The Story of Jason Ballerini

I have a real treat for the readers of this blog today. I was lucky enough to get a contribution from Jason Ballerini who is an inspiration and prime example of a strong person with a disability. Let him represent all those who are feeling like the challenge is too much. I think that his story really represents the common saying that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. He is truly fabulous and I am very happy to share with you his story!

Jason Ballerini

As a fit, active 16yr old, with my life ahead of me, social work or having a career in the disability sector were the last things on my mind. After a diving accident in 1996 left me a quadriplegic, not only did I lose the ability to walk, I felt as though all my options, dreams and aspirations washed away down that creek as well.

It was not long into my rehabilitation that I began to feel this passion inside of my stomach, the passion to overcome the social attitudes and barriers I was now facing. From that day on it was my mission to never let anything stop me from achieving what I wanted. Although motivated to achieve, I was still uncertain in what? It wasn’t until the last month of my rehab, my rehab lasted 4 months when I was told I’d be there for 8-10, that I realised a lot of the other patients were coming to me for advice, a chat or for guidance and hope. It was then I realised that social work, in particular, the disability sector was my calling.

After completing a bachelor of Social Work, I began working in the Disability Advocacy field. Through my experience, study and work I have had the opportunity to gain an understanding of the demands on the disability sector, but also to advance the rights of people with disabilities in our community. In trying to set an example that we are only limited by our own imagination and that the possibilities are endless to those who work hard to achieve their dreams.

Often we see people with disability who attempt to "pass" in the non- disabled world, who want nothing to do with disability groups, especially consumer-run groups. Of course people who have invisible disabilities are more able to hide their disabilities, if they choose to do so. It's a bit ridiculous for a wheelchair user like myself to consider hiding the fact.

But it leads me to wonder why I would want to. Why wouldn't I want people to know that I have a disability, that I accept it as part of who I am and that I am proud of who I am? Why wouldn't I want anyone to know that I confront physical and attitudinal barriers every day of my life and that I identify with strong individuals who are part of the disability rights movement?

I don't hide my disability and I don't "overcome" it either. It's just something I live with. I am not handicapped. Society is handicapped when it shuts out people like me. I am not physically challenged. Tri-athletes and mountain climbers are physically challenged. And I'm certainly no more differently- abled than anyone is from anyone else. No. I just simply have a disability. I don't deny it, or hide it.

Being "seen" as a person with a disability is a conscious choice, whether or not one's disability is visible. For the way others view us is closely connected with the way we view ourselves. Choosing to see disability as a part of who we are and recognise our strengths and abilities, is all part of a process. We need to recognise that having a disability is not a negative thing.

Looking back at the last 14yrs, I can acknowledge has been mighty tough, but it has also been the best 14yrs as well. I have grown so much, and the passion to succeed in this industry is as strong as ever. I have loved every minute of studying and working in this field, and the feeling of helping someone, advocating for change and changing attitudes and policy still drives me to get up every morning and go to work.

The Kindness of Strangers

As you are all aware, I have been spending quite a bit of time on Emma Crees's blog, indulging in her fantastic words about the experience of disability. This little blog post that she sent me for this blog is really quite moving and nice, representing those moments where humanity remembers you!!!!

Emma Crees

I’m sure a lot of disabled people have trouble with people on the street. Or maybe I’m wrong and it’s just me. It’s something I find quite hard to deal with at times.

The ones that mean well and you know they do but you just wish they’d leave you alone. You don’t want them just grabbing the back of your wheelchair and pushing. And don’t take over and pack my shopping for me. The reason why I’m in a wheelchair is none of your business. That sort of thing.

And then there’s the big one. When you’re just sitting there minding your own business perfectly fine, perfectly happy. And people come up and ask if you’re ok, do you need any help?
They wouldn’t do it to an able-bodied person would they? I always wonder and then decide that no they wouldn’t. So it annoys me that they do it to me. After all, if I needed help I’d ask. Leave me alone. Of course, I don’t say things like that I usually just mutter “no” or “I’m fine” and then ignore them.

Only… I’m having to change my mind about that sort of thing.

Several years ago a good friend and I went to London for the day. We took my manual chair and it broke whilst we were walking back to the station. Looking at it we were pretty sure if we got me standing up we might be able to do a temporary fix (which actually didn’t turn out to be the case). There were some railing I could lean on nearby but we couldn’t get me there easily. So we stopped a passer by and asked if she could help. She took one look at my wheelchair and just went “it’s broken” and walked off.

Last week my powerchair broke down in the middle of town. I was stranded by myself. It took quite a while for me to track down a family member to come rescue me and I did get hold of them for them to get to me.

Loads of people stopped and asked if I needed help. Even when my Mum was down with me they still stopped to ask. Before she got there two different sets of people spent a long time separately looking at my chair and trying to see if they could spot a problem.

I still think a lot of people on the street are rude and that they shouldn’t just help without asking. As for the questions, most of the time it’s wrong. But after what happened last week and remembering back to that day in London when we tried to get help and couldn’t? I’m trying to change my attitude about the people who mean well and offer unwanted help. Because I was very grateful for that help last week and it isn’t always there.

