A swim story
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A swim story

Once upon a time I was feeling ambitious, so I made a plan to take both Rachel and Janneke swimming at our local community centre. I visited the pool ahead of time to learn of their regulations, as I’d be arriving with two medically fragile teens who use wheelchairs. I also hired a caregiver; together,…

The measure of humanity
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The measure of humanity

Can you live on $1169 a month? Ontario’s Disability Support Program (ODSP) is designed to support disabled persons above 18 years of age. Qualifying for the program depends on medical and financial circumstances, and what is offered (max of $1169 a month) hardly meets basic living needs for most disabled persons. In the past year,…

Why virtual church needs to stay
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Why virtual church needs to stay

Attending church virtually became as common as mandates and rapid tests over the course of the past two years. Churches pivoted and adapted to the changing landscape that Covid-19 created, and many embraced technology to connect people virtually. This has been a saving grace for all of us. During strict lockdowns we were able to…

Let’s end ableism
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Let’s end ableism

“Today a lady, seeing my walker, offered to hold the door for me. I nodded and wrote ‘thank you’ on the writing board I carry everywhere. She began laughing. It was not a mean laugh, not even intentional, more just a nervous one that lasted the entire time of our interaction as she opened first…

Out of step
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Out of step

On March 13, 1990, an eight-year-old girl, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, joined over 60 adults and families impacted by physical disabilities to crawl up the steps of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. without their mobility devices to physically demonstrate the inaccessible architecture and culture of America.  Living in an ableist culture My two youngest,…

Your ramp is not enough
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Your ramp is not enough

“Where’s the lectern in your church?” It seems like a simple question, but Dr. David Pereyra has a profound point to make. Are there stairs on the way to the lectern? How high is it? Who typically reads the Bible at your church? Look around: how many people with disabilities are there? And that’s just…