kurt fearnley`s starring role

Transcription

December 2010 | Volume 19 Issue 5
TIME TO CELEBRATE:
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY
KURT FEARNLEY’S
STARRING ROLE
NATIONAL DISABILITY
AWARD WINNERS
FOOD, FASHION,
TRAVEL & MORE!
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Editorial
Editor Carla Caruso
editor@linkonline.com.au
Graphic designer Rachel Constable
Contact us
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Cover Story
10
Link celebrates International Day of People with Disability,
with ambassadors such as Kurt Fearnley, below, and National
Disability Award winners.
10
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Cover: Aussie athlete Kurt Fearnley. Photo: Serena Corporate Photography.
Some images throughout the issue are courtesy of stock.xchng.
10
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Ed’s letter and event snaps
Letters
Art news, including an exhibition by photographic
artist Evangelia Karageorgos
8
9
14
15
16
18
20
23
24
Link news bites
Senior news and hot products
Sports news
Melinda Smith communicates effectively
Think for fitness: get fit without moving a muscle
Maggie Gill in Africa
Travelling with Bruce Mumford
Anthea Skinner on life with tinnitus
Alyssa Gill looks at why fashion can be blind
guesswork for some
December 2010 — Vol 19/5
26
29
30
32
34
36
38
40
42
45
46
47
48
Johnny Mackay tackles the “black dog”
The musings of Peter Coulter
Minda helps a large laundry service
Turn up your stereo with disability radio shows
Entertainment news and reviews
Book review: Katrina Clark on Always Liza To Me
Falafel balls recipe and Q&A with Jessica Ainscough
Finding the right lawyer
News in brief
Breakthroughs
Wayne Eckert tries stand-up comedy
What’s on
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3
from the editor
This would have to be my favourite time of year!
Summer, Christmas, New Year’s, my birthday (just thought I’d chuck the latter
one in there!)... and, of course, the International Day of People with Disability
on December 3.
All around the globe, people are pausing to recognise the achievements and
contributions of those with a disability on this very special day, which was
first held in 1992.
Well, at Link, we thought we’d join in the celebrations by dotting this issue
with inspirational Aussies, who are ambassadors for the United Nationssanctioned day locally, as well as those who were presented with a gong at
the prestigious National Disability Awards.
Since 1996, the Australian Government has provided funds to promote and
raise awareness of the International Day around Oz via the Department of
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).
This year’s UN theme for the day is Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming
disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond.
Hear, hear - onwards and upwards!
Event snaps
Link Disability
Magazine is now
on Facebook.
Become a fan!
Aside from being
a bi-monthly print
magazine, you can also get regular
Link updates on everything from
news to events and opportunities
via our Facebook page.
Recently on Link on Facebook...
I am having an exhibition of work on
disability and language during the
Adelaide Fringe Festival 2011. I would love
your support! - Evangelia Karageorgos
[Ed’s note: Check out our story on her on
page 6.]
Check out Bedford Group’s new Facebook
page, facebook.com/BedfordGroup –
Robin Hopkinson
Carla Caruso, Link editor
Send you event snaps to editor@
WE’RE ONLINE!
linkonline.com.au
The Credit Union Christ
ma
cheer to SA’s Murray Bri s Pageant royal family brought some festive
dge Special School. Top
R-L : Pageant princess
Diana Bargwanna (closes
t to camera), princess Van
essa Wearn and prince
Sam Furber. Pageant que
en
Katelyn Schulte, Isaac K.
Carlino. Bottom L-R : Isaa
and pageant king Luke
c L. and pageant king Luk
Diana Bargwanna and Wil
e Carlino. Pageant princes
bur.
s
4
linkonline.com.au
letters to link
Winning letter - Art-venturous
eBay helps
I’d like to thank the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability
Trust for its grant to allow me to attend Gerhard Ritter’s
recent course in painting portraits in oil.
I go to many garage sales and one in five has something I
can sell. I buy items for one, five or 10 dollars and double my
expenditure or more!
