June 5, 2007
Youth Speaks About Disability for Accessibility Advisory Week
Great Story from the North Humberland News:
Youth speaks about disability for Accessibility Advisory Week
Karen Lloyd
Local News - Tuesday, June 05, 2007 @ 09:00
“My speech is very slow and you need to listen very carefully to understand me,” 13-year-old Zach Andrus informed a small audience at the Port Hope Public Library Thursday night. “I have cerebral palsy.”
The boy’s heartwarming presentation was the first of three organized by the municipality’s accessibility advisory committee during Accessibility Advisory Week to help the public better understand what it’s like to live with a disability.
Deprived of oxygen for 20 minutes at birth, Zach has Cerebral Palsy - a condition he says makes it impossible for him to walk, run get dressed, feed himself or leave the house alone.
Yet, despite his condition, the young man has goals and aspirations for the future.
“I can dream like other kids about what I want to do when I get older,” he said. While his words might not be crystal clear, his message was.
Port Hope and other municipalities across the province need to think about the needs of all residents.
To view the entire story: http://www.northumberlandtoday.com, or read more inspirational stories about people with cerebral palsy.
June 1, 2007
Film Explores Being Sibling of Someone with a Disability
Film Explores Being Sibling of Someone with a Disability
Personal Effort for 12-Year-Old Filmmaker
May 31, 2007 - Last year, we introduced you to an autistic local teen who co-directed his own documentary about what it’s like to live with a developmental disability.
Now, someone else in the family is making a film about their experiences.
Twelve-year old Jace King is exploring the challenges of being the brother or sister of someone with autism, Down’s syndrome or cerebral palsy.
Jace and his mother are putting some finishing touches on their heartfelt and very personal film.
“The Sandwich Kid” shares the stories of brothers and sisters who have a sibling with a disability.
“Sandwich kid means that you’re in the middle of your life and what you want to do and being in the middle of all the other people who want to help your sibling,” Jace said.
It’s a challenging situation the 12-year-old knows all too well, his older brother Taylor is autistic.
Jace has grown up trapped between what he wants and needs and what his brother’s disability demands.
“So often the child with the disability requires our full attention and so unwittingly, we don’t mean to but we end up leaving the other child out,” Keri Bowers, Jace’s mother, said.
Keri calls them the silent majority.
It was during filming of her first movie with her son Taylor, which gave the world an inside look at autism through the eyes of autistic children, that she realized Jace and thousands of kids just like him had their own point of view.
“The Sandwich Kid” shares the siblings’ joys, frustrations and fears.
