JEDx 2017 "The Power of One" by Maayan Ziv

Tim Rose has a rosy outlook on love and life

For Tim Rose, everything’s coming up roses as another Valentine’s Day approaches. What makes Tim Rose most happy, aside from being a successful entrepreneur, is that he is a person with a disability who is happily married.

Rose, a 29-year-old entrepreneur born with cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia, met his wife, Natalie, through a mutual friend during the summer of 2010. Prior to meeting Natalie, he had attempted to have relationships with other women, but most of them weren’t interested because of the fact that he has a disability.

Natalie, like the previous women he approached, does not have a disability. Their relationship was confirmed one night when Tim and Natalie attended a party hosted by his brother. “She wanted to go with me, and we realized that we really liked each other.” After leaving the party, Natalie returned the feelings Tim had for her when she told him she had a crush on him.

“We hung out together a couple of times before I moved to England to attend university,” he says.  With the exception of a three-week period, most of their communication during their first year together was done across the miles.

“It was tough at times, but it made our relationship stronger,” he says.  When Tim returned to Toronto from the University of Nottingham in August 2011, he and Natalie dated for five months before proposing to her in 2012.

“I knew by the second date that she was the one,” Tim says. “I organized a scavenger hunt the night that I proposed to her. I think she knew I was going to propose but wasn’t sure how or when” he says. When he presented her with the ring at the end of the scavenger hunt, she said yes immediately.

I asked Tim what they like to do on Valentine’s Day since this interview was conducted in the days leading up to February 14. “We’re not huge Valentine’s Day people, but we always find time to do something together, either on Valentine’s Day or around that day. We may go out for dinner, play board games or do something not too extravagant.”

Tim says that since he and Natalie have become busy with their respective careers, it isn’t always possible to plan a date. Tim, however, stresses that they set aside a date night as often as they can, schedules permitting.

“We always want to maintain communication in our marriage,” he says. “We’re always talking and saying, ‘I love you’ to each other. We try not to hide too much from each other. We always find couple time during the day because it’s so important.”

While he is aware of the struggles people with disabilities experience in finding love, Tim has this advice. “A disability, while it can present challenges to dating other people, there’s also a lot of good things it can bring to a relationship.” He also adds that “once you find that one person, you find the advantages that having a disability can bring to a relationship. It makes you a better person, and more desirable in general.”

To learn more about Tim Rose and his consulting business, you can visit http://www.disabilitypositive.com/.

Tim Rose with his wife Natalie, and their dog Rush.

Justin Hines Lives in the Moment

Justin Hines

“Enjoy the moment.” This is what singer/songwriter Justin Hines says to his fans who attend his concerts. During the Parapan Games, I heard Hines say this when he performed at Nathan Phillips Square one hot August afternoon. Prior to that day, I got to interview him for Enables Me.

Interviewing Justin Hines recently was a great moment for me, because I got to learn more about this talented folk-pop artist, and the people that influenced him and his music along the way.

“I was always into people who weren’t kind of flashy,” Hines says. Hines grew up in Newmarket, Ontario, with family members who were musical. This includes his father, who played guitar. In addition to his musical family members, Hines credits Cat Stevens, Carole King, James Taylor and Jim Croce as influences. “I have always loved the singers who would go on stage and tell their stories through songs… I thought that was really cool, and I wanted to be that guy.”

Hines was born with a rare joint condition called Larsen’s Syndrome. Hines says he doesn’t think about his disability too much, preferring instead to share his gifts and talents with his fans.

Hines’ began singing as a child, with his earliest public performances at church services. Hines’ formal entry into the music business came as the age of 14. “I had won a contest to sing the National Anthem at a Toronto Raptors game (1996). From there I kept getting these kid show gigs. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but it ended up being the start of my journey going forward.”

After paying his dues for the next decade, he signed with an independent label called Orange, which has a distribution deal in place with Universal Music Canada. His second album, Chasing Silver, has a song called “Say What You Will.” The song encourages the listener to say what is on your mind when you’ve got the chance. Staying silent could result in a missed opportunity.