The grant is administered by Arts SA of the State Government. I
greatly appreciate the trust’s encouragement – its recognition of
my developing ability and support for my ambition.
I am on a disability pension and if I only had this miserable
amount of money I would struggle to survive. Some weeks
I might make only $50 [on eBay], but then I have made up
to $350, so it does seem to vary. It is an easy and reliable
second income.
I’ve been studying art at the Art Venturous group for those
with a disability or mental illness. It meets weekly at the Port
Community Arts Centre.
Earlier this year, I joined the printmaking class at the Parks
Community Centre to pursue an artistic idea in another
medium. I also intend to join the woodwork class soon. If
Parks Community Centre closes – its future is still under
review – that local venue and its facilities will be denied to
me and others.
One woman’s or man’s junk is another person’s treasure it may be still useful to another. And, eBay makes it easy to
find a buyer for it.
Your buyers aren’t just local, but they are national and
international – I even sold a jar (an Aboriginal pottery piece
from Uluru) to a Californian. Life is hard, but we can make
it easier!
Grantley Franklin, Alberton, SA
Matt Elder, Waterfall Gully, SA
Wheelchair help
First of all, I just wanted to say what a wonderful magazine
we all find Link at Disability and Mental Health Services. We
read all the print off the pages!
I am emailing regarding an article I read in one of your
recent issues. It was profiling a new type of wheelchair,
which was due to come on the market in June and had a
difference in the undercarriage. If I remember correctly, this
enabled the chair to also be used when the user is wishing to
venture to the toilet.
Could you please let me know if I am on the right track? If so,
I might pursue it for one of our clients.
Jenny Widdop, UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide, Mile End
[Ed’s note: The wheelchair you’re referring to is the Freedom Wheelchair,
designed by Lu Papi & Associates. For more info, head to lupapi.com.au.]
Birthday congrats
I wish to congratulate Link on your 30th birthday! What a
great magazine and organisation - Inprint.
I have worked in the disability sector for eight years and am
constantly learning new information. Much of this has come
from your magazine, even though I have had to beg, borrow
and steal a copy up until now! I have decided to pursue a
subscription to ensure I do not miss a copy in the future.
Keep up the good work!
Joan Altmann, Children, Youth and Women’s Health
Service, SA
Depression in the workplace
I was very proud to read my daughter Catherine’s article,
Tough Work, in the October issue of Link.
It has been a great source of distress to our family to witness
the negative impact on Catherine’s health as she has
struggled to deal with the demands of the workplace.
I think many people experience considerable stress and
anxiety at times in their lives, dealing with the challenges of
the workplace.
Catherine is young, intelligent, well-educated and
conscientious and she has great potential and she wants
a job, where she can make a contribution and feel wellsupported. In Australia, over a million in people live with
depression and another two million live with an anxiety
disorder. There must be many others, who are in the same
situation as Catherine.
People with great potential are struggling everyday to cope
in the workplace and to find employment, which values
them enough to provide the support they require.
Judi, Melbourne, VIC
Send your letter to the editor:
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or email it to editor@linkonline.com.au
Please include your postal address (not for publication).
The best letter wins $50
By contributing a letter you authorise Link to publish it in the magazine or www.linkonline.com.au.
Letters may be edited for length and clarity. All published contributions earn the author a free copy
of the magazine, containing the letter (or current subscribers may specify that they would prefer
their free magazine as an extension of their current subscription), provided a postal address is
included with the original letter. Your name, suburb and state will be published with your letter
unless you specify otherwise.
linkmagazine
5
link | art
Snap happy
Disability and language will be explored at an exhibition,
Male Female Disabled, at the 2011 Adelaide Fringe festival.
The work is by emerging SA photographic artist Evangelia Karageorgos.
She says: “After being told by a teacher at TAFE to be more personal with
my work, I began exploring my experiences with my disability.”
Up until that point, Karageorgos says she never really considered using
disability in her work, as she didn’t want to be defined as a “artist with a
disability”. “I believed that if I avoided the subject it would make everyone
else not see my disability,” Karageorgos explains. “But, I now realise that if
I want to be seen as a person first, I would have to educate people to help
them change their understanding of disability.”
