Can you imagine being in this young mother’s shoes?

“My life revolves around my two beautiful children. They see me as ‘Mummy’, not a person in a wheelchair and do not judge me or our life. This is now changing as my efforts to be part of their life is limited by the physical access of schools, parks and shops; the attitudes of other parents; and the reality of needing 8 hours support a day with my personal care… I cannot get into the houses of my children’s friends and must wait outside for them to finish playing. I cannot get to all the classrooms at school so I have not met many other parents. I can’t get close to the playground in the middle of the park or help out at the sporting events my children want to be part of. Other parents see me as different, and I have had one parent not want my son to play with her son because I could not help with supervision in her inaccessible house.”

Samantha

From the Real Economic Impact blog I found a link to the new report out from World Health Organization and World Bank, providing the first global numbers on disability in 40 years.  (The above quote is an excerpt, not sure which country it’s from – I like to think all US schools, at least, are wheelchair-accessible.)  They estimate that 15% of the world population has one or more disabilities — which I understand includes physical and developmental disabilities as well as mental illness and certain chronic health issues (e.g. heart disease).  15% of the world population = over 1 billion people.  Almost 20% of those (about 190 million people) are having really significant difficulty functioning.  

I realize that many people I know are facing barriers that I don’t have to think about – and quite likely without my knowledge.  But disability is on the rise, and most of us will have one if we live long enough. 

There’s a thoughtful foreword to the 349-page report by Stephen Hawking - see p. ix.

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