“Say What You Will” became a #1 hit in South Africa, and its popularity led Hines to filming a music video there. It also led to Hines and colleagues to donate school supplies to the Despatch Primary School in Reservoir Hills.

“Going to South Africa was really emotional for me,” Hines says. Their educational campaign was inspired by the song. Witnessing people help each other out on a huge scale is something I never dreamed I would be a part of. The whole experience was life-changing when I look back on it.”

Hines has enjoyed many spectacular moments in his career so far. Over the past decade, he has released five CDs, toured throughout Canada and internationally, received the Order of Ontario, and was made a founding artist of The Agency for Extraordinary People. When I asked him what his favourite moment has been, this was his response:

“I don’t look back too much. I can’t isolate anything in particular… everything has been amazing… I never thought I could make it to this level… I feel blessed…”

So, what enables Justin Hines?

“Having a strong support system… I believe that’s the key for people like ourselves striving to find a really good support system. A lot of people haven’t been as fortunate as I have. I say to them, if you didn’t have it yourself, then maybe you can be that person to somebody else, and recognize how important it is to really be there for each other.”

You can learn more about Justin Hines and his music at www.justinhines.com and at www.justinhines.org.

BONUS: Justin Hines talks about the moment he realized he and his wife Savanna were meant to be together.

Sitting Volleyball Women’s: First Time for Anne Fergusson

During the 2015 Parapan Am Games held recently in Toronto, I got to interview another first-time para-athlete, Anne Fergusson. She is a 19-year-old sitting volleyball competitor originally from Smiths Falls, Ontario. Born without a left hand, she has been passionate about sports and has competed in volleyball since high school. She was involved in other sports, however sitting volleyball is her specialty.

Toronto, Ontario, August 9, 2015. Canada vs USA sitting Volleyball 2015 Parapan Am Games . Photo Scott Grant/Canadian Paralympic Committee

When I asked her what it felt like to be making her national debut at Parapan, she said:

“Absolutely amazing… It’s a great group of girls and it’s been an incredible experience.”

She also said it was exciting to make her national team debut on home soil. Her goal is to make the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, while juggling her engineering studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Toronto, Ontario, August 14, 2015. Canadian women compete in the Sitting volleyball during the 2015 Parapan Am Games . Photo Scott Grant/Canadian Paralympic Committee

Fergusson and her team won bronze when they defeated Cuba 3-0. Before the bronze medal game was played, I asked her to pick a personal favourite Parapan Am moment.

“I think my favourite moments have definitely been coming out as a team. This group of girls have definitely worked hard together… it has been really special.”

You can find an organization near you to try out sitting volleyball:

• Ontario Volleyball Association
• Pacific Volleyball Society
• Volleyball Canada

Judo: First time experience for Priscilla Gagne

Instead of focusing all of our attention on the veteran para-athletes, the Enables Me team has taken an interest in the newcomers. Priscilla Gagne is new to the Parapan Am Games. She won silver in Judo in the women’s under-52-kilogram event this week after defeating three of her four opponents at the Abilities Centre in Whitby, Ontario.

WHITBY, ON, AUGUST 11, 2015. Judo at the Abilities Centre – Canadians Priscilla Gagne (-52KG/B1) wins a silver medal.
Photo: Dan Galbraith/Canadian Paralympic Committee

“This is a huge accomplishment for me,” she said. “This is definitely a highlight. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m just so grateful it was right here in Canada, and in Toronto of all places close to Sarnia where family could come. It means the world to me.”

The 29-year-old Gagne. who is visually impaired, and a former wrestler, was born in Quebec and raised in Sarnia, Ontario. She credits her move to Ottawa as having helped her perform better as a para-athlete.

“I was moving for work because Ottawa is a blind-friendly city. My dad was visiting me from Sarnia and he said ‘let’s just go look at the dojo,’ and knowing my dad, before I left, he was signing papers to pay for my membership.”

WHITBY, ON, AUGUST 11, 2015. Judo at the Abilities Centre – Canadians Priscilla Gagne (-52KG/B1) wins a silver medal.
Photo: Dan Galbraith/Canadian Paralympic Committee

Gagne says she hopes to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, as long as she stays in the top six. I asked her if she enjoyed her first Parapan Am experience overall.