Being inspired by the work of American collage artist Barbara Kruger,
Karageorgos began developing work using disability text, her own
photographs and common symbols found in society. She decided to
present them on hand-made recyclable bags and as laminated prints.
“Language is a tool that is used to separate people with disabilities from
‘normal’ society, and to negatively characterise their experiences as
being different and separate,” Karageorgos explains. “I want this series of
work to challenge society’s perception of people with disabilities and to
challenge the widespread use of ‘disabalist’ language.”
One dollar from every $10 made from this series will go to a disability
service in South Australia. Karageorgos’ exhibition will be held at the
Carclew Youth Arts Centre, North Adelaide, Monday to Friday, 9am
to 5pm, from February 18 to March 13. Also check out her blog,
creative-act.blogspot.com.
6
linkonline.com.au
By the sea
Sydney annual outdoor event Sculpture by the Sea included a series
of tactile tours for people with low vision and people with intellectual
disabilities in November.
Guided tours through the Mark’s Park exhibition site encouraged people to
interact and engage with a series of artworks, located in accessible areas.
Accessible Arts and Sculpture by the Sea built on last year’s program
by adding tactile tours in Easy English for people with intellectual
disabilities, as well as running its audio-described tactile tours.
On the margins
Wesley Mission Brisbane’s creative initiative Art from the Margins
has unveiled two exciting new initiatives, creating opportunities
for disadvantaged Brisbane artists, who are homeless or living with
disadvantage or disability.
At its third exhibition, inaugural Heiser Gallery Professional
Development Awards were handed to Brisbane artists Htoo Htoo Han,
Francis Hefferan and Billy Thompson. Wesley Mission Brisbane board
member Ian Airey says the awards will “give these emerging artists a
tremendous opportunity to work closely with one of the recognised
leaders in the Brisbane art world”.
The mission has also established a permanent Art from the Margins
collection of works by exhibition participants. The third exhibition
attracted more than 350 works by 160 artists from as far away as Cape
York and Tasmania.
International call
An art disability expo is calling for entries
from international artists with a disability.
From January 2011, five exhibitions will
be held at the Centre Socio Culturel
Prabbeli in Luxembourg under different
themes: Friends and Lovers, Famous
People, Abstract World, Catastrophes and
Landscapes. For more info, email Herbert
Maly at maly@cooperations.lu.
From top to bottom:
Sculpture by the Sea
Louis Leigh Lucas’s Deer in Motion won
the Wesley Mission Brisbane Award.
Cary Davies’ Family was highly commended.
linkmagazine
7
SA Children with a disability are 700 per cent more likely to be a target of abuse and parents should
be given more tools to prevent this, South Australian MP Kelly Vincent says.
“I have been informed of several tragedies in the past
few weeks, where people with disabilities have suffered
horrendous abuse,” the Dignity for Disability MP said
in a statement. “We are working with government to
prevent abuse at a systemic level, but I believe that every
parent and carer needs to educate themselves and their
children, in a developmentally appropriate way to stop
these nightmares.”
She said it was estimated that children with a disability
are 700 per cent more likely to be a target of abuse. “While
that is a frightening statistic, parents and carers can arm
themselves, and the people they care for, with the tools to
understand, recognise and report sexual abuse.”
Photo: Matt Turner, The Advertiser
Eye specialist is most inspirational
NSW A young eye specialist who restores vision to blind
people has triumphed over a field of celebrities at a
magazine awards honouring inspirational women.
Ophthalmologist Dr Katherine Smallcombe, 36, with the
Fred Hollows Foundation, took top honours at the annual
Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless, Female Awards at a ceremony
at the Sydney Opera House in September.
Autism film to raise schools awareness
NSW An autism awareness group, founded by parents, will
receive $300,000 from the NSW government to make a film
to educate schoolchildren about the disorder.
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally said the documentary
to be made by Autism Awareness will explain autism to
schoolchildren and dispel myths. The film, which will take
up to five months to make, is expected to begin showing in
NSW classrooms in 2011.
