After the surgery, Morgan was completely paralyzed, and doctors did not believe she would walk again, Dunnigan said. But now, after two and a half years of therapy and rehabilitation, Morgan has walked a mile around the track â twice.
âOn my worst days, I didnât think sheâd ever get out of a chair or a bed,â her father recalled. âBut as time went on, I thought she had a good chance.â
Three weeks after the surgery, there was very slight movement in her leg, and later in her arms and shoulders. âWe knew then we needed to be aggressive in her rehabilitation,â Dunnigan said.
âWe had fun proving them wrong, didnât we, Morgan?â asked Morganâs mother, Laura, while motivating her to keep walking around the track. âYou donât make assumptions about a child,â she added.
When she took her first step after her surgery, Morgan said, âit felt pretty good.â After walking her first mile in early July, she said, âI was sort of too exhausted to be proud.â
âThe effort it takes her to do this, we canât comprehend,â said Laura, who compared Morgan walking a mile to a healthy adult walking up a steep hill 18 times in a row.
The goal for her therapy, which the family incorporates into daily activities, is to strengthen her hips, legs and core muscles, Dunnigan said.
Morgan said she has âgotten sort of used to (therapy),â which is âonly boring when we donât talk.â
Therapy is fun some of the times, Morgan said, such as when she gets to go horseback riding or swimming, or when she goes to the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore for rehabilitation with her favorite therapist.
It is difficult to do much outdoor therapy because Morgan lost the ability to sweat with her surgery. As a result, her body cannot regulate her temperature, resulting in fevers and a loss of energy, Laura Dunnigan said.
At 7:30 on a recent Monday morning, Morgan was at the track ready to walk her four laps in cool, 67-degree weather. âIâd like to do it at night so I could sleep in,â Morgan said.
She later told her younger brother, Connor, 3, âI wish I could be you,â referring not to him running along the track beside her and throwing a football but to him getting to sleep in later than she does.
Connor, who does not remember his sister before the surgery, likes to help out some of the time, his dad said, by pushing Morganâs wheelchair, getting her crutches or spraying her and his parents with water to help her cool during her exercises.
Her inspiration for her early morning workouts is the prospect of doughnuts from Tasty Creme afterward. Morgan chanted âdoughnut, doughnutâ as she walked around the track, resting after every lap and drinking some water before trying the next lap with only one crutch.
Morgan constantly wears leg braces and a back brace to prevent scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, and uses crutches when she is out of the house for extra support. When she gets home, though, Laura Dunnigan said you can hear her crutches crash to the floor and sheâs off. âSometimes she uses them as weapons with Connor,â Laura joked. âWe have to take them away.â
Since Morgan is still unsteady on her feet, she said she has âmaybe a trip a day, but I basically get back up and go.â She added that unlike herself and other children, âadults look at what they canât do and not what they can do.â
Morgan received just as much support from her friends and the community as she did from her immediate family.
The Dunnigans moved to Martinsville in June 2003, and after only two and a half years here, âpeople were standing ready and were wanting and willing to helpâ when Morgan became ill, Laura recalled. âWhen something happens like this to your child, itâs devastating, but we never felt alone.â
Carlisle School, Morganâs school and also where Colin served as upper division director, helped the Dunnigan family during this time. Colin was able to travel with Morgan and Laura to Baltimore for rehabilitation while the staff at Carlisle assumed his duties.
âCarlisle was an amazing place because we had an employer who said, âDo what you have to do,ââ Laura said, adding, âwe could not have done it. I needed Colin there; Morgan needed Colin there.â
Carlisle also held fundraisers for Morgan, including four basketball games where all proceeds went toward a fund to help with her rehabilitation. In one night, $15,000 was raised from admission charges, T-shirt sales and concession stand sales, according to Bulletin reports.
Morganâs friends also rallied behind her after her surgery.
âIt was great,â she said. âI mean seriously, my friends were writing to me every day.â
âThe best part,â Colin Dunnigan recalled, while fighting back tears, âwas being in that airplane and seeing this crowd of adults and children with pompomsâ cheering for Morgan when they returned from five months of rehabilitation in Baltimore.
âThat was a special, special day because we never believed she would be gone for five months when Laura drove her to the hospitalâ for her surgery, Dunnigan said.
Morgan hopes to be a neurosurgeon one day, even though she did not know what that means before before her illness, she said. She added that she would like to design clothes that are more adaptable for children with injuries, such as magnets that look like buttons on clothes. âI could see myself helping kids with injuries,â she added.
This month, the Dunnigans are moving to Dayton, Ohio, where Colin is taking a position as director of college counseling at Miami Valley School.
âThe biggest fear about leaving,â Laura said, is that people will look at Morgan and assume she has a cognitive problem. Her mom joked that Morgan probably has a higher IQ than she does.
âLosing the community feel,â Laura added, is also a concern.
But as Morgan said, âthereâs always a connection to Martinsville.â
Less than three years after she underwent surgery to remove a tumor in her spinal cord, Morgan Dunnigan has made remarkable strides toward recovery. Although she was paralyzed immediately after her surgery, Morgan now walks laps around the track at Martinsville High School.
By JENNIFER BEELER - Bulletin Intern
Among the cross country runners and driver education students one early morning at the Martinsville High School track, Morgan Dunnigan smiled as she used her crutches to walk a mile.
Walking is no small feat for Morgan, 8, who underwent surgery to remove 98 percent of a tumor in her spinal cord in December 2005. After finding the tumor from an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) on Dec. 8, Morganâs condition worsened over the next few days until she lost feeling and movement of her extremities the night before the surgery, according to her father, Colin Dunnigan.
After the surgery, Morgan was completely paralyzed, and doctors did not believe she would walk again, Dunnigan said. But now, after two and a half years of therapy and rehabilitation, Morgan has walked a mile around the track â twice.
âOn my worst days, I didnât think sheâd ever get out of a chair or a bed,â her father recalled. âBut as time went on, I thought she had a good chance.â
Three weeks after the surgery, there was very slight movement in her leg, and later in her arms and shoulders. âWe knew then we needed to be aggressive in her rehabilitation,â Dunnigan said.
âWe had fun proving them wrong, didnât we, Morgan?â asked Morganâs mother, Laura, while motivating her to keep walking around the track. âYou donât make assumptions about a child,â she added.
When she took her first step after her surgery, Morgan said, âit felt pretty good.â After walking her first mile in early July, she said, âI was sort of too exhausted to be proud.â
âThe effort it takes her to do this, we canât comprehend,â said Laura, who compared Morgan walking a mile to a healthy adult walking up a steep hill 18 times in a row.
The goal for her therapy, which the family incorporates into daily activities, is to strengthen her hips, legs and core muscles, Dunnigan said.
Morgan said she has âgotten sort of used to (therapy),â which is âonly boring when we donât talk.â
Therapy is fun some of the times, Morgan said, such as when she gets to go horseback riding or swimming, or when she goes to the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore for rehabilitation with her favorite therapist.
It is difficult to do much outdoor therapy because Morgan lost the ability to sweat with her surgery. As a result, her body cannot regulate her temperature, resulting in fevers and a loss of energy, Laura Dunnigan said.
At 7:30 on a recent Monday morning, Morgan was at the track ready to walk her four laps in cool, 67-degree weather. âIâd like to do it at night so I could sleep in,â Morgan said.
She later told her younger brother, Connor, 3, âI wish I could be you,â referring not to him running along the track beside her and throwing a football but to him getting to sleep in later than she does.
Connor, who does not remember his sister before the surgery, likes to help out some of the time, his dad said, by pushing Morganâs wheelchair, getting her crutches or spraying her and his parents with water to help her cool during her exercises.
Her inspiration for her early morning workouts is the prospect of doughnuts from Tasty Creme afterward. Morgan chanted âdoughnut, doughnutâ as she walked around the track, resting after every lap and drinking some water before trying the next lap with only one crutch.
Morgan constantly wears leg braces and a back brace to prevent scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, and uses crutches when she is out of the house for extra support. When she gets home, though, Laura Dunnigan said you can hear her crutches crash to the floor and sheâs off. âSometimes she uses them as weapons with Connor,â Laura joked. âWe have to take them away.â
Since Morgan is still unsteady on her feet, she said she has âmaybe a trip a day, but I basically get back up and go.â She added that unlike herself and other children, âadults look at what they canât do and not what they can do.â
Morgan received just as much support from her friends and the community as she did from her immediate family.
The Dunnigans moved to Martinsville in June 2003, and after only two and a half years here, âpeople were standing ready and were wanting and willing to helpâ when Morgan became ill, Laura recalled. âWhen something happens like this to your child, itâs devastating, but we never felt alone.â
Carlisle School, Morganâs school and also where Colin served as upper division director, helped the Dunnigan family during this time. Colin was able to travel with Morgan and Laura to Baltimore for rehabilitation while the staff at Carlisle assumed his duties.
âCarlisle was an amazing place because we had an employer who said, âDo what you have to do,ââ Laura said, adding, âwe could not have done it. I needed Colin there; Morgan needed Colin there.â
Carlisle also held fundraisers for Morgan, including four basketball games where all proceeds went toward a fund to help with her rehabilitation. In one night, $15,000 was raised from admission charges, T-shirt sales and concession stand sales, according to Bulletin reports.
Morganâs friends also rallied behind her after her surgery.