“All the training really paid off,” she said. “I’m disappointed I lost the one to Brazil but all in all, I’m really happy.”

Want to give judo a try? Check out these clubs:

• Judo Canada
• Richmond Hill Budakon

Sitting Volleyball Men’s: Austin Hinchey – Captain and Veteran

Austin Hinchey, the Edmonton-based captain of his sitting volleyball team, overcame a major obstacle. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) concentrated in his left leg, he decided to get it amputated. He made this life-altering decision at age 11. Now, at age 23, he represents Canada in para competitions throughout the world. After developing a passion for volleyball in high school, he began playing competitively. He has been the captain for Team Canada's Sitting Volleyball team since 2007.

  

In 2011, he and his sitting volleyball team won the bronze medal at the Guadalajara Parapan Am Games. So what does he think about playing on home soil in the 2015 Parapan Am Games?

"It's amazing to be playing in Canada. We (our current team) have only played one other event in Montreal every year, but we've never played something this big in Canada, and we have never had these kinds of fans in Canada. It's really exciting for us and we're really enjoy playing in front of the home crowd."

Hinchey is so proud of his current roster that going to the 2016 Olympics in Rio is "the goal." With an unbreakable attitude like that, his goal to go to Rio looks promising, especially with growing interest for sitting volleyball. Before I wrapped my interview with Hinchey, I asked him if he had any advice for young people with disabilities who long to get into sports:

"I think the biggest thing is just to try and find a sport that you love, and to enjoy playing it. We play ultimately to have fun and to enjoy the sport (of volleyball), and especially if you're an athlete that qualifies to play a Paralympic sport, just try to get involved. Most sports are inclusive and (organizers) are always looking for new people."

You can find an organization near you to try out sitting volleyball:

• Ontario Volleyball Association
• Pacific Volleyball Society
• Volleyball Canada

Happy 65th Birthday to Stevie Wonder!

RIP Barbara Turnbull

RIP Helen Henderson

January 20 is the International Day of Acceptance

RIP Stella Young

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Educational Film

This film from the UK's Brittle Bone Society is worth a look.

The Wheelmap app will take you places

Donald Barrie

Back in October, I (Donald) got to interview Raul Krauthausen, creator and developer of the Wheelmap app. Krauthausen is a 34-year-old social activist and communications specialist from Germany, who, in 2010, released an app that maps out what public places provide accessibility to people who use wheelchairs.

Wheelmap, according to Krauthausen, “is based on the principle of a cooperative community – many people collect and share their information on the wheelchair-accessibility of public places. For this purpose, the map uses a simple traffic light system which is easy to understand for everyone. Wheelmap.org is based on the geo-data of OpenStreetMap.org and works in all parts of the world. It is now available in 22 languages.”

Here are some of the questions I asked him, with his responses.

DB: What led to the creation of this phone app? Has there been anything like this before?

Raul Krauthausen

RK: The idea developed from an actual everyday life situation: A friend complained about having to meet in the same café every time. We both didn’t know in which café it’d be possible for us to meet. In this situation I thought that a map which shows the wheelchair accessibility of places in the surrounding area would be helpful.

There were and still are various local applications of maps which have focussed on the accessibility of a city or a region. However, they are widely lacking the knowledge of the crowd, meaning the data had been collected and administrated by a central institution.

DB: How has your app enabled people with disabilities?

RK: Thanks to Wheelmap, millions of people with mobility impairments have a guide for wheelchair-accessible places now. With Wheelmap it is easier to discover new places in everyday life and to meet other people, impaired or not.

DB: How has Wheelmap impacted Germany?

RK: It would surely be overconfident to claim that Wheelmap.org has triggered a real change in society. However, I hope that people understand Wheelmap as a tool that contributes the perspective of innovation and self-determination to the topic of inclusion. More and more local initiatives in or outside of Germany rely on the possibility to become active themselves and take accessibility into their own hands.

DB: Would you describe Germany as an accessible country for people with disabilities?