Community group ponders whether
Bendigo’s disability-friendly
VIC A second public meeting to discuss issues affecting the
quality of life for people with disabilities and their carers was
held in Bendigo in October.
Concerns at the meeting, held by RigB (the Regional
Information Group - Bendigo), included inadequate
pedestrian crossings and walkways, problematic pavement
surfaces in numerous locations throughout the area and
a lack of public seating, handrails and steps. In addition,
there were numerous concerns relating to the adequacy
of disability parking and the availability of, and access to,
an efficient public transport infrastructure. RigB has been
collating and analysing the information.
Women allege carer raped them
VIC Three women with mental disabilities in state care say
they were raped by a male carer.
The Herald Sun newspaper says the Victorian women
say they were raped in a Department of Human Services
supported accommodation house and suffered bruises,
scratches and trauma from the attacks.
Police were investigating and a man had been suspended
following the allegations.
No jail time for drunk wheelchair driver
QLD A serial drink-driver has avoided jail for crashing his
motorised wheelchair into a police car while almost five
times over the legal limit.
Jean-Paul Escudie, 65, faced court after pleading guilty to his
seventh drink-driving charge since 2005.
No-one was injured and the incident caused minimal
damage, but he was charged with drink-driving after
recording a blood-alcohol reading of 0.232 per cent. Frenchborn Escudie was given a six-month suspended prison
sentence. - Evan Schwarten
Some of the news items are thanks to AAP.
Children with a disability are targets for abuse, says MP
news bites
senior news
Hot items
Lip service
Melbourne’s Bill Mooney was paralysed from the
shoulders down after a diving accident at 16 and
has been in a wheelchair ever since.
Despite once being a
promising athlete, he
hasn’t let his accident
hinder him. Mooney,
an ambassador for this
year’s International Day
of People with Disability,
instead found an outlet in
art and paints by using a
brush in his mouth.
Specialising in oil and water colour paintings of Australian
landscapes and seascapes, his work has been exhibited
and sold all over the world. In 1997, he won the prestigious
Hebe Ransford Landscape Award and is a member of the
Mouth and Foot Painting Artists.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to provide a voice to
encourage and celebrate the achievements of so many
people out there living with disability doing incredible
things,” Mooney says.
World’s oldest man turns 114
A US citizen, believed to be the world’s oldest man, has
celebrated his 114th birthday at a retirement home.
Walter Breuning, born in 1896, worked as a clerk for the Great
Northern Railway for 50 years. His wife, Agnes, a railroad
telegraph operator, died in 1957. The couple had no children.
Cover up
Melbourne designer Julia Van
Der Sommen has come up with
a nifty, new idea as the weather
warms – Sha-de fashion-savvy,
sun protection wraps for women,
which can be worn over clothing
whenever the skin is exposed.
They’re being supported by
Louise White, the founder of
the Emily Tapp Melanoma
Foundation. Prices are from
$59.95. Buy via emilysfoundation.org.au or sha-de.com.
Bath time bliss
Freedom Bath Lift
Australasia has
introduced the
Aqua Joy Bath Lift
in Oz, helping to
reduce renovating
costs for people
with a disability. Instead of building an entirely
new bathroom, the lift can be merely placed inside
one’s existing bath and, via the push of a button, a
bather can move downwards and upwards, allowing
access into and out of the bath. Priced at $1495.
freedombath.com.au
Height adjustable
Caredesign has introduced
an innovative, vertically
height-adjustable wash
basin, making its use
easier for a person of any
height or disability.
caredesign.com.au.
Breuning gave a speech at an invitation-only birthday party,
preaching tolerance. “With all the hatred in this world, in this
good world, let us be kind to one another.”
Grandparent-headed families will
keep growing
A report outlining the issues faced by grandparents, acting
as full-time carers for their grandchildren, has been unveiled
by the Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW.
NSW’s Minister for Ageing Peter Primrose said the number
of families, where grandparents were the primary caregivers,
was increasing, according to a report by the Disability
Council of NSW.
Minister Primrose said the NSW Government-funded report,
Listening to Grandparents, showed these grandparents often
faced major upheaval in their lives and severe financial and
emotional strain.