âIt was great,â she said. âI mean seriously, my friends were writing to me every day.â
âThe best part,â Colin Dunnigan recalled, while fighting back tears, âwas being in that airplane and seeing this crowd of adults and children with pompomsâ cheering for Morgan when they returned from five months of rehabilitation in Baltimore.
âThat was a special, special day because we never believed she would be gone for five months when Laura drove her to the hospitalâ for her surgery, Dunnigan said.
Morgan hopes to be a neurosurgeon one day, even though she did not know what that means before before her illness, she said. She added that she would like to design clothes that are more adaptable for children with injuries, such as magnets that look like buttons on clothes. âI could see myself helping kids with injuries,â she added.
This month, the Dunnigans are moving to Dayton, Ohio, where Colin is taking a position as director of college counseling at Miami Valley School.
âThe biggest fear about leaving,â Laura said, is that people will look at Morgan and assume she has a cognitive problem. Her mom joked that Morgan probably has a higher IQ than she does.
âLosing the community feel,â Laura added, is also a concern.
But as Morgan said, âthereâs always a connection to Martinsville.â
Labels: Scoliosis
04 August 2008
Cody LaScala
Hi, I am Cody LaScala and I have cerebral palsy. I was not born with it was a God given thing. I live my life knowing God made me the way I am for a reason.
Did you know, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 350 children under age 5 drown in swimming pools in the United States each year? I was almost part of those statistics.
On my first birthday my mom took the day off work to celebrate the occasion. We had a nanny who was watching me. She thought I crawled out to mom; actually, I had crawled out the sliding door into our new swimming pool. My mom had a really weird feeling, she walked, noâŚshe ran back to our nanny and asked where I was. The nanny said, âI thought he was with you.â Mom ran to my crib, hoping she would find me there. When I wasnât there, she ran to the pool, and found her worst nightmare. She found me at the bottom of the pool and started CPR.
The paramedics worked on me for over 20 minutes and still no pulse. My mom just prayed with our neighbors and all her friends who came to help. They were crying and mom said that they just had to pray. I was taken by ambulance to Palm Springs Hospital. After another 30 minutes, the doctor finally got a pulse. I was transferred to Loma Linda Hospital where I would spend the next month.
The chief neurologist took Mom and Dad into the âspecial roomâ and told them to leave me and go on with their lives, he thought there was no hope for me. He said they should go on with their lives because I would be a burden on the family. My mom said, âNo, I am not going to leave him.â Mom was pregnant with Bryan, my brother, at the time.
Thankfully, my mom knew God was with me and I was here for a reason. Today I feel that reason is to teach people to not give up on life. The doctors at Loma Linda thought she was crazy. But she wasnât crazy, and I am living proof of that.
I went from a coma to a semi-comatose state over the next 6 months. My brother, Bryan, even thought he was very young, had a lot to do with my recovery. He played with me all the time. When I started moving, I would lie on the floor and mom would put me on my side so I would roll over. That is how I learned to roll. Then Bryan would run past me and I would lift up my legs and catch him and flip him on his face. Sometimes he would cry but I thought it was funny because I could get away with it.
When I was 18 months old Mom and Dad took me to Philadelphia to The Institutes For the Achievement of Human Potential. It was a place where they showed us how to do a home program where they would reprogram my brain.
It was crazy, every hour we had people in and out of our house volunteering to help me. I was surrounded by love. They would have 3 people, one on each side and one at my head, putting me through motions like I was crawling. I would scream and cry but they didnât stop, Mom would sing louder than I could cry. We would do that for 5 minutes, 18 times a day. Then every 5 minutes a beeper would go off and they would put a mask on my face for one minute for me to breathe into. In between all that they would flash word cards and cards with pictures and stuff, bang pot and pans to scare me to death, hot packs and cold packs, and make me try to crawl down a slide.
So, now you know why I am so crazy and wild. Mom and Dad would take shifts staying up with me when I was on this respiratory patterning machine. It would squeeze me to a beat, so my brain would learn how to breathe properly again. They did this crazy program for almost 2 years until they got divorced. They knew the program might ruin their marriage but they did it for me, I love them for it. My dad left us and moved back to Florida, I donât know why. A friend of ours that volunteered for me was going through a divorce too. Lisa and Justin moved in to help pay the bills. I was 3, Bryan was 2, and Justin was 2. Our moms would let us have a lot of fun. They would cover the table and floor with paper and let us go crazy with finger paints. We made forts out of blankets and chairs and everything else in the house.
Once we were driving up the mountain to go to Santaâs Village. We kept saying, âAre we there yet!â We were almost there when the car quit running, oh man that bites. Mom and Lisa just got us all out of the car, put me in my wheelchair and stuck out our thumbs. The first truck picked us up and we were at Santaâs Village in 2 minutes. The whole experience was so funny. When we decided to leave mom asked a guy in a truck if he could give her and her kids a ride down to their car. He said yes and Lisa came running over with me in my chair and the other 2 brats too. The guy thought, âThese moms are crazy.â
My mom and I did a lot together. We traveled all over the world looking for help. I had hippo therapy, chiropractic, reflexology, essential oils, cranial sacral therapy, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, nitroglycerin therapy, biofeedback, OT, PT, and speech therapy.
We moved back to Iowa and I had reached a plateau for about 6 years and then we found a new therapy in Poland that changed my life. We went to Poland 9 times. Each time I would gain 6-12 months of progress in the 4 week program. It was amazing and I would cry when we left because it was the only place that was helping me get better. We had finally found hope.
The only problem was it would take us hours to travel there and it could cost a lot of money. I couldnât understand why we would have to travel clear to Poland to find help. The physical therapy I did there was hard work but my mom bought me presents as rewards for working hard. I wish I would have had this treatment when I was little because I donât think I would have ever been in a wheelchair.
My mom is an angel who not only gave me life at birth but also gave my life back to me at the age of one. I give a lot of credit to my mom for not giving up on me. I really love her. I am grateful to all of the doctors, physical therapists, and friends who helped my family when they needed it. Hopefully some day there will be a place in America so other children can get help too.
Did you know, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 350 children under age 5 drown in swimming pools in the United States each year? I was almost part of those statistics.
On my first birthday my mom took the day off work to celebrate the occasion. We had a nanny who was watching me. She thought I crawled out to mom; actually, I had crawled out the sliding door into our new swimming pool. My mom had a really weird feeling, she walked, noâŚshe ran back to our nanny and asked where I was. The nanny said, âI thought he was with you.â Mom ran to my crib, hoping she would find me there. When I wasnât there, she ran to the pool, and found her worst nightmare. She found me at the bottom of the pool and started CPR.
The paramedics worked on me for over 20 minutes and still no pulse. My mom just prayed with our neighbors and all her friends who came to help. They were crying and mom said that they just had to pray. I was taken by ambulance to Palm Springs Hospital. After another 30 minutes, the doctor finally got a pulse. I was transferred to Loma Linda Hospital where I would spend the next month.
The chief neurologist took Mom and Dad into the âspecial roomâ and told them to leave me and go on with their lives, he thought there was no hope for me. He said they should go on with their lives because I would be a burden on the family. My mom said, âNo, I am not going to leave him.â Mom was pregnant with Bryan, my brother, at the time.
Thankfully, my mom knew God was with me and I was here for a reason. Today I feel that reason is to teach people to not give up on life. The doctors at Loma Linda thought she was crazy. But she wasnât crazy, and I am living proof of that.
I went from a coma to a semi-comatose state over the next 6 months. My brother, Bryan, even thought he was very young, had a lot to do with my recovery. He played with me all the time. When I started moving, I would lie on the floor and mom would put me on my side so I would roll over. That is how I learned to roll. Then Bryan would run past me and I would lift up my legs and catch him and flip him on his face. Sometimes he would cry but I thought it was funny because I could get away with it.
When I was 18 months old Mom and Dad took me to Philadelphia to The Institutes For the Achievement of Human Potential. It was a place where they showed us how to do a home program where they would reprogram my brain.
It was crazy, every hour we had people in and out of our house volunteering to help me. I was surrounded by love. They would have 3 people, one on each side and one at my head, putting me through motions like I was crawling. I would scream and cry but they didnât stop, Mom would sing louder than I could cry. We would do that for 5 minutes, 18 times a day. Then every 5 minutes a beeper would go off and they would put a mask on my face for one minute for me to breathe into. In between all that they would flash word cards and cards with pictures and stuff, bang pot and pans to scare me to death, hot packs and cold packs, and make me try to crawl down a slide.
So, now you know why I am so crazy and wild. Mom and Dad would take shifts staying up with me when I was on this respiratory patterning machine. It would squeeze me to a beat, so my brain would learn how to breathe properly again. They did this crazy program for almost 2 years until they got divorced. They knew the program might ruin their marriage but they did it for me, I love them for it. My dad left us and moved back to Florida, I donât know why. A friend of ours that volunteered for me was going through a divorce too. Lisa and Justin moved in to help pay the bills. I was 3, Bryan was 2, and Justin was 2. Our moms would let us have a lot of fun. They would cover the table and floor with paper and let us go crazy with finger paints. We made forts out of blankets and chairs and everything else in the house.
