Respecting and celebrating life in all its glorious forms

Friday, October 7th, 2011

This account of living with disability highlights this month’s focus on respecting life. Sarah is in Year 4 at St Patrick’s Kilbirnie and her story tells of a danger many people with disability face, that of being known only for their condition rather than as people who live with a disability:

“My condition is called cerebral palsy. My kind of cerebral palsy is in my legs – that is why I can’t walk very well. I use crutches and a walker and a wheel chair. They help me get around places.

“Sometimes it’s hard having cerebral palsy because I have to have appointments and I miss out on my learning and that’s not fair for me. I have injections of Botox in my legs. The Botox hurts so they have to put me to sleep with gas. I used to have Botox every six months and now I don’t need it anymore because I can walk.

“I can go swimming and walk to my Nana and Granddad’s house and to the mail box. I can ride a bike, I can play music, I can get a drink by myself and I can dress myself. I can’t walk long distances and there are some exercises I can’t do. I can do the stretch exercises that my physiotherapist gives me. I can draw and I can do most things that people without cerebral palsy do. You can help me by waiting for me at the door and by helping me up and down the stairs.”

Read article in Welcom