Listen easy
Designed in Sweden and distributed
in Australia by Tunstall Healthcare,
the Bellman Audio Maxi can improve
hearing in everyday life. Using
digital technology, sound is clarified,
amplified and background noise
removed before being passed through
the headphones. Priced at $264, plus
$15 postage. Call 1300 760 333 or visit
tunstallhealthcare.com.au.
linkmagazine
9
cover story | international day of people with disability
celebrate
Time to
The International Day of People with Disability is celebrated on December 3. Four inspirational
Aussies are ambassadors this year, including athletes Gerrard Gosens and Kurt Fearnley, artist Bill
Mooney and writer/comedian Catherine Deveny. Others are receiving National Disability Awards.
The Australian Government
has provided funds to promote
and raise awareness of the
day nationally through the
Department of Families,
Housing, Community Services
and Indigenous Affairs
(FaHCSIA). For more, visit
idpwd.com.au.
Faces of our special day
Milly Parker
Milly Parker’s warm, bubbly nature is
evident as soon as you meet her.
When asked about the International
Day of People with Disability, she
gushes: “It’s one of my favourite days
on the calendar. It’s just so gorgeous!”
Parker, who acquired a brain injury
after a car accident at age 21, is one of
the International Day’s Breaking Down
the Barriers faces. She’s also behind
the gourmet dog treat business, Happy
Yappers, which uses lovely ingredients
like carob, vanilla yoghurt and free
range eggs.
It’s one of my favourite
days on the calendar!
Photo: FotoGroup
Parker’s brain injury has meant
memory and problem-solving issues
10 linkonline.com.au
and a short attention span. But, she
says: “As tough as it’s been, I wouldn’t
change one single moment! It’s made
me a better person… I can empathise
with all sorts of different people and,
perhaps, I wouldn’t have reached this
point so early in my life [otherwise].
And, I’m definitely so much stronger
for the experience.”
For one, Parker says her business
wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for her brain
injury. “I was studying accounting at
the time of my accident and I think,
‘Thank God’. It must have been divine
intervention or something [laughs]!
The irony was that the parts of my
brain that were affected couldn’t deal
with numbers anymore.”
Giving up number-crunching, she
hit on the idea of her pooch business
when she got a pet golden cocker
spaniel, Riley, and began making treats
for her. “Riley was so instrumental
in me feeling good about myself and
changing my life. So now, on every
packet of Happy Yappers, there’s a little
logo, with an ‘R’ on a cloud – a little
angel [representing the late pooch]!”
Happy Yappers is sold in Harrods in
London and will soon be at a major
Australian retailer. For more, visit
happyyappers.com.au.
Gerrard Gosens
This adventurer, who has been blind
since birth, may have climbed Mount
Everest, swum with sharks and flown a
motor glider, but hitting the dance floor
has proven his greatest challenge yet.
Gerrard Gosens – an ambassador
for the International Day of People
with Disability – was a contender on
Seven’s Dancing with the Stars last
year. Having never danced before in
his life, the Queenslander says: “It was
very difficult to comprehend a lot of
things - not only the various physical
moves, but also the ‘facials’ that go
along with dance as well.”
Add that to the deafening noise of
the live band and having a camera
crew trailing his every move and it
proved quite the feat. Even so, Gosens
describes it as “an amazing journey”
and still does exhibition dancing with
his partner on the show, Jessica Raffa.
Running though remains his first love.
The three-time Paralympian will next
compete in the IPC Athletics World
Championships in New Zealand
in January and hopes to make the
London 2012 Paralympic Games his
“fourth and final”.
If you think you’re too
small to be effective,
you haven’t been bitten
by a mosquito.
His zest for life comes from a desire
just to give things a go, he says. “I
think there are many people in
various positions, whether you have
a physical disability or not, who often
seem to focus on the obstacles… For
me, regardless of being totally blind,
it’s always been, ‘OK, there must be a
way around something’. When I was
flying a plane, it was having a co-pilot
beside me, or climbing a mountain, it
was working with a team.” Similarly, as
a runner, Gosens competes with the
help of a team of elite guide runners.