Once we were driving up the mountain to go to Santaâs Village. We kept saying, âAre we there yet!â We were almost there when the car quit running, oh man that bites. Mom and Lisa just got us all out of the car, put me in my wheelchair and stuck out our thumbs. The first truck picked us up and we were at Santaâs Village in 2 minutes. The whole experience was so funny. When we decided to leave mom asked a guy in a truck if he could give her and her kids a ride down to their car. He said yes and Lisa came running over with me in my chair and the other 2 brats too. The guy thought, âThese moms are crazy.â
My mom and I did a lot together. We traveled all over the world looking for help. I had hippo therapy, chiropractic, reflexology, essential oils, cranial sacral therapy, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, nitroglycerin therapy, biofeedback, OT, PT, and speech therapy.
We moved back to Iowa and I had reached a plateau for about 6 years and then we found a new therapy in Poland that changed my life. We went to Poland 9 times. Each time I would gain 6-12 months of progress in the 4 week program. It was amazing and I would cry when we left because it was the only place that was helping me get better. We had finally found hope.
The only problem was it would take us hours to travel there and it could cost a lot of money. I couldnât understand why we would have to travel clear to Poland to find help. The physical therapy I did there was hard work but my mom bought me presents as rewards for working hard. I wish I would have had this treatment when I was little because I donât think I would have ever been in a wheelchair.
My mom is an angel who not only gave me life at birth but also gave my life back to me at the age of one. I give a lot of credit to my mom for not giving up on me. I really love her. I am grateful to all of the doctors, physical therapists, and friends who helped my family when they needed it. Hopefully some day there will be a place in America so other children can get help too.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, wheelchairs
03 August 2008
Nine stars to watch at Beijing 2008
A SUMMER of sport beckons for dozens of North athletes who are competing in the Beijing Olympics and its partner competition, the Paralympics. Designed for athletes with physical, mental and sensorial disabilities, the Paralympics promises to be a medals feast for Team GB, which has 205 sporting stars competing in 18 of the 20 events. Coreena Ford takes a look at the nine athletes from the region who are heading to China.
On track for success
SUNDERLANDâS Hazel Simpson, 29, has been one of Britainâs most consistent sprinters for almost a decade, winning medals at Paralympic, World and European levels.
Hazel, of New Herrington, was 11 years old when she first discovered athletics and she won gold in the 100m sprint in Sydney 2000.
But Hazel, who has cerebral palsy, is taking a break from the sport after competing in the 100m and 200m sprint in Beijing because sheâs planning on starting a family with her husband.
But the new bride aims to be back in shape for the London Paralympics in 2012.
Sprint king canât wait
SPRINTER Stephen Payton is one of the most experienced members of Team GBâs athletics squad, and he canât wait to get out on the track in Beijing.
Stephen, who was born in Tyneside but now lives in Uphall, West Lothian, has competed at almost every major disability championship over the last 10 years.
He trained at Gateshead while he was studying at Northumbria University but he now forms part of a trio of Scottish participants alongside young sprinters Libby Clegg and Neil Fachie.
The 31-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, will be taking part in the 200m and 400m sprint events.
At the sharp end of games
MIDDLESBROUGHâs Lee Fawcett has only been fencing for a short time, having switched from wheelchair basketball in 2005 . . . yet he is now the sole athlete representing his country in the sport this summer, in the individual sabre event.
Lee, 32, who is paralysed, already has two medals to his name. He won a bronze medal in the Team Sabre event at the European Championships in Spain in 2005 and this was followed by another Bronze at the World Cup in Italy in 2006.
Aiming for top
JAVELIN ace Kenny Churchill, 38, is a veteran of the Paralympics having taken part in the athletic event in Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens.
And the play worker, of Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, will be journeying to China looking to defend the gold medals he won in the last three paralympics.
The Durham City Harriers member, who has celebral palsy, hopes heâll be in the form of his life for Beijing, just as he was in Athens when he set a new world record with a throw of 48.09m.
Ace's hope
YORK table-tennis player Cathy Mitton was one of the first athletes to be named in the GB team for the Paralympic Games, and it was against all odds.
Cathy, 47, is one of 10 table-tennis players journeying to China a month after the Olympic Gamesâ razzmatazz takes place â the third time she has taken part in the Paralympics. It has been a real challenge for Cathy just to take up the sport.
Cathy, of Rufforth, has used a wheelchair since she was a youngster, having contracted polio at the age of two. She now excels at table tennis, but it took her years just to find a suitable venue which allowed wheelchair access, allowing her to play her chosen sport.
She confessed: âWhen I am competing I am actually a bag of nerves . . . I feel sick inside.â
Bid for net gains
AT only 25, Terry Bywater of Redcar, Teesside, is still one of the youngest members of the GB menâs wheelchair basketball team, yet he is also one of the most established squad members.
Terry was just 17 when he made his Paralympic debut in Sydney, when the team agonisingly missed out on a medal and finished fourth, when they were beaten by Australia 64-52 in the semi-final.
He returned to the squad in 2004 for Athens when the team clinched bronze in the dying minutes of a tough play-off with the USA and is expected to be a key player next week, having been top scorer for the team at the European Under-23 Championships in 2002 and 2004.
Setting sail for glory
SUNDERLAND sailor John Robertson, 36, is over the moon at being selected to compete as part of the three-person keelboat, the Sonar, along with Walesâs Stephen Thomas and Essexâs Hannah Stodel.
Robertson skippered this crew to sixth place in the last Paralympics, so this time the trio are hoping to go further.
He said: âItâs a pretty special feeling to get selected for the Games, especially for the second time.
âFrom our experiences in Athens, weâve learnt how special the Paralympics is.
âWeâll go out there with the aim of doing as well as we can, but as is the way with sailing, itâs in the lap of the gods to some extent. Weâll give it Billy Beans and hope that itâs good enough to win us a medal at the end of the day.â
Throwing for gold
STEPHEN MILLER is a hot favourite for gold in the discus . . . but he says heâll have to break his own world record to retain the club title for a fourth time.
The 28-year-old, of Cramlington, Northumberland, who has travelled to the training base in Macau with his parents, says the competition in Beijing will be stronger than ever.
Stephen works in the IT department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and is secretary of Newcastle United Disabled Supporters Association.
He said: âEvery Paralympics is different, and Beijing will definitely have a different feel from the other three I have competed in.
âI donât think it will be as bad as a lot of people are suggesting, and Iâm looking forward to getting out there.
âYou have to adapt to everything . . . the culture, the food, the people and the places.
âItâs going to be very, very humid out there, and there will be a lot of smog as well, but the conditions will be the same for everyone.â
Fran going for new haul
CHAMPION swimmer Fran Williamson, 23, was absolutely terrified of the water when she was a child, according to her proud dad Duncan, but sheâs certainly overcome her fears now.
Fran, who originally comes from Sunderland but now lives in Cambridge, helped Great Britainâs swim team to a tally of 52 medals at the Athens Paralympics â more than any other nation â and that was in her debut.
Fran, who has cerebral palsy, hopes sheâll be adding a second bagful of medals to her collection, having won three silvers and one bronze in Greece.
On track for success
SUNDERLANDâS Hazel Simpson, 29, has been one of Britainâs most consistent sprinters for almost a decade, winning medals at Paralympic, World and European levels.
Hazel, of New Herrington, was 11 years old when she first discovered athletics and she won gold in the 100m sprint in Sydney 2000.
But Hazel, who has cerebral palsy, is taking a break from the sport after competing in the 100m and 200m sprint in Beijing because sheâs planning on starting a family with her husband.
But the new bride aims to be back in shape for the London Paralympics in 2012.
Sprint king canât wait
SPRINTER Stephen Payton is one of the most experienced members of Team GBâs athletics squad, and he canât wait to get out on the track in Beijing.
Stephen, who was born in Tyneside but now lives in Uphall, West Lothian, has competed at almost every major disability championship over the last 10 years.
He trained at Gateshead while he was studying at Northumbria University but he now forms part of a trio of Scottish participants alongside young sprinters Libby Clegg and Neil Fachie.
The 31-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, will be taking part in the 200m and 400m sprint events.
At the sharp end of games
MIDDLESBROUGHâs Lee Fawcett has only been fencing for a short time, having switched from wheelchair basketball in 2005 . . . yet he is now the sole athlete representing his country in the sport this summer, in the individual sabre event.
Lee, 32, who is paralysed, already has two medals to his name. He won a bronze medal in the Team Sabre event at the European Championships in Spain in 2005 and this was followed by another Bronze at the World Cup in Italy in 2006.
Aiming for top
JAVELIN ace Kenny Churchill, 38, is a veteran of the Paralympics having taken part in the athletic event in Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens.
And the play worker, of Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, will be journeying to China looking to defend the gold medals he won in the last three paralympics.
The Durham City Harriers member, who has celebral palsy, hopes heâll be in the form of his life for Beijing, just as he was in Athens when he set a new world record with a throw of 48.09m.
Ace's hope
YORK table-tennis player Cathy Mitton was one of the first athletes to be named in the GB team for the Paralympic Games, and it was against all odds.
Cathy, 47, is one of 10 table-tennis players journeying to China a month after the Olympic Gamesâ razzmatazz takes place â the third time she has taken part in the Paralympics. It has been a real challenge for Cathy just to take up the sport.
Cathy, of Rufforth, has used a wheelchair since she was a youngster, having contracted polio at the age of two. She now excels at table tennis, but it took her years just to find a suitable venue which allowed wheelchair access, allowing her to play her chosen sport.
She confessed: âWhen I am competing I am actually a bag of nerves . . . I feel sick inside.â
Bid for net gains
AT only 25, Terry Bywater of Redcar, Teesside, is still one of the youngest members of the GB menâs wheelchair basketball team, yet he is also one of the most established squad members.
