4MyChild: Help and Hope for Life

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.