RK: The level of accessibility still varies from city to city and region to region in Germany. In Berlin the public transport is quite good for people with disabilities considering the low-floor buses and the ramps that are available on the underground platforms. However, there are still elevators missing – or elevators that don’t work. The latter is also the topic of another project, called brokenlifts.org. (It launched on October 8.)

Last but not least, Berlin is also shaped by a lot of old buildings where sometimes only one step makes a location inaccessible. That’s why we’ve started the initiative “1001 ramps” and the shop wheelramp.de as an easy solution for the amount of only-one-step-places.

DB: Can you tell me how you’ve been able to navigate through the area of the country you live in, as a person with a physical disability?

RK: I use a wheelchair all day and every day. My daily route from my home to work and back is a quite navigable distance of 3 kilometers in each direction. There is only one bus line that I can take to work. But I only take the bus in winter because the bus takes longer than I do with my wheelchair. When I travel to another city I always check the website of the local public transportation provider to see if the train station is wheelchair accessible. If it isn't I have to rethink my route. I don't have a car or a driver's license.

DB: You obviously take an interest in technology. The name of the blogsite I contribute to is called Technology Enables Me. How has technology enabled you as a person with a disability?

RK: Starting with my electrical wheelchair, which affords me a level of independence and mobility that would otherwise not be possible, over my smartphone and my laptop which enable me to carry out my internet based work, technology is omnipresent in my life.

DB: Do you see the app catching on in other countries?

RK: Yes! There are ‘wheelmappers’ everywhere, from Japan to England to Switzerland. It’s great to see that so many people use the app and map places everywhere. And the app is particularly useful when abroad.

DB: What do you like most about Wheelmap?

RK: The app contributes to my personal freedom and happiness by making my everyday life simpler. Mobility is a major aspect of being able to lead a happy life, and the app provides information that allows me to be more mobile and participate in “normal” situations and events.

You can learn more about Wheelmap and download it at http://wheelmap.org/en/.

Donald wishes you a Happy Halloween!

My message from Christopher Reeve

Last Friday (Oct. 10) was the 10th anniversary of Christoper Reeve's passing. Last week I shared this email on my Facebook page for the first time. In 2002, I wrote a 50th birthday message to Christopher Reeve, through his Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. There was an open invitation to visitors of its website to send him a birthday message (his b-day was Sept. 25). I received a warm thank you note, which apparently came from the man itself. 

A few years after his death I met two people from the foundation in Toronto. I asked them if his email came from him personally, and they believed he did take the time to thank people individually (w/ help from his staff). I choose to believe this is true.

Here is the message typed out in case you have trouble reading the original:

Thursday, September 19, 2002 12:15 PM

A personal note from Christopher Reeve

Dear Don,

Thank you so much for taking the time to send an electronic card for my 50th birthday! Your support means the world because it demonstrates your concern for me and millions of other people afflicted by spinal cord injury and other disabling conditions.

As you read, an anonymous donor has pledged to donate $1 to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF) for every card sent, and this will significantly impact our cutting-edge spinal cord research and quality of life programs. I hope that you will stay informed about our progress and help spread the word about CRPF.

With warmth and gratitude,

Christopher Reeve
(dictated, not signed)

Inspiration for Innovation: How disabilities are changing big business

My experience with the WESP employment program

In April 2014, I was depressed. It had been more than a year since I had been employed. Seeking employment is often twice as hard if you’re a person with a disability. Fortunately, there is a program that has helped me get back on track.
 
The Workshop Essential Skills Partnership (WESP) program is an initiative of the Canadian Council of Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW). Held at the Canadian National Institute for the Bind (CNIB) in Toronto, WESP is for people with various physical disabilities who are either struggling to find work again, or are looking for the first time. I had heard of WESP through a friend who had gone through it about five years ago.
 
I had been accepted into WESP four years ago, but dropped out due to coming down with a sudden illness. When I recovered, I managed to find employment again on my own for a while. At the beginning of this year, I looked at WESP again, hoping it would help me rebuild my sagging self-confidence, and give me a fresh perspective on the types of careers and jobs I should be pursuing.
 
My professional background includes the journalism field, as well as office positions involving data entry, information and referral and webdesign. My main goal in WESP was to find a position that would complement one or more of my varied skills sets and talents.
 