Sometimes, the kindness of strangers is a very good thing.

Patience and Persistence

Hi everyone, welcoming you to another blog from Rich Fabend. Just a side note, we in no way enourage the use of guns or promote hunting or anything of the sort. In Australia their are tight rules and restrictions and definite no-nos about the use of guns. I infact love turkeys as I think they are very fascinating creatures. However I think that there is a great lesson and moral behind the words that Rich has presented in his blog posts here, and that is about patience and adapting to change.

The great thing about his stories is that they portray that anybody can do anything, they just need the support, information and determination to do so. I think that Rich is a really wonderful example of someone who has all these values - not to mention his wonderfully creative mind to top it off. He lives in America and it is currently Hunting season there, thus causing the theme of his posts. But from his posts we can see that disability is a daily thing, however if we learn to live with it in our own way, it moves away from something that runs our life, to something that is part of our being.

Rich Fabend

I have waited for this moment for a long time. May 26, 2010 - 9:15 AM. Today I harvested my first turkey in 11 years. I had been an avid hunter prior to my disability. I believed I would never be able to hunt again, especially by myself. Today's success was the result of the labors of many people: my wife, who walked me out and help me set up, my nurse Rhonda, who came at 6 AM the mornings in May so I would have more time to hunt, my neighbor Mike, who allows me to hunt his land, my friend John, who gave me his time to set up blinds made out of snow fence and camouflage material, and so it goes. My wife likes to say "It takes a village".

I am also proud of myself. Over the 11 years, I got discouraged; turkeys often were close enough to harvest but something always went wrong. In the beginning it was my inability to camouflage my wheelchair well enough, then my finger couldn't pull the trigger, or I had a muscle spasm which alerted the turkeys to my presence and were instantly gone. But I persisted and attempted to correct the challenges as they presented themselves. But at the end of each spring I had the same results -- NOTHING. Often it was a process of trial and error, but gradually my efforts began to improve my chances. I created a trigger adapter which allows me to fire the shotgun using my mouth. Not only does this solve the problem of trying to find the trigger, but it also allows me to use both hands to steady the gun. At many points along the way it would've been easy to give up and quit. I know from experience it's a lot easier to give advice to others than it is to take it myself. So get discouraged, get frustrated, but don’t give up.

One of the things I like the most about hunting is that it is totally irrelevant to the game that I am an individual with a disability. To the turkeys I hunt, I am just another predator and that's all I ask for. Today was definitely a day worth waiting for.

Leaving your mark on DISABILITY

Volunteering

The value of volunteers can not be measured in words. Volunteers play a vital and much valued role in the disability sector. In fact, a lot of the programs that function to assist people with disability, their carers and older people; involve the gracious and hard work of a volunteer.

Volunteering in the disability sector is a way to effect positive change; through the sacrifice of time you are given the opportunity to undertake a labour of love. And the rewards given from these experiences are ever lasting; they are carried on the very footsteps that you take through life's journey. Becoming a volunteer is a very selfless act, and an act that often fills a small empty space the heart of others, although small this space is permanent.

I have volunteered for numerous organisations, using my skills to assist in the ways that I thought were best for me. In some ways I felt a certain grain of selfishness in the positive emotive outcome of my experiences. I also gained an irreversible change in myself, as my life took new directions with new possibilities.

You may volunteer in the disability and aged sector in any manner, whether it be as a carer, at a disability organisation, as an advocate for disability and the rights of people with disability, as a volunteer for disability events and activities, or simply by volunteering a moment to assist an older person or person with disability with their groceries. Volunteering your time is simple and the rewards are plenty:

• You can leave footsteps on another’s heart, something that will never be forgotten;

• You can become more involved with the community, in particularly the disability community;

• You can meet new people and make new life-long friends;

• You can support children and young people with disability, older people, their families and the organisations that support them;

• You can gain new skills, knowledge and understanding;

• You can feel rewarded and appreciated;

• You can develop life skills;

• You can experience unique opportunities;

• You can develop a lifetime of special memories; and

• You can have fun doing it!

The personal sacrifice of time in your day is small when considering the rewards listed. Perhaps it is time for us to reward ourselves by supporting others!

Alyssa

The Value of Information

I would like to introduce a staff member of IDEAS who would like to share her experiences of her work within the disability sector and the importance of information in empowering and motivating an individual. Information allows people with disability, their carers and families to act and to find ways to live independently, information can lead to a greater quality of life and it is often knowledge that ABLES an individual. Please enjoy her story.

I work as an Information Officer for IDEAS NSW, an information service for people with a disability.

My role is as the first point of contact for people looking for information to assist them. I try to find the right service for the person to gain assistance from, whether that be supplier's of equipment, or accessible holiday options etc. Basically anything that we are asked in regard to disability we try to find the answer for. This makes my job challenging as I search for different things to suit different people daily. I never know what the next question will be!

I find my work particularly rewarding as I see people empowered by the knowledge they gain to assist them in their daily lives. This may be a little thing, like where to find a shower chair, or something seemingly larger like where to get financial assistance for oxygen support. This information empowers people with a disability and helps them to live more independent lives. For example, that information can enable a person to decide where to buy a set of small wheelchair wheels and a battery which in turn affords them significant independence and their carer relief.