Terry was just 17 when he made his Paralympic debut in Sydney, when the team agonisingly missed out on a medal and finished fourth, when they were beaten by Australia 64-52 in the semi-final.
He returned to the squad in 2004 for Athens when the team clinched bronze in the dying minutes of a tough play-off with the USA and is expected to be a key player next week, having been top scorer for the team at the European Under-23 Championships in 2002 and 2004.
Setting sail for glory
SUNDERLAND sailor John Robertson, 36, is over the moon at being selected to compete as part of the three-person keelboat, the Sonar, along with Walesâs Stephen Thomas and Essexâs Hannah Stodel.
Robertson skippered this crew to sixth place in the last Paralympics, so this time the trio are hoping to go further.
He said: âItâs a pretty special feeling to get selected for the Games, especially for the second time.
âFrom our experiences in Athens, weâve learnt how special the Paralympics is.
âWeâll go out there with the aim of doing as well as we can, but as is the way with sailing, itâs in the lap of the gods to some extent. Weâll give it Billy Beans and hope that itâs good enough to win us a medal at the end of the day.â
Throwing for gold
STEPHEN MILLER is a hot favourite for gold in the discus . . . but he says heâll have to break his own world record to retain the club title for a fourth time.
The 28-year-old, of Cramlington, Northumberland, who has travelled to the training base in Macau with his parents, says the competition in Beijing will be stronger than ever.
Stephen works in the IT department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and is secretary of Newcastle United Disabled Supporters Association.
He said: âEvery Paralympics is different, and Beijing will definitely have a different feel from the other three I have competed in.
âI donât think it will be as bad as a lot of people are suggesting, and Iâm looking forward to getting out there.
âYou have to adapt to everything . . . the culture, the food, the people and the places.
âItâs going to be very, very humid out there, and there will be a lot of smog as well, but the conditions will be the same for everyone.â
Fran going for new haul
CHAMPION swimmer Fran Williamson, 23, was absolutely terrified of the water when she was a child, according to her proud dad Duncan, but sheâs certainly overcome her fears now.
Fran, who originally comes from Sunderland but now lives in Cambridge, helped Great Britainâs swim team to a tally of 52 medals at the Athens Paralympics â more than any other nation â and that was in her debut.
Fran, who has cerebral palsy, hopes sheâll be adding a second bagful of medals to her collection, having won three silvers and one bronze in Greece.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy, Sports
02 August 2008
Simple Joys
Enter Amanda
It is often the simple joys in life that we take for granted: the sound of music, the laughter of a happy child, the companionship of a loyal pet. Itâs certain that no one in a growing circle of family and friends who knows 4-year-old Amanda Ivancevich of Wilmington will take anything in life for granted, ever again.
It is something of a miracle that Amanda is even here to talk about. She suffered an in utero stroke that impacted a great deal of the left side of her brain and some of the right side. The fact that she survived the stroke amazed even her doctors. Amanda was born in June 2004. In December of that year, she was first diagnosed with cerebral palsy and then battled seizures that were diagnosed as a severe form of epilepsy known as infantile spasms. With a grim prognosis regarding her intellectual development, this feisty little girl fought back, learning to speak at 10 months, and continues, despite all odds, to make progress. Medication, diet and other treatments, however, were failing to keep her seizures at bay, and by September 2005, she was struggling with 100 of them every day, effectively bringing her developmental processes to a grinding halt.
Surgery was recommended, and in October 2005, Amanda underwent a left-side hemispherectomy, which essentially removed about half of the left side of her brain and completely disconnected it from the right side. With it went her speech center and 25 percent of her eyesight.
Now, almost three years later, as you watch her struggle into positions, wrestle with language skills and battle with simple balance during an occupational therapy session, youâre aware of the developmental issues that will be a part of her life forever. But youâd never know it by observing her laugh, noting the impish gleam in her eyes or listening to an ear-splitting shriek that sheâll often release at moments of intense enjoyment.
"She can laugh for a half-hour straight," says her mother, Dr. Susan Ivancevich, "to the point where she gives herself hiccups."
Itâs there, in those eyes and in that laugh, and in that happy shriek, that you learn the powerful lesson of simple joys in a complicated life.
Enter ELLIE
Amanda has just received a strong helping hand in her life-long developmental struggle. Make that âpaw,â because in July, she brought home a golden retriever named ELLIE â her name is always capitalized â who has been training for a little over a year now to become her permanent companion, assisting her in a variety of ways as she grows ... physically, mentally and emotionally. ELLIE will help Amanda walk, retrieve things that she drops and open doors for her, both literally and figuratively.
ELLIE and Amanda are part of a program called paws4people. Specifically, theyâre part of an adjunct of that program called paws4prisons, in which dogs are selected for training and then trained by meticulously screened inmates of a correctional facility. ELLIE was trained by an inmate at the Secure Female Facility of the United States Penitentiary, Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. She was one of a handful of dogs chosen to launch the program for the first time at the facility, which had opened its doors in January of 2007 (the prison itself opened in 2004).
While it is tempting to maintain a strong spotlight on Amandaâs story, and the myriad of ways in which ELLIE will be assisting her, it is more of a multi-faceted story than that. There are, of course, other beneficiaries, other recipients, each with their own story of the ways in which the unique skills of these dogs will bring joy, hope and carefully designed assistance into their lives. But there is, too, the added and unanticipated benefit of the joy, hope and assistance they bring to the inmates who have trained them.
"Meeting the inmates changed everything," says paws4people executive director and paws4prison program manager Kyria Henry. "It turned out to be as much for them as for the clients. Meeting them as real people, and recognizing that they received equal benefits from the dogs, changed our minds a lot as far as goals went. Now, itâs about helping the inmates, too. Itâs no longer about them just working for us, training the dogs."
"Animal Planet did a series on the Cell Dog program in Washington State," says Terry Henry, chairman and executive director of paws4people (and Kyriaâs father), "and they found that the prison where they instituted the program had a zero recidivism rate. We felt if we could get one lady to not go back to prison and get one extra dog trained, itâd be worth the effort."
It was, according to Terry, an eight- or nine-month process, but by May 2007, the prison was ready to start delivering dogs to the program. ELLIE was one of their first and showed something of a propensity to bring out the best in both the inmates training her and the client with whom she was ultimately matched, Amanda Ivancevich.
Before she had even met Amanda, ELLIE bonded in a unique way with one of the inmates, Claudia W. When the dogs first arrived, they all pretty much ignored Claudia. A "prim and proper" sort of person, she did not invite the playful camaraderie thatâs at the heart and soul of a human/animal relationship. Claudia maintained a certain distance and expected that the dogs would do likewise, which, for the most part, they did. Except ELLIE. For reasons that are still not clear to Claudia, but clearly appreciated, ELLIE ignored the âsignalsâ and persisted in selecting Claudia for specific and repeated attention.
"I thought there was something wrong with this dog, because she didnât act normal and avoid contact with me," Claudia W. recalls in a program newsletter. "Her insistence (gave) me something that made me trust in myself again. She gave her love fully, with no expectations."
"The inmates in this facility are there because theyâve made mistakes. Most donât have the interpersonal skills or background in which theyâve had a lot of love given to them. Most come out of abusive backgrounds," says Terry Henry. "The dogs help them restructure their lives, offering them a sense of self-esteem that comes with the realization that what theyâre doing is extremely important to another human being. The program puts an emphasis on their self-esteem and value, which, for some, is the first time in their lives that they feel as if theyâre productive, valued, respected human beings. It gives them hope that when they leave the prison, theyâll be able to lead productive lives."
ELLIE exhibited the same sort of behavior sheâd demonstrated with Claudia W. when she met Amanda. With a variety of children to choose from, by way of physically approaching and maintaining contact, the golden retriever appeared to single out Amanda and do everything in its power to stay by her during the first visit, which was supposed to assist the training staff in determining which dogs would be suitable for which clients. Between them, ELLIE and Amanda made the choice abundantly clear.
"When they met," writes Susan Ivancevich in a program newsletter entry called A Motherâs Perspective, "there seemed to be an almost supernatural bond between them. ELLIE couldnât seem to get enough of Amanda and vice versa. ELLIE seemed to bond with every member of our family faster than I ever recall seeing an animal bond with anyone."
There is yet another facet to the story that can be easily overlooked. In addition to the considerable benefits that the match between dog and client bring to dog, client and inmate of the Hazelton prison facility, there is the benefit, as well, that the tale itself offers to those who have experienced it first-hand and those who now, hear of it.
Amandaâs mother, who at one point during the four years of her daughterâs life, took up boxing in order to take some of her frustrations out on a punching bag, looks back these days and reflects not only on the things that are continuing to occur in Amandaâs life, but on the things that having Amanda around has brought to her own life.
"You spend a ton of time in your life worrying about things that never happen," Susan says. "I live very much in the moment now. I donât sweat the small stuff anymore. It has to be something pretty big to appear on my radar screen." She turns to her husband, Dan, and smiles. "Ask him. I used to be pretty thin-skinned."
"Weâre all going to be better people because thereâs an amazing little girl in there," says Susan, looking over at Amanda, seated in a high chair. Amanda has a habit of lowering her head in something of an "Aw shucks" gesture when she knows that attention is drawn in her direction, and does so when Susan turns to her. "The joys of being around her are enormous. Itâs fun to see her accomplish things. She has a spirit thatâs tougher and sweeter than any of us," she adds. "I wish I could be as positive as she is."