Amid his busy schedule, Gosens is
also a special projects manager for
Vision Australia and is constantly
looking for ways to improve the lives
of people who are blind, like his young
daughter, Taylor. “I have a very simple
philosophy in life - if you think you’re
too small to be effective, you haven’t
been bitten by a mosquito!”
Catherine Deveny
Melbourne’s Catherine Deveny hasn’t let dyslexia
stop her from carving out a successful career as a
columnist, comedian and social commentator.
And, she’s also revelling in her
role as an ambassador of this
year’s International Day. “Two of
my sons and one of my siblings
are dyslexic, my grandmother was
deaf, my nephew has Asperger’s
Syndrome and several people
close to me suffer mental illness,”
Deveny says. “I know what it
is like to try to break down the
barriers that are associated with
having a disability.”
linkmagazine 11
cover story | international day of people with disability
National Disability Awards Winners
The following award winners were recognised at a ceremony at
Parliament House in Canberra on November 23.
Minister’s Life
Long Achievement
Mary Guy, TAS (1942 – 2010)
Mary Guy from
Glenorchy,
Tasmania, was
an active local
government
leader, disability
advocate, elder
stateswoman,
talented mouth
artist, teacher,
educator and public speaker.
Awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001
for her services to Australia, Guy was
instrumental in improving accessible
transport by instigating changes to
taxi legislation.
Guy was also a key member of the
Glenorchy City Council, Cosmos
Recreational Services, Community
Based Support, National Disability
Services, the Tasmanian Disability
Advisory Council and Nican. Guy
passed away on February 2 this year,
but will long be remembered.
Young Disability Challenge
Laura Miller, WA
Laura Miller is an enthusiastic and
outgoing 25-year-old, whose passion
and commitment to the advancement
of disability rights is clearly reflected.
Miller is a supervising case manager
in the human rights division at the
State Administrative Tribunal and the
youngest member of the Disability
Services Commission Board - both
in WA.
She played a crucial role in the
development of Count Me In - a
17-year disability future directions
strategy for WA.
As well, her advocacy as a student
at Curtin University has resulted
in it making several on-campus
improvements, including installing
elevators with time-delayed closing doors.
Small Business
DCT Associates, SA
DCT Associates
develops and
manufactures a
range of systems,
which improve
the lives of people
with a disability.
Engineer Terence
Cody has been at
the helm since 1990.
Products include epilepsy alarms, bed
occupancy monitors, wandering alarms,
stove isolation systems, a man-down
detection system, emergency alarms
and voice-activated emergency alarms.
In 2001, the company was awarded
second prize in the prototype category
at the Institution of Engineers’ Better
Technology Awards for its Vigil Aide
Voice-Activated Control System. The
system enables people, who cannot
use their hands, to call for assistance.
Large Business
Coles
Coles is one of Australia’s largest
employers, with more than 100,000
employees across the country. The
supermarket chain actively works to
increase social inclusion of people
with disability through its workforce.
Coles has developed a partnership
with Disability Works Australia and,
over the last six years, has employed
almost 2500 people with a disability
across its stores nationally.
Social Inclusion –
Community Focus
Sheila King, QLD
Sheila King
helped
establish the
Australia For
All Alliance
Inc, which
works to
overcome
the barriers
confronted in
the day-to-day
lives of people with a disability.
In 2003, King drove a national survey,
carried out by the alliance, on the lack
of adjustable height examination beds
in doctors’ surgeries. This research
led to a national debate, which has
resulted in doctors being required to
have such beds by 2011. As a result of
this research, King was a recipient of a
Physical Disability Council of Australia’s
Jeff Heath Annual Peer Award.
Through another national survey,
King and the alliance examined the
difficulties confronting people with
disability, when making holiday
arrangements or visiting leisure
venues. As a result of the survey,
the alliance set up the website,
australiaforall.com.
Social Inclusion – School
Focus
Dianne McRoberts, QLD
Dianne
McRoberts is one
of Queensland’s
finest educators
and advocates
for students with
disability.
