The Australian Federal Election campaign is now in full swing and "Scotty from Ableism" has lit up the internet because he is “blessed” to not have “children with disabilities.” Understandably parents with children who have disabilities and the rest of the disability community are shocked and outraged. What does that make us? The Cursed Ones?? … Continue reading Disability is a Blessing Too
Disability
World Down Syndrome Day
Do you know anyone with Down syndrome? We do. One of my closest friends has a daughter with Down syndrome. Jess is now 23 and she lives here in Toowoomba in her own unit with the support that she needs. We have known Jess for just over 20 years now. She likes to dress up … Continue reading World Down Syndrome Day
Dylan Alcott – Australian of the Year and Totally Able
Don’t worry if you have a disability. I don’t care that I’m in a wheelchair - in fact, I love it. Go to work with what you’ve got. I live the best life ever. Please get out there and enjoy life. Even though it’s a bit different, being different is definitely good. This week Dylan … Continue reading Dylan Alcott – Australian of the Year and Totally Able
Dan Goes to the Dentist
Do you like going to the dentist? If we’re honest, many of us will say no, but we go anyway because we know it is important for our oral health. Having instruments poked in your mouth and a bright light in your eyes is not very comfortable, but we know that prevention is better than … Continue reading Dan Goes to the Dentist
Accessible Housing Benefits Everyone
Image by Anastasiia Chepinska - Unsplash “We all aspire to have our own homes, we all aspire to be independent, and we all aspire to live in a safe environment.” (David Blower, Endeavour Foundation) Today is the International Day of People with Disabilities, one of the most important days of the year for the disability … Continue reading Accessible Housing Benefits Everyone
Carers Week 2021 – Millions of Reasons to Care
“Carers are an essential part of our health system. They are the foundation of our aged, disability, palliative, and community care systems.” Every year 2.65 million Australian carers perform 2.2 billion hours of unpaid care. There are many reasons why a person may become a carer - disability, mental illness, chronic conditions, terminal illness and … Continue reading Carers Week 2021 – Millions of Reasons to Care
Capability Before Disability
Since early last year the news headlines have mostly consisted of Covid…Covid….and more Covid. There hasn’t been a lot of good news for quite some time, so when the Olympic Games started a few months ago I was quite relieved to have something else garner my attention. My poor covid fatigued brain really enjoyed having … Continue reading Capability Before Disability
Migraine and Headache Awareness Week
Headaches are one of those annoying things in life. Often caused by stress or noise or sometimes even a little too much to drink, they are irritating but usually quickly treated with a couple of pills or a good lie down. Migraines, on the other hand, are a serious and debilitating condition that can rob … Continue reading Migraine and Headache Awareness Week
Gaia Reading Challenge – Diary of a Young Naturalist
“I have the heart of a naturalist, the head of a would-be scientist, and bones of someone who is already wearied by the apathy and destruction wielded against the natural world.” Dara McAnulty,2020 From Goodreads... Diary of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of 15-year-old Dara McAnulty’s world. From spring and through a year in … Continue reading Gaia Reading Challenge – Diary of a Young Naturalist
Australian Women’s History – Memoirs of Tilly Aston
Although we have not seen a million things we understand quite well, we have seen something else with which we can compare new impressions; something which makes it possible for us to SEE, perhaps more vividly than many unseeing sighted people, the gifts of beauty or grandeur strewn around us. Tilly Aston If you are … Continue reading Australian Women’s History – Memoirs of Tilly Aston