It is often the simple joys in life that we take for granted: the sound of music, the laughter of a happy child, the companionship of a loyal pet. Itâs certain that no one in a growing circle of family and friends who knows 4-year-old Amanda Ivancevich of Wilmington will take anything in life for granted, ever again.
It is something of a miracle that Amanda is even here to talk about. She suffered an in utero stroke that impacted a great deal of the left side of her brain and some of the right side. The fact that she survived the stroke amazed even her doctors. Amanda was born in June 2004. In December of that year, she was first diagnosed with cerebral palsy and then battled seizures that were diagnosed as a severe form of epilepsy known as infantile spasms. With a grim prognosis regarding her intellectual development, this feisty little girl fought back, learning to speak at 10 months, and continues, despite all odds, to make progress. Medication, diet and other treatments, however, were failing to keep her seizures at bay, and by September 2005, she was struggling with 100 of them every day, effectively bringing her developmental processes to a grinding halt.
Surgery was recommended, and in October 2005, Amanda underwent a left-side hemispherectomy, which essentially removed about half of the left side of her brain and completely disconnected it from the right side. With it went her speech center and 25 percent of her eyesight.
Now, almost three years later, as you watch her struggle into positions, wrestle with language skills and battle with simple balance during an occupational therapy session, youâre aware of the developmental issues that will be a part of her life forever. But youâd never know it by observing her laugh, noting the impish gleam in her eyes or listening to an ear-splitting shriek that sheâll often release at moments of intense enjoyment.
"She can laugh for a half-hour straight," says her mother, Dr. Susan Ivancevich, "to the point where she gives herself hiccups."
Itâs there, in those eyes and in that laugh, and in that happy shriek, that you learn the powerful lesson of simple joys in a complicated life.
Enter ELLIE
Amanda has just received a strong helping hand in her life-long developmental struggle. Make that âpaw,â because in July, she brought home a golden retriever named ELLIE â her name is always capitalized â who has been training for a little over a year now to become her permanent companion, assisting her in a variety of ways as she grows ... physically, mentally and emotionally. ELLIE will help Amanda walk, retrieve things that she drops and open doors for her, both literally and figuratively.
ELLIE and Amanda are part of a program called paws4people. Specifically, theyâre part of an adjunct of that program called paws4prisons, in which dogs are selected for training and then trained by meticulously screened inmates of a correctional facility. ELLIE was trained by an inmate at the Secure Female Facility of the United States Penitentiary, Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. She was one of a handful of dogs chosen to launch the program for the first time at the facility, which had opened its doors in January of 2007 (the prison itself opened in 2004).
While it is tempting to maintain a strong spotlight on Amandaâs story, and the myriad of ways in which ELLIE will be assisting her, it is more of a multi-faceted story than that. There are, of course, other beneficiaries, other recipients, each with their own story of the ways in which the unique skills of these dogs will bring joy, hope and carefully designed assistance into their lives. But there is, too, the added and unanticipated benefit of the joy, hope and assistance they bring to the inmates who have trained them.
"Meeting the inmates changed everything," says paws4people executive director and paws4prison program manager Kyria Henry. "It turned out to be as much for them as for the clients. Meeting them as real people, and recognizing that they received equal benefits from the dogs, changed our minds a lot as far as goals went. Now, itâs about helping the inmates, too. Itâs no longer about them just working for us, training the dogs."
"Animal Planet did a series on the Cell Dog program in Washington State," says Terry Henry, chairman and executive director of paws4people (and Kyriaâs father), "and they found that the prison where they instituted the program had a zero recidivism rate. We felt if we could get one lady to not go back to prison and get one extra dog trained, itâd be worth the effort."
It was, according to Terry, an eight- or nine-month process, but by May 2007, the prison was ready to start delivering dogs to the program. ELLIE was one of their first and showed something of a propensity to bring out the best in both the inmates training her and the client with whom she was ultimately matched, Amanda Ivancevich.
Before she had even met Amanda, ELLIE bonded in a unique way with one of the inmates, Claudia W. When the dogs first arrived, they all pretty much ignored Claudia. A "prim and proper" sort of person, she did not invite the playful camaraderie thatâs at the heart and soul of a human/animal relationship. Claudia maintained a certain distance and expected that the dogs would do likewise, which, for the most part, they did. Except ELLIE. For reasons that are still not clear to Claudia, but clearly appreciated, ELLIE ignored the âsignalsâ and persisted in selecting Claudia for specific and repeated attention.
"I thought there was something wrong with this dog, because she didnât act normal and avoid contact with me," Claudia W. recalls in a program newsletter. "Her insistence (gave) me something that made me trust in myself again. She gave her love fully, with no expectations."
"The inmates in this facility are there because theyâve made mistakes. Most donât have the interpersonal skills or background in which theyâve had a lot of love given to them. Most come out of abusive backgrounds," says Terry Henry. "The dogs help them restructure their lives, offering them a sense of self-esteem that comes with the realization that what theyâre doing is extremely important to another human being. The program puts an emphasis on their self-esteem and value, which, for some, is the first time in their lives that they feel as if theyâre productive, valued, respected human beings. It gives them hope that when they leave the prison, theyâll be able to lead productive lives."
ELLIE exhibited the same sort of behavior sheâd demonstrated with Claudia W. when she met Amanda. With a variety of children to choose from, by way of physically approaching and maintaining contact, the golden retriever appeared to single out Amanda and do everything in its power to stay by her during the first visit, which was supposed to assist the training staff in determining which dogs would be suitable for which clients. Between them, ELLIE and Amanda made the choice abundantly clear.
"When they met," writes Susan Ivancevich in a program newsletter entry called A Motherâs Perspective, "there seemed to be an almost supernatural bond between them. ELLIE couldnât seem to get enough of Amanda and vice versa. ELLIE seemed to bond with every member of our family faster than I ever recall seeing an animal bond with anyone."
There is yet another facet to the story that can be easily overlooked. In addition to the considerable benefits that the match between dog and client bring to dog, client and inmate of the Hazelton prison facility, there is the benefit, as well, that the tale itself offers to those who have experienced it first-hand and those who now, hear of it.
Amandaâs mother, who at one point during the four years of her daughterâs life, took up boxing in order to take some of her frustrations out on a punching bag, looks back these days and reflects not only on the things that are continuing to occur in Amandaâs life, but on the things that having Amanda around has brought to her own life.
"You spend a ton of time in your life worrying about things that never happen," Susan says. "I live very much in the moment now. I donât sweat the small stuff anymore. It has to be something pretty big to appear on my radar screen." She turns to her husband, Dan, and smiles. "Ask him. I used to be pretty thin-skinned."
"Weâre all going to be better people because thereâs an amazing little girl in there," says Susan, looking over at Amanda, seated in a high chair. Amanda has a habit of lowering her head in something of an "Aw shucks" gesture when she knows that attention is drawn in her direction, and does so when Susan turns to her. "The joys of being around her are enormous. Itâs fun to see her accomplish things. She has a spirit thatâs tougher and sweeter than any of us," she adds. "I wish I could be as positive as she is."
Labels: Balance, Cerebral Palsy, epilepsy, learning, Occupational Therapy
Girl Suffering from Scoliosis to Get Newly Approved Procedure
A local teenager couldn't figure out why it was hard to sleep at night, why she had back and chest pain all the time, and why it was so difficult to work out. Then, her aunt saw her in a bathing suit and told her, she was afraid something was terribly wrong.
That was 2-years ago, when Torri Connorty was diagnosed with scoliosis, or abnormal curvature of the spine. Now, she's meeting with doctors at Shriner's Hospital in Houston, mapping out a plan for 2-surgeries.
First, doctors will have to go in through her chest and deflate one of her lungs and remove some ribs. Then, in a second surgery, her surgeon, Dr. Rex Marco, will use new hardware, recently approved by the Federal Drug Administration.
It's actually made of cloth strips, instead of screws or metal wires. Because it's soft, doctors say this lowers her chances of suffering spinal cord injury or even paralysis, during surgery.
Torri will have to be in the hospital almost 2-weeks, to recover. Then she'll undergo weeks of rehabilitation. She says it will be well worth it, because she's sick of fellow students making fun of her. Torri says she's the shortest person in her class, and tired of it. Her surgeon says this surgery will lengthen her spine and make her a few inches taller.
Doctors say you should have your child's pediatrician take a look at their backs in 4th or 5th grade. If you're looking at home, here are a few warning signs:
1. One hip is higher than the other.
2. One shoulder is higher than the other.
3. One shoulder blade protrudes from the back.
4. Their head isn't centered over their body.
5. Have your child bend forward at the waist, are their ribs higher on one side?
6. The waistline is flat on one side and not flat on the other.
Click here to see the full video story by FOX 26's Melissa Wilson.
That was 2-years ago, when Torri Connorty was diagnosed with scoliosis, or abnormal curvature of the spine. Now, she's meeting with doctors at Shriner's Hospital in Houston, mapping out a plan for 2-surgeries.
First, doctors will have to go in through her chest and deflate one of her lungs and remove some ribs. Then, in a second surgery, her surgeon, Dr. Rex Marco, will use new hardware, recently approved by the Federal Drug Administration.
