Latest news with #disabilityAwareness
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Washington Post
I have an invisible disability. Getting travel accommodations is tough.
In April, as I stepped onto a cruise ship with my family, I should have been excited. But often, I don't have the luxury of feeling that first moment of vacation bliss. Living with multiple sclerosis, I find walking and standing a burden. And accommodations that would enable me to navigate a vacation with ease have been difficult to get because my disability is invisible.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Glastonbury festival: 'My stoma won't stop me enjoying myself'
Outfits picked, backpack packed, tickets at the ready - like anyone else heading for Glastonbury this week, Lucy Smith-Butler is gearing up for one of the biggest events in the festival she has one other consideration - packing the essentials for her stoma 26-year-old had surgery to get the stoma bag fitted when she was 19, two years after being diagnosed with a bowel disease called ulcerative colitis, a long-term condition which causes inflammation of parts of the digestive stoma, a small hole in her abdomen, removes the waste from her body into the fitted bag, which Lucy has to regularly empty. Over the past few days, she has been sharing her festival prep with her 21,000 TikTok followers."I'm just excited to see it," she says, referencing what will be her first Glastonbury experience."I love festivals because you just disappear from reality for a while." This may be Lucy's first experience of Glastonbury, but she has been a festival enthusiast since she was 13 years she says attending events before she had her surgery was difficult."I just didn't know what the facilities would be like," she says."But then as soon as I had my stoma bag, I was like, 'Oh, right well, let's make this work again.'"Lucy's condition means she has additional access needs and requires a clean space to change her stoma bag, as well as access to disabled toilets. She says it's not always been a pleasant experience, recalling one instance where she says she had to physically show a steward her stoma bag before she was allowed to use an accessible of the biggest problems Lucy says she faces is dirty festival toilets - even the accessible ones which are used less."I just changed my stoma bag in my tent most of the time, just because I know who's been in there, and it feels like the cleanest place," she says."There should be places for us that are clean and are up to these standards."Lucy is hoping that will be the case this week, and has so far been impressed with her experience of arranging her accessibility needs at Glastonbury. She says she booked her tickets as normal and then contacted the festival to arrange access to the areas says there are no separate weekend tickets for festival-goers with access requirements, but they are committed to being an event which is accessible to all. Anyone needing to use any of the access facilities must complete the festival's online access application form, and have either a valid access card or the digital Glastonbury access access card translates a person's disability or impairment into symbols, to communicate their access needs to the venues and service providers."The process for Glastonbury was a lot more thorough than any other festival that I've ever been to," Lucy of the festival, she was sent a wristband with a code number on to be able to get into the accessible toilets - something she says she has never seen at a festival her large social media following, Lucy says she is determined to raise awareness of what it's like to go to festivals and other big events with a stoma bag, or other accessibility needs. Her followers often reach out to her for advice, she says, adding that her top tips are to:Contact the festival as soon as you have booked your tickets"Prepare, prepare, prepare" – prepare for everything that might happenCarry all your supplies with you all the timeGo with friends who are supportive and understand your needsAnd most importantly: don't forget to enjoy yourself As well as being able to share her experiences and advice online, Lucy says her social media presence has helped her to make friends at festivals too."I was literally bawling my eyes out," she says as she remembers a chance meeting with someone who had decided to attend their very first festival after finding Lucy's social media page."When you know you've helped someone, it just feels really nice."Ultimately, Lucy says the best thing to do as someone feeling nervous about going to a festival, but wanting to see what it's like, is just to give it a the difficulties she has experienced both before and after her surgery, Lucy says she now "can't imagine a world where I wouldn't go"."The worst that can happen is that I might have a leak, and then I'll just sort it out," she says."You've just got to try it."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Muhlenberg High School graduate doesn't let sight impairment slow her down
