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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2005
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President-Elect Barack Obama has an excellent voting record on disability issues and his website features comprehensive information about his intent and plans on empowering adults and families of children with disabilities. His respectful acknowledgement and consideration of people with disabilities seems to flow naturally from his character and I'm certain that he has personal experience through the diversity of every community. This is good because my son is not looking for handouts or a pat on the head. He seeks opportunities to show how far he can go despite the challenges he faces from being labeled disabled. I am certain that our soon-to-be First Lady Michelle Obama grew up knowing that a disability label is just a small part of who any person might be, because her late father had MS. In the Reader's Digest story, Michelle Obama - Her Father's Daughter , she and her mother talk about her childhood and family. ...their father's illness taught both of his children that if he could get up and go to work and enjoy his life, then they didn't have to feel constrained, either, in any way... I appreciate this whole family. Pam W SE of Seattle Barack Obama's Disability Advocacy Plan Families of children with disabilities can learn a great deal about the scope of issues involved in planning for a better quality of life and richness of experience throughout their son or daughter�s lifespan by reading 'Barack Obama�s Plan to Empower People with Disabilities' http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art59299.asp
Last edited by SNC_Editor_Pam; 01/27/09 01:15 AM.
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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"We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination.... policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities."
-- Barack Obama, April 11, 2008
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2005
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Call to elevate disability policy within the Obama White House Domestic Policy Council
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Joined: Jun 2005
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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For those of you whose children are fans of Spiderman, I just read that on January 14th comic books stores will be selling the Amazing Spiderman 583 featuring Barack Obama and a week later a second printing with a slightly different cover will be available. My son is a Spiderman aficionado ~ aren't we all ~ and although we probably won't make it to our local comic book store in time to pick one up, I like to think of the 'economic stimulus' President-elect is providing them. Please vote again in the second round of voting at the Obama transition webpage for an end to waiting lists and full funding and portability of medicaid waivers for people with developmental disabilities at http://www.change.org/ideas/view/fully_fund_medicaid_waivers_for_the_developmentally_disabled Pam W SE of Seattle Barack Obama's Disability Advocacy Plan
Last edited by SNC_Editor_Pam; 01/12/09 08:10 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2005
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Many parents believe that electronic medical records will help our children with chronic health conditions, developmental and physical disabilities. Advocates for people with diabetes look forward to it: Obama Pledges Electronic Medical Records within Five Years Obama said that making records electronic will improve the quality of our health care and lower costs. "This will cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests," he said in his speech. "But it won't just save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. It will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our healthcare system." Pam W SE of Seattle Symptoms of Childhood Onset Diabetes
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Joined: Jun 2005
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,429 |
Diabetes at the Inauguration - Parade Magazine http://www.parade.com/health/diabetes-blog/archive/diabetes-at-the-inauguration.html ... what June and I did not foresee was that my diabetes became the common ground that helped me connect with people on an historic day when it seemed as though every spectator at the Inauguration was making a point, consciously and unconsciously, to find common ground with one another.
On one hand, Barack Obama's Inauguration was a day to just be yourself. It didn't matter if you were black, yellow, white, Latino, a mother, a clerical worker, a student, a truck-driver, a rabbi. There were no masks and no subterfuge. You were happy to be there as the person you were. On the other hand, it also was a day to be part of something larger than yourself. ...
... At 6 p.m., when my husband and I boarded the train for our trip back to New York City, I felt that I had done in some small yet significant way what the new President had asked all of us to do in his Inaugural address. I had taken initiative to address a problem--in this case, a disease--that is costing the U.S. billions of dollars a year. And I had done so simply by talking to someone about how to live better and healthier with diabetes.
Initially, diabetes had posed a problem and a bit of a challenge for me on Inauguration Day. But in the end, it became the common ground between two strangers. And now we were friends. ...
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Joined: Jun 2005
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
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BellaOnline Editor Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,429 |
Forwarded from the down-syn list ~ Michael wrote: At the Disability Pride and Power pre-Inaugural ball, it was announced that Kareem Dale would become a Special Advisor to President Obama on disability issues. We heard later that noted expert in Disability Studies Paul Steven Miller would be playing a role in helping the Obama Administration to ensure that people with disabilities will be well represented in positions within the Administration. Tony Coelho, former United States congressman from California, primary author and sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act, current chair of the Epilepsy Foundation's national board of directors and a lead organizer of the Ball is also playing an active role in advancing disability interests and hires within the Administration. Finally, note that the new Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison Michael Strautmanis is known to be very sensitive to disability issues, as referenced in a Washington Post Op Ed he authored last year. Pam W SE of Seattle
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 63
Amoeba
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Amoeba
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 63 |
I appreciate this family as well and I believe that President Obama has great plans to assist the disabled and their families/caregivers to take great strides toward a better future. My only hope is that the changes will not be overrun by those zealous few that really don't understand the needs of our disabled community. What I mean by this is best given by the following example:
My sister was diagnosed at the age of 39 as being mentally disabled. Due to her age, the fact that she was not married and did not reside with anyone it took five years to get this diagnosis. During those five years, she lived on the streets and nearly died. The reason: none of the family could access her medical records or speak with her physicians unless she gave consent. Of course, due to her illness she was unable to do so because she could not comprehend the depth of her illness. The basis for all of this was the HIPPA Law. I fully understand the need for this law however, her case was (and there are many others) an extenuating circumstance. A lot of people do not know the history of the mentally ill community from the time of insane asylums until present day. Many were placed in asylums simply because there was no one to care for them, the family did not want to take responsibility, someone in the family was angry with them, they were aged and most likely a million other reasons. Present day circumstances of releasing many of these patients onto the streets have created a huge homeless community of people that are unable to care for themselves due to their mental illness. Many of them do not realize that they need help and therefore will not give consent for treatment, accept medication or allow their families have access to medical records so that decisions regarding their health can be made. A shining example of something good for many people that is a death sentence for many others.
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