It's actually made of cloth strips, instead of screws or metal wires. Because it's soft, doctors say this lowers her chances of suffering spinal cord injury or even paralysis, during surgery.
Torri will have to be in the hospital almost 2-weeks, to recover. Then she'll undergo weeks of rehabilitation. She says it will be well worth it, because she's sick of fellow students making fun of her. Torri says she's the shortest person in her class, and tired of it. Her surgeon says this surgery will lengthen her spine and make her a few inches taller.
Doctors say you should have your child's pediatrician take a look at their backs in 4th or 5th grade. If you're looking at home, here are a few warning signs:
1. One hip is higher than the other.
2. One shoulder is higher than the other.
3. One shoulder blade protrudes from the back.
4. Their head isn't centered over their body.
5. Have your child bend forward at the waist, are their ribs higher on one side?
6. The waistline is flat on one side and not flat on the other.
Click here to see the full video story by FOX 26's Melissa Wilson.
Sneak peek at Beijing Olympic Gardens - They are Awesome!
Advocacy Development
Since I began to deal with the obstacles inherent in having a disability, I have taken many paths in advocating for myself and those I care about. One of the most rewarding directions Iâve taken was when I served as a fitness instructor for people with and without disabilities. People didnât realize how much their bodies were capable of accomplishing. So, in each and every class I taught, I empowered them with my "I can do" attitude. I tried to make each class very enjoyable and carefree. In retaliation, my students in the adaptive aerobics class would take the time to playfully batter with me, as I counted out the number of repetitive repetitions to the rhythm of the music. They found amusement and light-heartiness in trying to pull one over on me.
In my private work, I have been a part of helping many clients grow and develop not only their physical abilities with their specific limitations, but , I have witnessed their self-confidence and awareness soar. Despite my so called barriers, I have found a way to rise above and conquer.
In my private work, I have been a part of helping many clients grow and develop not only their physical abilities with their specific limitations, but , I have witnessed their self-confidence and awareness soar. Despite my so called barriers, I have found a way to rise above and conquer.
Labels: Advocacy
The Hidden Cost Of Our Cerebral Palsy
We are all aware of the struggles which many people with disabilities undergo. What we may not be aware of, is the unpleasant fact that those of us without cognitive disabilities suffer a hidden cost. This cost is the reality of having to deal with a support system designed to maintain each of us at a subsistence level. Experts simply cannot understand that we are capable of great achievements, given real support. Too often, one set of options is offered. These represent old outmoded ideas.
The system has to be maintained. This means maximum control for "helpful" overseers. I am tired of it! FED-UP, OUTRAGED, and APPULED! There is something very, very wrong about the system which waist time and money trying to do the impossible with those going nowhere, while, ignoring the genuine potential of so many of us. We are treated worse than dirty dish rags! Hit bellow the belt, and patronized beyond words. It is SO SUBTLE and SO DESCREITE that only those that it is being done to see it.
The words "realistic" and "independence" are used to whip our thought process back into line. It is ridiculous that I have spent a life-time having to prove "my rights" to exist! It is also stupid and ridiculous that a student with a masterâs degree canât get PhD funding while people who write about phone sex are considered "cutting edge." What is WRONG with this picture?
It would be far more comfortable to sell out, and spend our lives in front of the squawk box, but I am not going to do that! We are going to soar, speak out, ride the wave, and conquer all. We are not going to let these people in positions control our every move, though, and goal. We are not going to stand back ideally, and let them step and stomp over our breath. We will own our own right to control our own destiny!
We are going to be activists and advocates for ourselves, and show the world that our thoughts, feelings and goals count. We are going to be recognized for what is truly RIGHT and JUST, and, we will be regarded and respected even thought we may have a physical disability. We are going to change the world and how the world see us- We are going to speak out- Yell to the highest mountain top to be heard, and not let these people, "in power" which are our blockade stand in out way- Some how, some way, we will obtain our own destiny! Some how, some way, we will be heard and seen and the road will be made straight for us. We will be accepted and treated the way all men and woman deserve to be treated.
The system has to be maintained. This means maximum control for "helpful" overseers. I am tired of it! FED-UP, OUTRAGED, and APPULED! There is something very, very wrong about the system which waist time and money trying to do the impossible with those going nowhere, while, ignoring the genuine potential of so many of us. We are treated worse than dirty dish rags! Hit bellow the belt, and patronized beyond words. It is SO SUBTLE and SO DESCREITE that only those that it is being done to see it.
The words "realistic" and "independence" are used to whip our thought process back into line. It is ridiculous that I have spent a life-time having to prove "my rights" to exist! It is also stupid and ridiculous that a student with a masterâs degree canât get PhD funding while people who write about phone sex are considered "cutting edge." What is WRONG with this picture?
It would be far more comfortable to sell out, and spend our lives in front of the squawk box, but I am not going to do that! We are going to soar, speak out, ride the wave, and conquer all. We are not going to let these people in positions control our every move, though, and goal. We are not going to stand back ideally, and let them step and stomp over our breath. We will own our own right to control our own destiny!
We are going to be activists and advocates for ourselves, and show the world that our thoughts, feelings and goals count. We are going to be recognized for what is truly RIGHT and JUST, and, we will be regarded and respected even thought we may have a physical disability. We are going to change the world and how the world see us- We are going to speak out- Yell to the highest mountain top to be heard, and not let these people, "in power" which are our blockade stand in out way- Some how, some way, we will obtain our own destiny! Some how, some way, we will be heard and seen and the road will be made straight for us. We will be accepted and treated the way all men and woman deserve to be treated.
Labels: Cerebral Palsy
The Pied Piperâs Taps
Al Gilbert, the legendary âPied Piper of Dance,â was born, Allesandro Zicari, on July 12, 1921. Al came from a generation in time, when people valued one another and truly cared. During that time, people really seemed to genuinely treasure one anothers friendships and supported their endeavors. This was in an age and era without technology. Thus, people reached out more to one another. They talked, were friendly, and neighborly, and they built relationships and bonded. They tried to make life easier, more palatable, and they freely and without reservation lend a helping hand. People, of this era also assisted by helping unconditionally to those that were less fortunate.
Al Gilbert, affectionately known as âUncle Al, Star Maker, Dance Educator, and âteachersâ teacherâ career lasted well over 60 years. He was a no-nonsense instructor who inspired and motivated all. He was internationally known, and could simplify steps in a way no one else could. âAt a time when nothing like it existed, Music works website says it bestâŚAlâs revolutionary vision to create instructional dance material for dance instructors and their students generated a trend that changed the entire dance industry.â Al codified syllabi for tap and jazz and made a long, lasting impact on the dance world. From the earliest days, when he worked side by side with his brothers, on the back street-corners of Rochester, New York, Al Gilbert made dance even more accessible without even realizing it.
It was 1954, a beautiful spring day, in the state of California. My mother was driving down the street, Pico Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, with me by her side, in our 1952, two tone, blue hardtop, Chevy. Momentarily, she looked up, and spotted a sign. It read ââŚAl Gilberts Theatrical Dance Studio. Being the progressive thinker and person that she was, she turned the corner, parked the car, took me by my little hand, and walked into his front doors to talk with him. That was well over 45 years ago. It was a very magical moment as he greeted us both. After seconds of entering his door, my mother and I both knew. It was my privilege to be his friend, his student, and become a teacher, who has carried on his precious legacy to our disabled community in so many ways.
There is not much talk or literature on Allesando Zicari, and how Al gave of himself and his time unconditionally to the disabled world. So I will. He helped all that came to him. Even those disabled girlfriends, who I went to school with; whom my mother personally recommended.
Al Gilbert, dance teacher, poet, author, and humanitarian, proposed to come to my handicapped elementary school and give of himself and his talents unreservedly. He was enthusiastic and eager to teach other disabled children, and give his time to our community. Although, even the master in taps that he was- because he did not have a college teaching degree, he was blocked by âthe experts.â Time and time again he âproved it could be doneâ while the experts said it couldnât! He was a leader in his own right, and made an impact on everyoneâs life he touched.
Including mine! I remember that day well. I remember vividly. I was a young toddler, only three and a half years old. And, to remember so vividly, after so many years is truly a blessing. I remember how he unconditionally loved, me, and how he gently took me under his wing and nurtured me. I remember how he taught me to dance, and how he would look down at me with his smile. His kind and mild temperament along with his encouraging words, taught me how to hop, skip, jump and run. He also taught me to point and flex my toes, and gain movement in my ankle that I may never have developed if it werenât for him. No therapist ever gave to me like he gave of himself. Because of his teachings, and his techniques; my once twisted body, straightened out, along with my left leg. Now, not only did my dragged foot and flopped, out to the side gate, correct itself- But I was able to hang my full length brace up in my closet never to wear it again at the age of 11 years old. His unwavering dedication and devotion week after week, year after year, recital after recital of lessons taken with and without my brace proved to dramatically change me and my physical being.
Gently but firmly, I remember him reminding me to bend my knees; while doing shuffles, shuffle hops, or shuffle bal-changes. I can recall him clearly telling me to turn my knee out for better positioning, and I can remember hearing his voice on his tap technique records. Al gave me a ballet bar too, along with a book about a little girl who had week legs, who got strong again through dance- only to become a ballerina. On another trip, he came back with symbols. His unwavering unique, and loving approach towards me, tried every way possible to motivate and encourage.