Quinn Wagner remembers trying to answer the questions as an elementary school student, but not really knowing how. 'It was quite confusing growing up legally blind,' she said. 'People are curious about it. Other kids would ask me, 'How do you see?' — which is so hard for a 5-year-old to answer. 'My classmates would ask me why my eyes were closed, why I wasn't looking at them, and I didn't know how to explain it.' That's still a bit of a challenge for Wagner, even as an 18-year-old high school graduate. But she's dedicated to doing the best she can to help people understand. Wagner was born with cone-rod dystrophy, a genetic disorder that effects about one in every 30,000 people. The condition renders her color blind — she sees in only black, white and gray — makes her eyes sensitive to light and makes her struggle with depth perception. Without her glasses, she has 20/400 eyesight. 'That means what you should be able to see at 400 feet I can only see at 20 feet,' she explained. It would be reasonable to think the disorder would be an impediment for Wagner, a hurdle slowing her from achieving her dreams. But that's never been the case. 'My parents raised me to believe that if I want something to not let anything stand in my way,' she said. Wagner took that lesson to heart. Instead of struggling, she has thrived. She became an academic dynamo and recently graduated from Muhlenberg High School as valedictorian of her class. 'It's a big accomplishment because it showed all the work I put in was worth it,' she said of earning the honor. 'But it's not a defining moment. There's still so much to do.' That kind of mindset is what led Wagner to excel during her time at Muhlenberg. So did being creative and willing to adapt. She found ways to lessen the impact of her blindness, like using digital textbooks, a closed circuit television system, Braille, a special computer and large-print text books. 'My text books were absolutely giant,' she said with a laugh. In high school, she was able to use her cellphone in class, taking photos of what her teachers wrote on the board and blowing it up to a larger size that she could see. Wagner was drawn to math, science and engineering, saying she was always good with her hands and enjoyed solving problems. That led her to pursue a research project — one she would end up presenting at science fairs — aimed at finding viable alternatives for fossil fuels. Wagner said she was often overlooked when she shared her projects at science fairs, with some people questioning her abilities because of her blindness and being a woman in the traditionally male-dominated world of science and engineering. 'There are always negative people,' she said. 'There's always going to be people who don't think you can do something or don't believe in you, it comes from a lack of understanding.' Wagner said she is dedicated to overcoming that naivety and showing everyone that a visual impairment doesn't have to be a constraint. 'When you're born visually impaired you have to be very creative, you have to learn to adapt to your surroundings to be able to do everything that everyone else is doing,' she said. 'No one knows you better than yourself, no one knows your limits but yourself. I don't like to set limits at all because then there's a threshold for success.' Wagner will continue seeking success this fall at Cornell University. She has received a $10,000 scholarship from Lighthouse Guild in New York City to help cover the costs. She will study environmental engineering and perhaps minor in chemical engineering at Cornell. She said she plans to eventually seek a PhD in sustainable energy, work in research and teach. 'My goal is to pave a path in the STEM fields for anybody with a disability, and women as well,' she said. 'I've not always felt the field is inclusive, and I don't want other people to feel that way. 'I want people to know that they can do it. Just be creative and keep trying and eventually you'll prove people wrong.'
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paralympic champion to take centre stage at national awards ceremony
A Paralympic champion will take centre stage at a national awards ceremony. Chris Hunt Skelley MBE, a gold medallist in judo at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, has been announced as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Loo of the Year Awards. Advertisement The event will be held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull in January. Read more: Co-op thanks customers following cyber attack with special offer Mr Skelley, who was ranked world number one in his sport and most recently claimed bronze at Paris 2024, retired from competitive visually impaired judo earlier this year. He now works as a motivational speaker, judo instructor, and advocate for disability awareness. Becky Wall BEM, chief executive of the Loo of the Year Awards, said: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Chris Hunt Skelley MBE as the keynote speaker at the Loo of the Year Awards this January. Advertisement "Having Chris join us is not only an incredible honour, but a powerful opportunity to amplify the message at the very heart of our work: that accessibility matters for everyone. "Chris represents the ability to rise above challenges and push for a more inclusive world. "His journey reminds us that the right support, opportunities, and accessible environments can make all the difference, not just in sport, but in everyday life." Now in its 38th year, the Loo of the Year Awards celebrates excellence in public and commercial washroom provision. Entrants—from hotels and pubs to shopping centres and offices—agree to unannounced inspections that assess facilities against 101 criteria, including cleanliness, accessibility, décor, signage, and customer care. Advertisement Mr Skelley will share his personal story at the event, highlighting the vital role accessible washrooms play for people with disabilities. "It's a huge honour to speak at the Loo of the Year Awards," he said. "It means a lot to share my story." Ms Wall said Mr Skelley's involvement will bring a "powerful" message to the awards. She said: "We believe Chris will do more than inspire our audience, he will empower them. "His presence will encourage everyone in the room to think differently, to act boldly, and to consider how their spaces and services can become more inclusive." Advertisement Read more: Paddy McGuinness 'heartbroken' on Father's Day morning as star shares message Inspections for the awards will take place throughout the summer, with entries closing on July 31. Nominees are graded from 'diamond' down to 'bronze,' with the top facilities honoured at the annual ceremony. Nominations for the 2026 Loo of the Year Awards are now open.