For the past
10 years, she
has been the head of teaching and
learning support at Brisbane’s St James
College. Her advocacy in assisting
students with disability has resulted in
significant change at the school.
McRoberts has also contributed to the
wider Queensland Catholic education
sector by developing a resource
package, Embracing Diversity, to help
schools assist students with disability.
McRoberts has also helped nongovernment organisations, like the
Endeavour Foundation.
Local Government
Ian Chill & Cairns Regional
Council, QLD
Ian Chill, the access and equity project
officer at Cairns Regional Council, works
hard to educate about accessibility,
Australian building standards and codes,
the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
and other legislation.
This year, Chill initiated the council’s
Inclusion – See the Real Me awareness
project, which highlighted the
importance of inclusion of people with
disability. The council has also done
such things as installing accessible
hoists in public swimming pools and
tactile ground surface indicators in
public areas, as well as enabled the
installation of decking and wheelchair
matting at the beach.
Accessible Housing
Angela Roennfeldt, VIC
Angela
Roennfeldt
is passionate
about designing
environments
that are
accessible
to people of
all abilities.
She played a crucial role in the
development of a purpose builthouse in Alphington, Victoria, for 10
people with acquired brain injury and
complex medical and physical needs.
Roennfeldt also helped modernise
Victoria’s Planning Act by highlighting
the barriers for people with disability.
Her Churchill fellowship, Standards
Australia Adaptable Housing
Committee membership and
involvement with the Australian
Institute of Architects have also enabled
her to be involved in a range of projects
aimed at bringing universal housing
design standards to the public.
AWARD FINALISTS
The runners-up were
also worthy contenders,
selected from more than
160 nominations across six
award categories.
• Minister’s Life Long
Achievement
Frank Hall-Bentick
• Young Disability
Challenge
Timothy Sharp
• Business – Small Focus
Mandurah Taxi
• Business – Large Focus
Haigh’s Chocolate & ANZ
• Social Inclusion –
Community Focus
Jenine Davis and Scouting
For All & Restless Dance
Theatre
• Social Inclusion –
School Focus
Sandra Newbery and
Cranleigh School
• Local Government
City of Playford & Penrith
City Council
• Accessible Housing
Community Housing
Limited & Landcom
linkmagazine 13
sport
Hero worship
Paralympic gold medal winner Kurt Fearnley
has, for the second year, taken on the role of
ambassador for the International Day of People
with Disability.
He is one of four inspirational, high-profile ambassadors
helping to raise awareness of the contributions made by
people with or without disability to the disability sector.
Fearnley was born without the lower portion of his
spine, but that has been no barrier to his achievements,
including recently conquering the Kokoda Trail in Papua
New Guinea. He tackled the arduous 96km track to
raise awareness for the health groups, beyondblue and
Movember. “It has to be the toughest thing I’ve done,” he
later said.
Fearnley’s sporting achievements include completing
38 marathons (and winning 28), being a three-time
Paralympian with three gold medals, a five-time World
Champion, 2007 and 2009 Laureus World Sports Award
Finalist, 2006 Commonwealth Athlete of the Year with a
Disability, and 2009 NSW Young Australian of the Year.
“It’s a privilege to be a voice for a group of people whose
achievements are often overlooked,” Fearnley says.
“There are so many people out there living with disability
doing incredible things. The awards are a great way of
acknowledging and encouraging these achievements.”
[something], and then it becomes possible to go beyond
your limits,” he said.
The 42-year-old’s swim from Britain to France took only
13-and-a-half hours. - Oleg Cetinic, AAP
The big time
Adelaide’s William Jackson competed in the Tri-State
Games, a week-long sporting event for people with a
disability, thanks to a new website.
To secure his place in
the annual contest held in Victoria from
November 7-12 - his
friend and carer, Joanne
Miller, raised funds to
enable a support worker
to get him there, with
the help of the site,
planbig.com.au.
Entrants cannot compete in the sporting event without a
support worker, and while volunteers give their time freely,
funds are required to cover the cost of transport
and accommodation.