Every chance I could while at home, I would practice after all my other therapies lessons were done and completed. So, with discipline, a willingness, and an open âmind, I would put my record player on, only to hear Alâs soothing, voice instructing me as he always did.
I also can remember him making my lessons fun, calling my mother up to have her bring me into his studio for extra lessons, without any charge. He use to say to my mama⌠ââŚthat Karenâs smile was payment in full⌠that that was all he needed.â On another occasion, he even began piano lessons. He made this fun as well, as his playful side would come to check up on me and the piano teacher every chance he could. Never once did he let on it was to make my left fingers and hand stronger.
I remember the closeness we had, and how our friendship grew and developed over decades and time. I trusted him, I respected him and his word, and I talked to him like he was my daddy, when I lost my own. He became the temperate figure I looked up to for strength and endurance. He became the rock and pillar in my minds eye to endue all. He gave me a quiet love, acceptance and devotion for not only dance, movement, and rhythm, but he bestowed upon me a burning desire and passion which could not be denied. His love and enthusiasm for music, rhythm, and man-kind was passed on, body, mind, and soul. I knew what I wanted to become, and I was going to become it. I was going to follow Al Gilbertâs footsteps even though I had Cerebral Palsy. I was blessed with the same gift, as Al⌠I was born to dance just like all the other students before and after me that he endowed with his skill and talent.
Al Gilbert, affectionately known as âUncle Al, Star Maker, Dance Educator, and âteachersâ teacherâ career lasted well over 60 years. He was a no-nonsense instructor who inspired and motivated all. He was internationally known, and could simplify steps in a way no one else could. âAt a time when nothing like it existed, Music works website says it bestâŚAlâs revolutionary vision to create instructional dance material for dance instructors and their students generated a trend that changed the entire dance industry.â Al codified syllabi for tap and jazz and made a long, lasting impact on the dance world. From the earliest days, when he worked side by side with his brothers, on the back street-corners of Rochester, New York, Al Gilbert made dance even more accessible without even realizing it.
It was 1954, a beautiful spring day, in the state of California. My mother was driving down the street, Pico Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, with me by her side, in our 1952, two tone, blue hardtop, Chevy. Momentarily, she looked up, and spotted a sign. It read ââŚAl Gilberts Theatrical Dance Studio. Being the progressive thinker and person that she was, she turned the corner, parked the car, took me by my little hand, and walked into his front doors to talk with him. That was well over 45 years ago. It was a very magical moment as he greeted us both. After seconds of entering his door, my mother and I both knew. It was my privilege to be his friend, his student, and become a teacher, who has carried on his precious legacy to our disabled community in so many ways.
There is not much talk or literature on Allesando Zicari, and how Al gave of himself and his time unconditionally to the disabled world. So I will. He helped all that came to him. Even those disabled girlfriends, who I went to school with; whom my mother personally recommended.
Al Gilbert, dance teacher, poet, author, and humanitarian, proposed to come to my handicapped elementary school and give of himself and his talents unreservedly. He was enthusiastic and eager to teach other disabled children, and give his time to our community. Although, even the master in taps that he was- because he did not have a college teaching degree, he was blocked by âthe experts.â Time and time again he âproved it could be doneâ while the experts said it couldnât! He was a leader in his own right, and made an impact on everyoneâs life he touched.
Including mine! I remember that day well. I remember vividly. I was a young toddler, only three and a half years old. And, to remember so vividly, after so many years is truly a blessing. I remember how he unconditionally loved, me, and how he gently took me under his wing and nurtured me. I remember how he taught me to dance, and how he would look down at me with his smile. His kind and mild temperament along with his encouraging words, taught me how to hop, skip, jump and run. He also taught me to point and flex my toes, and gain movement in my ankle that I may never have developed if it werenât for him. No therapist ever gave to me like he gave of himself. Because of his teachings, and his techniques; my once twisted body, straightened out, along with my left leg. Now, not only did my dragged foot and flopped, out to the side gate, correct itself- But I was able to hang my full length brace up in my closet never to wear it again at the age of 11 years old. His unwavering dedication and devotion week after week, year after year, recital after recital of lessons taken with and without my brace proved to dramatically change me and my physical being.
Gently but firmly, I remember him reminding me to bend my knees; while doing shuffles, shuffle hops, or shuffle bal-changes. I can recall him clearly telling me to turn my knee out for better positioning, and I can remember hearing his voice on his tap technique records. Al gave me a ballet bar too, along with a book about a little girl who had week legs, who got strong again through dance- only to become a ballerina. On another trip, he came back with symbols. His unwavering unique, and loving approach towards me, tried every way possible to motivate and encourage.
Every chance I could while at home, I would practice after all my other therapies lessons were done and completed. So, with discipline, a willingness, and an open âmind, I would put my record player on, only to hear Alâs soothing, voice instructing me as he always did.
I also can remember him making my lessons fun, calling my mother up to have her bring me into his studio for extra lessons, without any charge. He use to say to my mama⌠ââŚthat Karenâs smile was payment in full⌠that that was all he needed.â On another occasion, he even began piano lessons. He made this fun as well, as his playful side would come to check up on me and the piano teacher every chance he could. Never once did he let on it was to make my left fingers and hand stronger.
I remember the closeness we had, and how our friendship grew and developed over decades and time. I trusted him, I respected him and his word, and I talked to him like he was my daddy, when I lost my own. He became the temperate figure I looked up to for strength and endurance. He became the rock and pillar in my minds eye to endue all. He gave me a quiet love, acceptance and devotion for not only dance, movement, and rhythm, but he bestowed upon me a burning desire and passion which could not be denied. His love and enthusiasm for music, rhythm, and man-kind was passed on, body, mind, and soul. I knew what I wanted to become, and I was going to become it. I was going to follow Al Gilbertâs footsteps even though I had Cerebral Palsy. I was blessed with the same gift, as Al⌠I was born to dance just like all the other students before and after me that he endowed with his skill and talent.
Labels: author, Cerebral Palsy
Pondering the Past, and Guiding Individuals Towards Their Future
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Thank you for inviting me to your school today, and to share with you a part of who I am. This afternoon, I will not only read to you a piece of my autobiographical book,â The Broken Hoof,â but we will move together in rhythm, while teaching, and, I will empower you with some videos of where I have come from and what gifts Iâd like to give to all of you. Iâd liked to help you learn that âAnything is Possibleâ if you put your mind towards it.
You are all sitting here before me now, because deep, down inside of your own heart, you believe in yourselves like no one else does or ever has. You believe in your own individuals gifts and talents. And you believe that you are very special, in a very unique way. Each and every one of you, just like me, Iâm sure, has had to overcome challenges and extreme difficulties. We all have these difficulties and obstacles, however, not all of us have the courage and strength, to face up to them, accept them, learn from them, grow from them, and change our attitudes in a positive way, while becoming willing to do what ever it takes to reach the goal we desire so badly.
Today, we will find new techniques; new approaches, and new ways to bring about these changes within ourselves, our attitudes, our beliefs, and our lives. We will begin right where we are now. And we will do it with unconditional acceptance and kindness. We will learn to be gentle with ourselves and our feelings. And, we will learn to accomplish our challenges one at a time. Today we will have some fun exploring ourselves with some of these methods.
We as individuals, have the power to change, along with change the world around us, but only if we have that willingness. This willingness within, will take us on marvelous journeys, but only if we trust this power of belief, then and only then will our accomplishments be unlimited.
When I was your age, the young people who surrounded my world, were all disabled. Why, you might be asking yourself? Well, Iâll tell you. When I was five months old, I got very sick. It left me with the paralysis you see today on my left arm and leg. I could not go to a regular school, because I could not learn like other children my own age. I had a learning disability called dyslexia. This learning problem made it very, very, hard for me to read, write, and do math like the other children in my classes. Thus, I had to go to a school that had children with Cerebral Palsy, like me, polio, multiple sclerosis, down syndrome, and other disabilities.
These were the only young people that I knew. So I had to create different ways to learn. I had to motivate myself, and tell myself that I could pass a test. I had to learn to be open minded. I had to learn to believe in myself, and to believe that no matter what my outer appearances looked like, I could change it. I would keep telling myself that I could change my life and the world immediately around me.
The difference in having a disability now, verses when I was a child, was that the educational system did not have the laws that you have today. I was pushed into classes where I was not learning like the other children around me. And when my mother got the first special education teacher, by talking to the principal, I was put in a classroom, behind a screen, to figure things out for myself, while sitting all alone for hours at a time, to fend for myself.
Finding my dance teacher, Al Gilbert, changed my life completely. Through his caring, gentle, and poised composure, I learned by example what it took to give it to myself, and then, eventually to all of you. Everyone of you here today, are here because you want to be here, you want to change and make your life better, and, you want to find and develop your gifts and share them with the world. This is and can be possible. It is all encompassing.
I would like to share a little bit of the journey I took to try to change some of the attitudes about what people with my disability were able to do. I spent a lot of time trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle called learning. Just as dance had made my body and spirit strong, now I was on a quest to find the tools which would unlock the door for me. Inadvertently, I helped unlock the doors for all disabled people.
I understood intuitively, that I would some day have to ultimately care for myself completely. To do that, I needed a good job. To get that job, I needed a higher education. And, I needed to learn all the things I never learned in 12 years of my fundamental schooling. The people, who were supposed to be helping me, sadly didnât see thing the same way I did. They felt I should settle for something less than I believed I was capable of. To make a long story short, I fought and won the first Civil Rights Case in California, this guaranteed my right to earn an Associate of Arts degree in English and dance. While I was at college, I found helpers who understood my desire to learn all the things I never learned before.