CBS News
21-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
North Texas family raising awareness of muscular dystrophy struggles
With his face focused on the screen, Brandon Hale's fingers moved like lightning as he created masterpieces in Minecraft. "I'm currently building a house," the typically shy 16-year-old said when gently asked. "Took me two years to get good." He is bright and funny, but Brandon's body is slowly betraying him. He was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at age 5. Family remembers the day everything changed "I can remember the day he got diagnosed," said his older sister, Emily. "I can remember sitting on the stairs while my mom was on the phone with the doctor, and then the air in the room — the air disappeared from the room the second we kind of found out." Duchenne is a severe form of muscular dystrophy caused by the body's inability to produce dystrophin, a protein essential for muscle health. Over time, all muscles — legs, arms, lungs, and heart — deteriorate. CBS News Texas Living in the moment, despite the odds "We just try to take it one day at a time and do the best we can and enjoy every day," said Brandon's mother, Margaret Hale. "Because I know when you think about the big picture — that it's a degenerative disease and it's going to cost him his life at some point." Still, Margaret refuses to lose hope. "But you never know. I mean, you don't have tomorrow necessarily," she said. "So, you've got to make the best of what you've got right now." Father's health adds to family's burden Even "right now" is hard. Brandon's father, Eric Hale, is in a Denton rehab hospital. A few weeks ago, he woke up with a swollen foot. It led to a below-the-knee amputation due to complications from diabetes. "I just want to bring awareness to it — the struggles, the everyday struggles," Eric said. And not just his own, but Brandon's and those of other families navigating this disease. Eric and Margaret both grew up watching the Jerry Lewis Labor Day MDA telethon. When it ended in 2014, he said, much of the awareness disappeared—but the disease did not. Financial strain and lack of support "You know, most people probably think we get assistance, and we don't," Eric said. "The only time we've ever gotten help was when he first started taking the steroids. If we had to pay for them every month until we hit our deductible, they'd be almost $5,000 a month." Eric said he speaks for "all the families falling through the cracks of a broken system" — earning too much to qualify for significant assistance, but not enough to meet their son's growing needs. "We've drained our savings. We've drained our retirement," he said. "Just to provide for my kids. And again, it's a struggle every single day. I want — both my kids — but to make his life as comfortable as possible for as long as he's got." A father's love and unspoken fears Eric called his teenage son "my hero." "Both my kids are. But the strength that that little boy has..." His voice quivered. "We haven't talked about it. But I'm smart enough to know that he's done his own research on it. I have no doubt. But we've never had that conversation with him because I can't." He paused, overcome with emotion. Home not built for disability The emotional toll must wait. Each day, the Hales face practical challenges, like a home that isn't accessible. "The doorways are just not wide enough for him to even get through in the wheelchair," Margaret said. "A roll-in shower for him. And then, just maybe widening some of the doorways to help make it easier to get him in and out. Those are the real major things we would want to have done if we could." Family sacrifices to stay together So, day to day, they do the best they can. Margaret, who built a career in education, is now a full-time caregiver and homeschool teacher. She's looking for a part-time, remote job to help support the family. Emily was accepted into Texas Tech but is postponing that dream to stay home and help. "I mean, that's my family," Emily said. "I would do anything for them. So if that means me working the next couple of years of my life, I mean, it's not the end of the world to try to figure out what's next while still being here for them." Focusing on today, not tomorrow Even if "what's next" is simply enduring the "right now." "I don't think about 10 years from now," Eric said. "I think about a month from now, two weeks from now, tomorrow. That's all I can do."
