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Blog , News

2013 Disability Connection Playground Party

The Disability Connection All Inclusive Playground

August 23 ·  · Taken at Bruce Ladner Field
Dreams Come True – After years of hard work and searching for funds, the non-profit group Disability Connection dedicated a new all inclusive playground. It is the first of its kind in South Mississippi. Read more from Rebecca Powers at http://bit.ly/DCPlaygroundWLOX

Thank you for helping us build a connected community!

Screen Shot 2013-09-12 at 11.02.32 PMFeel free to tag friends in our Facebook Photo Album.

 

Blog , News

2013 Disability Awareness Health Fair

The Mayor’s Disability Awareness Health Fair

    

The Mayor’s Disability Awareness Health Fair is a free day of health screenings, resource information from over 40 health and disability organizations, disability awareness games and obstacle courses, group fitness classes provided by Gulfport Senior Services, arts and crafts, and inclusive stage entertainment to include groups with disabilities, children, and motivational speaker Greg Smith. Over 800 individuals will attend this event. The Fair is open to the public.

Friday October 4th, 2013 from 10am to 2pm at the Edgewater Mall, South Entrance in Biloxi.

Health and disability organizations are welcome to register for a booth now by faxing the completed registration formto (228) 284-4419.

Groups and individuals are invited to RSVP for the Fair by calling (228) 604-4020.

Healthy Snack packs will be provided to the first few groups that RSVP, so call today!

Disability Challenge games at the 2011 Health Fair

Disability Challenge games at the 2011 Health Fair

 

Special thanks to the 2013 Mayor’s Disability Awareness Health Fair Sponsors:

      
    
Abbvie Chron’s and Colitis Advocate Program, Millcreek of Longbeach, Nursing Management,
Greg Smith – The Strength Coach, Gulfport Senior Services, and Team Adaptive
Our Heroes

A Hero in Memory — Jon Eric O’Connor

Jon O'Connor and sister Kelly
Jon O’Connor and sister Kelly
http://www.spinalcordinjury-paralysis.org

A hero is gone but never forgotten. Jon O’Conner lived an honorable life and will be missed by many. For those that knew him, he was

“always the most gentle voice in the room — that didn’t mean he backed down or took a back seat –but it had the consequence of him being heard. He cared — he told the truth — he made everyone laugh and feel comfortable.”

Jon was injured in an accidental fall 12 years ago. After his accident he became a “beacon of hope” for all those facing challenges. When asked about his motto he would enthusiastically reply: “It’s Go Forward!”

We invite you to read more about Jon in a letter composed by Peter Wilderotter, President and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

Jon “devoted himself … to improving the lives of everyone living with paralysis” and will always be a hero.

Our Heroes

A Blind Lifter

39-year old blind DC-resident Pat Leahy is pursuing his bodybuilding dreams.

39-year old blind DC-resident Pat Leahy

About Pat Leahy

via BlindLifter.com

It takes strength, courage, and dedication to compete in bodybuilding. It takes an extraordinary person to compete blind. Nothing can stop award-winning 39-year old blind DC-resident Pat Leahy from pursuing his bodybuilding dreams.

“Blind Lifter” is an upcoming documentary about Pat that will inspire its audience to go for their dreams. The documentary will be released later this fall.

On May 4, 2013, Pat competed in the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilder’s Atlantic Super Show competition held in Richmond, VA, knowing full well that previous injuries could flare mid-performance and permanently affect his future athletic endeavors.

Pat is not competing against other blind bodybuilders. Pat is competing in a field of sighted competitors. Blind Lifter Logo

Pat’s sight loss has presented him with trials, but it does not define him. Professionally, his career encompasses service under Members of Congress, a Cabinet Secretary, and currently the U.S. federal government. Academically, Pat graduated with honors from Millersville University in 1997, with majors in both Political Science and History. He is also a future MBA student. During his free time, Pat enjoys helping our nation’s wounded warriors, swimming, reading, and being an avid baseball fan. Additionally, he has a guide dog named Galahad, who is a five-year old yellow Labrador.