This now led me to succeed in many different areas. I became an adaptive fitness instructor, an advocate, a published author, and a public speaker. My book, which I am going to read from shortly, was published in 2006, but took over twenty years to complete. And, in its infancy, it won second place in the Kaleidoscope Literary Prose Fiction Art award of 1983. I know every one of you has something to offer and give to the rest of the world. It is all about unlocking it. My hope is that my story and my visit here with you today, is the key that unlocks a door of deep desires for you. My other hope is that you find the power within yourself to succeed and the ability to be positive in every way. I hope that by me speaking here today helps you to find the area, the talent, and the gift you so joyously feel within your heart to give and share with the world.
A Long time ago, I found a poem by a famous British amputee; William E. Henley. He lost both his legs at the age of 12. When I first read these words, in college, these words from Maya Angelou sung sweetly in my spirit. Angelou first sees this as a mark of paternalistic contempt. She is held by a white superintendent in school who has just told her class, to be content to be athletes and cotton pickers. She turns it into an anthem or song of praises for our people and hers. It goes like this⌠âIt matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishment the scroll. I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul.
I leave you with these sweet empowering words- take them home with you today to conquer and triumph! Make a positive mark on this world and leave a path behind you that no one else has ever left before.
Thank you for allowing me to share this with you, today. I will now answer any questions that you may have or that cross your mind.
You are all sitting here before me now, because deep, down inside of your own heart, you believe in yourselves like no one else does or ever has. You believe in your own individuals gifts and talents. And you believe that you are very special, in a very unique way. Each and every one of you, just like me, Iâm sure, has had to overcome challenges and extreme difficulties. We all have these difficulties and obstacles, however, not all of us have the courage and strength, to face up to them, accept them, learn from them, grow from them, and change our attitudes in a positive way, while becoming willing to do what ever it takes to reach the goal we desire so badly.
Today, we will find new techniques; new approaches, and new ways to bring about these changes within ourselves, our attitudes, our beliefs, and our lives. We will begin right where we are now. And we will do it with unconditional acceptance and kindness. We will learn to be gentle with ourselves and our feelings. And, we will learn to accomplish our challenges one at a time. Today we will have some fun exploring ourselves with some of these methods.
We as individuals, have the power to change, along with change the world around us, but only if we have that willingness. This willingness within, will take us on marvelous journeys, but only if we trust this power of belief, then and only then will our accomplishments be unlimited.
When I was your age, the young people who surrounded my world, were all disabled. Why, you might be asking yourself? Well, Iâll tell you. When I was five months old, I got very sick. It left me with the paralysis you see today on my left arm and leg. I could not go to a regular school, because I could not learn like other children my own age. I had a learning disability called dyslexia. This learning problem made it very, very, hard for me to read, write, and do math like the other children in my classes. Thus, I had to go to a school that had children with Cerebral Palsy, like me, polio, multiple sclerosis, down syndrome, and other disabilities.
These were the only young people that I knew. So I had to create different ways to learn. I had to motivate myself, and tell myself that I could pass a test. I had to learn to be open minded. I had to learn to believe in myself, and to believe that no matter what my outer appearances looked like, I could change it. I would keep telling myself that I could change my life and the world immediately around me.
The difference in having a disability now, verses when I was a child, was that the educational system did not have the laws that you have today. I was pushed into classes where I was not learning like the other children around me. And when my mother got the first special education teacher, by talking to the principal, I was put in a classroom, behind a screen, to figure things out for myself, while sitting all alone for hours at a time, to fend for myself.
Finding my dance teacher, Al Gilbert, changed my life completely. Through his caring, gentle, and poised composure, I learned by example what it took to give it to myself, and then, eventually to all of you. Everyone of you here today, are here because you want to be here, you want to change and make your life better, and, you want to find and develop your gifts and share them with the world. This is and can be possible. It is all encompassing.
I would like to share a little bit of the journey I took to try to change some of the attitudes about what people with my disability were able to do. I spent a lot of time trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle called learning. Just as dance had made my body and spirit strong, now I was on a quest to find the tools which would unlock the door for me. Inadvertently, I helped unlock the doors for all disabled people.
I understood intuitively, that I would some day have to ultimately care for myself completely. To do that, I needed a good job. To get that job, I needed a higher education. And, I needed to learn all the things I never learned in 12 years of my fundamental schooling. The people, who were supposed to be helping me, sadly didnât see thing the same way I did. They felt I should settle for something less than I believed I was capable of. To make a long story short, I fought and won the first Civil Rights Case in California, this guaranteed my right to earn an Associate of Arts degree in English and dance. While I was at college, I found helpers who understood my desire to learn all the things I never learned before.
This now led me to succeed in many different areas. I became an adaptive fitness instructor, an advocate, a published author, and a public speaker. My book, which I am going to read from shortly, was published in 2006, but took over twenty years to complete. And, in its infancy, it won second place in the Kaleidoscope Literary Prose Fiction Art award of 1983. I know every one of you has something to offer and give to the rest of the world. It is all about unlocking it. My hope is that my story and my visit here with you today, is the key that unlocks a door of deep desires for you. My other hope is that you find the power within yourself to succeed and the ability to be positive in every way. I hope that by me speaking here today helps you to find the area, the talent, and the gift you so joyously feel within your heart to give and share with the world.
A Long time ago, I found a poem by a famous British amputee; William E. Henley. He lost both his legs at the age of 12. When I first read these words, in college, these words from Maya Angelou sung sweetly in my spirit. Angelou first sees this as a mark of paternalistic contempt. She is held by a white superintendent in school who has just told her class, to be content to be athletes and cotton pickers. She turns it into an anthem or song of praises for our people and hers. It goes like this⌠âIt matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishment the scroll. I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul.
I leave you with these sweet empowering words- take them home with you today to conquer and triumph! Make a positive mark on this world and leave a path behind you that no one else has ever left before.
Thank you for allowing me to share this with you, today. I will now answer any questions that you may have or that cross your mind.
Labels: author, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Education, multiple sclerosis
Why We don't Want to be Good Little Robots Anymore!
Dear Friends, there is a very important topic I would like to bring up for discussion today. It is a hidden well, a well of attitude shown towards so many of our self-styled helpers. It is usually done with the best of motives, but leads to disaster.
This happens by the attitude of our so called professionals who, with cleverness, have correctly shifted the attention away from internal childhood which has gone to another extreme. Such help as we may need it seems as bad, indulgent, and unnecessary. We must be like everyone else, in their eyes, yet we cannot be ourselves in a healthy manor or way, we can only be healthy-minded if we mindlessly conform to their way, wants and controlling desires.
The organs of this philosophy, came from an error. Practitioners saw the futility of the old... poor helpless baby approach, and, they wanted something better. Although, the error really came when they took it upon themselves to transform our lives without consulting us. Since, Intellectually, we could and were able to compete, the practitioners had to change it quietly. They assumed that all of our needs for emotional support, recognition, and some form of assistance were also, counterproductive. So, led by that female wizard, Bertha Tiberaus Bobath, they began to impose a regime of harshness and a cold business like manner; not seen since Watsonian behaviourism fifty years earlier.
Thus, we began to resist out of our own desperate desires and need for a true independence in terms of taking responsibility for our selves and our own lives. We wanted to make our own decisions, which we knew we could. We knew internally that our thinking was vital, just and right. We knew we could succeed. All we needed was a compassionate expert to be on our side. To walk, talk, and guide us; as they helped to open the doors to the bigger world. That to us was all important. That to us, is all we needed!
Our Independence as an end in itself is counterproductive. But to have a true balance was not recognized at all. The value of a balanced, moderate approach was not in existence. Each one of us, knows what we need. We know better than any parent, expert, or teacher around. We need to be heard, listened to, and taken seriously. I personally am so sick and tired of seeing this noble concept of independence used as an excuse not to give us the needed help, we really need. My question is... when will they genuinely and harmoniously give us what is truly needed. All these untruths, rubbish, and excrement leads to frustration, anger, and sadness.
This frustration is based on having to apologize for ourselves time and time again, and to right the wrongs they have manifested to fruition, The need to get the assistance that we truly needed to move forward in our lives is ignored piously. This energy, becomes very exhausting, and would be far better spent trying to improve our lives, instead of wasting it in justifying the facts of... what we said and how we said it... or, to pass the butter please, rather then, the opposed to being able to get it our self.
The far better approach, would be to say to us... How can I help you, rather than how can I force you to unnecessarily do something you neither want to do, or is beneficial to you? It is not in their vision. They cannot see what we truly are about or what our passions are. These measures are effortless because they do not really want to help us be constructive or productive, human beings. They rather cause undue embarrassment by excess rather then be truthful and honest.
How can we change this? Are we willing to speak our mind? Are we willing to fight for our lives? Are we willing to educate and change the system we live in one issue at a time; by telling those experts how we truly feel. Are we willing to go to any lengths to not let them get away with this anymore? Are we willing to let our voices be heard. I ask you. Can we come together as disabled individuals backing and supporting each other unconditionally in our cause to an equal right to our civil rights- or are we meekly going to let life pass us by, by sitting in a corner, being afraid to speak our minds, and twiddling our thumbs! I ask you?
Labels: Balance