In March 2014, I was re-admitted to WESP the same day I had my intake interview. It was one of the happiest days of my adult life. My program began in April, for four weeks. In those four weeks, I learned (or re-learned) how to write effective resumes and cover letters that conform to today’s expectations from working professionals. I was also enlightened on preparing interviews and doing mock interviews, networking, labour market trends, and got tips on how to stay motivated in the job search.
 
One of my favourite activities during my time at WESP was doing an informational interview. I did my assignment with an acquaintance who works as a social media specialist for an organization that provides rehabilitation services for children with and without disabilities. During my visit with him, he told me that having something that stands out will often get you a job. For him, it was podcasting, writing a book and hosting an online support group for people who stutter. He also said that, if possible, taking courses to upgrade and advance your skills and knowledge (in a relevant area) will help your professional development.
 
There were a total of 12 job seekers in the group I was in.Two of them were lucky to find employment before the program ended. When we started I didn’t know any of the other job-seekers. Since then we have managed to keep in touch and update each other on our respective journeys. The three main workshop facilitators were always kind and helpful, and made themselves available for questions and one-on-one consultations.
 
I learned a lot in my four weeks as a WESP participant. Here are some important pieces of wisdom that can help anybody regardless of where they are in their journey:
 
- Believe in yourself
- Never give up
- Make realistic goals, but anticipate changes, and be open to them
- Don't take rejection personally (I'm still working on that one)
- Don't be scared of the future, because you don't know what it will bring!
- The past is in the past--let it go!
- Keep in touch with your references periodically
 
Since my WESP term ended, I have managed to find employment again. I worked as an Information Officer for the Ontario election, and also for a federal by-election under Elections Canada. At the end of July, Toronto Staffing Solutions hired me as a part-time data entry clerk, where I still work today. I also have work lined up as an Information Officer for the upcoming Toronto municipal election. Things are looking up! Meanwhile I still look for other opportunities, and keep in touch with the WESP staff, including their job developer.
 
WESP is a worthwhile program for any job-seeker with a disability. Though WESP does not guarantee employment by the end of the program, it does empower people to keep active and informed in the job-hunting process.
 
To learn more about WESP, you can contact them directly at 416-486-2500 x8605 or aparusis@ccrw.org.

AMI story on employment for people with disabilities

Mark Wafer: Enabling the Disabled

2014 Paralympics in Review

Another Winter Paralympic Games came to an end on Sunday, March 16, and everybody on Team Canada has returned home. Canada had a strong showing at these Games, winning 25 medals (includes 10 Gold), and finishing third place in the medal standings.

Among the stars was veteran Paralympic skier Brian McKeever. He won three gold medals in his three individual events. He also became the first Canadian Winter Paralympian to win 10 gold medals in a career.

Sit-skiing veteran Josh Ducek won gold in the super combined and silver in the downhill. Ducek would go on to be Canada's flag-bearer in the closing ceremony.

Mac Marcoux made his Paralympic debut by winning three medals, including a gold one in the giant slalom. It was also exciting to see Mark Arendz win silver in the biathalon. The visually impaired biathlete collected Canada's first medal of these Games. He went on to win bronze in the 12.5K three days later.

The most surprising moment may have been Chris Klebl. The alpine skier took gold in the men’s 10K sitting cross-country race. It’s surprising because almost no one predicted the 42-year-old Paralympic veteran would win after having come up short in his previous two Winter Games.

The curling team returned to claim another gold medal in one of Canada's most popular sports (the first being hockey, of course). Their victory proved to the world once again that Canada has the best wheelchair curling team. They entered as defending Paralympic champions and as world curling champions.

The most bittersweet moment for many was when the sledge hockey team was forced to take home a bronze medal. While it still counts as a moment to be proud of, expectations were high that they would win gold. Their popular rivals Team USA claimed gold when they beat Norway (who claimed silver). Canada’s Adam Dixon scored four goals, the most goals of the 2014 tournament.

Canada’s other medalists of these Games were Caleb Brousseau (bronze), Kimberly Joines (bronze) and Chris Williamson (bronze) for their respective alpine skiing events.