– Read More about his Pat and his new documentary entitled “Blind Lifter”

 

Our Heroes

A Person Can Have a Disability without Being a Disabled Person

 

My Point of View; Truth

Lisa Egan Portrait
Image Credit: ewheeling

“What’s the difference between “having a disability” and “being disabled”? It all comes down to two sociological theories: the medical/individual model of disability and the social model of disability,”says  at XOJane.com .

Lisa’s latest article discusses the medical vs. social views of disability.

“I am disabled. More specifically, I am disabled by a society that places social, attitudinal and architectural barriers in my way,” asserts Lisa. “This world we live in disables me by treating me like a second-class citizen because I have a few impairments  — most obviously a mobility impairment.

“There are many who would argue that they do have a disability. They point out that even if all barriers put in place by society were removed,they’d still have things they can’t do.”

 

Read Full Article  

Blog

Healing the Mind and Heart Community

Dr. Dan Gottlieb's Photo

Interested in inspiring stories?

Looking for answers to questions on how to deal with chronic pain and illness?

Join the Healing the Mind and Heart Community brought to you by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

“Daniel Gottlieb, Ph.D., a practicing psychologist and family therapist,

will be live in this section every Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. ET.

Leave a question or comment anytime for him in the Mind and Heart Community”

News

The Disability Community is Politically Engaged

National Youth Transitions Center Logo“The sheer number of people with disabilities makes them an important voting block, researchers say, but turnout among the group is severely lagging,” said  of DisabilityScoop.com .

A recent survey of more than 1000 found that “those touched by special needs are turning out to vote in high numbers and care deeply about candidate views on supports and services.”

“Too many politicians across the political spectrum have been ignoring disability issues for too long,” said Will Swenson, political director at United Cerebral Palsy, one of more than 45 disability organizations that are part of the Youth Transitions Collaborative which commissioned the survey. “Our community votes and we are going to be paying very close attention to whether elected officials are fighting for us or not.”

What do you think? Join the conversation on our Facebook Page.

 

 

 

 

News

Adorable Labradoodle Brings Joy to Amputee

A year ago, 25-year-old Georgia native Aimee Copeland cut her leg falling from a zip line near the Tallapoosa River. A deadly bacteria entered her body.

After a series of trips to the hospital and months in rehab, Aimee is still recovering from the loss of her hands, feet and entire right leg.

Now she has a new helper: a black labradoodle named Belle.

Aimee Copeland and her new friend
Aimee Copeland and her new friend Photo -Good Morning America/(WSBTV)

“Belle, who is a year old, started training when she was a 3-month-old puppy, said her trainer Crystal Callahan, who owns the Psychiatric Service Dog Academy and Registry in Cocoa, Fla. Belle will be able to help Copeland get back up if she falls down, pick things up if she drops them and deliver her medications on time.

“I’m just loving her and so excited to have that new addition and that new help,” Copeland told WSB-TV, the ABC News affiliate in Atlanta.

Read more about Aimee’s story and her participation in fundraising for the new organization, PawsOfMind.org at yahoo.

News

Heartwarming Gift Helps Autistic Boy

Corbin with his mom, Gillian
Corbin with his mom, Gillian. Photo: KGW

For many severely autistic individuals like Corbin, iPad apps — including AAC Speech Buddy, Articulate It, MetaTouch, and Scene and Heard, according to the website Autism Speaks —

can be life-changing communication tools.

When Corbin’s iPad came up missing last week, his caregiver, James Freeman, felt that he had to do something to try to help.

“I felt really bad, you know, because that is his world,” Freeman explained in a local KGW TV news story about the theft. “That’s his toy he communicates [with], it’s always glued to his hand, he doesn’t like sharing it with other people, and it just keeps him in his own calmness.”

Charles Turner, a local real estate agent, saw the news story and was so moved by it that he and his family decided  to donate 1 of 3 personal iPads to Corbin.

“For me, an iPad is largely a toy and occasionally a business convenience,” Turner told Yahoo! Shine. “To Corbin, it’s a thing of comfort and a communication tool.”

Read More about this story on Yahoo