Another example was a recent enquiry from a couple wanting to travel across the Nullabor Plains. We discovered how many accessible toilets are available. This allowed them to have the holiday they didn't think they could.
Information itself is necessary, particularly at turning points in a person's life or when a new situation arises. That's when it is very important to have a single point of contact that makes finding the solution less confusing. We often find that people are frustrated when they call us as they have tried so many other numbers to find the information or because they haven't been listened to. When they can contact us first, we can do the hard work for them.

Part of my job that I particularly enjoy is researching articles on accessible travel for our bi-monthly newsletter. I gain a lot of information for this research from our accessible accommodation database which I also help to maintain. As we are so busy answering enquiries this database is sometimes hard to keep up to date, so please call us to make sure you are getting the most up to date information on 1800 029 904.

My move from the dental industry to the disability sector has been thoroughly rewarding and I have found satisfying work in rural NSW. The skills I am learning I will be able to take with me anywhere.

This article was published on the carecareers website.

The Story of Debapriya Roy

Sharing Disability Around the World

Hello, I am Debapriya Roy from Rangamati, Hill District of Bangladesh. I would like to share my story and tell you some things about me. I completed my Higher Secondary Degree and then was admitted to an Engineering University for higher study in 1974. In that same year I was accepted to take a scholarship to study in France.

On the 16th of January 1975 in the evening, I rode my motorbike to say goodbye to my friends as I was leaving for my scholarship the next day. But life had given me a different plan. During my travel I was involved in a collision which led to me being taken to the hospital. After a few hours, when my senses came back, I realised I lost the power to move both my legs.

I had a very bad bedsore and I spent one month in the local hospital without proper treatment. One of our family friends advised my parents to shift me to Memorial Christian Hospital, at that time he told my parents that in that hospital was the famous Dr Viggo Brand Olsen MD. After a month I was shifted to that hospital. I was under treatment of the great Doctor named Olsen (who is the founder of Mission Hospital) and physiotherapist Dr Larry Golen. They assisted me to improve as much as my health permitted.

Dr Olsen told me that my C-7 dislocated. I can sit on a wheelchair and walk a little with a parallel bar.

With the help of my Doctor I learnt Pathology and worked a year in that hospital. 3 years after the accident I came back to my home town, Rangamati. Disabled life is really very had in my country. There are no jobs available for disabled people, no financial help so it becomes a burden for families. If you visit my country you will see many disabled begging in the street for food with no good shelter to live in. Many live beside the road.
I have learnt how to help my people by doing translations into our language, Chakma. Everything I do shows that hard work must be done to assist these people.

I am trying to find an organisation or someone to help people with disability to access land and shelter, instead of living on the street. You are welcome to come to my country and to help assist people with disability.

Debapriya Roy

http://www.facebook.com/debapriya.roy

http://twitter.com/Debfordisabled

After all is said and done, a lot more will be said than done!

This quote is an all too reliable reference for some people with disability who are struggling to deal with the services and representatives of the Community Services Sector.

It is through the voices and stories of the disability sector that Australia may continue the journey towards understanding the needs of people with disability. Australia wants to recognise the rights of every individual!

And we would like to congratulate Australia for our efforts – the most recent news items have presented a very rare discovery of social change:

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL!

It seems like such a simple movement towards inclusion, and it is certainly an issue that has remained afloat for a length of time.

The federal government has announced minimum access requirements for public buildings built or renovated from the 1st of May 2011. There will be uniform building rules across Australia to end the isolation felt by as many as 4 million people who cannot properly use public facilities.

SHOPS, hotels and offices will soon be forced to widen corridors, install ramps and renovate toilets under new rules to improve access for the elderly, families with prams and people with disabilities. The rules will also include swimming pools, cinemas and common areas of blocks of flats (NB: information taken from an article from the Sydney Morning Herald).

Welcome to ACCESSIBILITY Australia!!!

Welcome to DisCo: Disability Conversations

DisCo – Disability Conversations is a blog specifically designed for all things disability - people with disability, older people, carers, supporters, family members, service providers are invited to share there feelings, thoughts and voice in a collective online forum.

What experiences do we share? How can we change the face of society and spread the many voices within the disability sector without being muffled by culture?

I am the host of this blog, but I invite you to be my exceptional guests in an online venture to break the very barriers that restrict the speech of all things disability.

I hope to encourage a larger, more diverse dialogue. With the resources of the many minds that contribute to this online vision, these Disability Conversations may change the very face of tomorrow through information and story.

I work for a generic information service, IDEAS. It is easy for us to bring information to the people to enable independent living, but it is an aspiration of ours to hear as many stories and thoughts that circle around the word ‘DISABILITY’ as possible.

I welcome you to argue, match or approve of my many ramblings and should you have your own story to tell DisCo provides an optimum outlet. To share your story with the broader disability community contact me on 1800 029 904 or prmedia@ideas.org.au.

I would like to pay thanks to all the wonderful guest bloggers who have and will contribute to this blog. Your words are an inspiration and a wonderful starting point for a unique Disability Conversation.

Alyssa