PlanBig is a site, where anyone with a plan or an idea can
access the resources and support to make their plan happen
in the real world. It’s an initiative of Bendigo and Adelaide
Bank. Jackson competed at the event in carpet bowls, bocce,
running, bean bag accuracy and swimming.
Aussie Paralympian hangs up his sneakers
Three-time Paralympian runner Heath Francis has retired
from his sport.
Photo: Serena Corporate Photography
Limbless Frenchman eyes next epic swim
After swimming across the English Channel, quadruple
amputee Philippe Croizon is already dreaming of a new
challenge: crossing from Europe to Africa in the Strait
of Gibraltar.
The Frenchman, who swims using leg prostheses with fins
attached, also has an inspirational message for anyone
discouraged or facing difficulties. “You only need to want
Francis lost his right arm
after it was caught in a
meat mincer on the family
farm when he was just
seven. He didn’t let it slow
him down though - his
sporting career spanned
more than 10 years, with
the Commonwealth
Games in Delhi his final
curtain call.
Francis is the reigning
Paralympic champion
over 100m, 200m and
400m and has six gold
medals to his name.
profile | melinda smith
More than words
Melinda Smith might have difficulty communicating
by speech, but she has no trouble getting her message
across, Sheridan Forster writes.
Melinda
Smith’s typing
is punctuated
with proud
smiles as she
describes a
27-year-old
woman, who attended a course she
was instrumental in running. “She has
recently started travelling by herself
to Melbourne from Geelong and she
continues to tell me and others that it
changed her life.”
Some may question the life-changing
nature of travelling to Melbourne from
Geelong. However, it is no mean feat
for someone, who uses an electric
wheelchair and communication device,
and before attending the course had
barely used public transport or gone to
a shop by herself. Smith beams with the
success of this story.
Smith, also a woman who uses
an electric wheelchair and a
communication device (among many
other forms of communication), is a
community development worker with
Scope’s Communication Resourse
Centre in Victoria.
The position was designed for
a person, who had complex
communication needs (difficulty
communicating by speech alone)
and could complement and extend
the team of speech pathologists, an
occupational therapist and other
workers. Together, their goal is to
increase community awareness
and involvement of people with
communication difficulties in society.
In Smith’s eight years in the position,
she has done this in more ways than
would have been imaginable. Smith
has interviewed local shopkeepers
and been integral in developing
communication accessibility in Centro
Box Hill.
She has been an adult role model
at the Big Mouth Camp, a camp for
children, who use communication
devices. She has presented her
work nationally and internationally
and, in doing so, has used her travel
experience to teach others about
accessible travel. Problems have
included wheelchair logistics (such as,
having strong Brazilians carrying her
over inaccessible precipices!)
Dancing is the one thing that I feel like
I’m so free to communicate with my real self
without speech... it’s amazing.
The 2007-8 project, Out of the Box
– Using Technology to Follow Your
Dreams, was another successful
undertaking for Smith. The project,
based on the Augmentative and
Communication Empowerment
(ACES) course delivered annually
at Temple University’s Institute on
Disabilities in the US, brought together
half a dozen adults with disabilities
to participate in intensive residential
workshops. Smith supported people
to express their dreams and to use
technology and tenacity.
One of her greatest contributions as
a community development worker
has been in the area of the arts. She
has done this in many ways: through
her poetry books and readings, art
exhibitions and, most recently, dance
performance and acting.
Smith recently played the lead role
in Perfectly Imperfect, a dance-drama
looking at the ethics of parenthood
for women with a disability. Staged
at the Melbourne Theatre Company,
Smith’s performance incorporated
dance in and out of her wheelchair,
her communication device, facial
expressions, and vocalisations.
Smith’s ability to show love, without
a reliance on words, moved the
audience to tears. “Dancing is the
one thing that I feel like I’m so free to
communicate with my real self without
speech... it’s amazing!” she enthuses.
In recalling all her accomplishments
and dreams for the future, Smith says
simply: “I do it because I love it.”
linkmagazine 15
fitness | wendy bentley
Mind
over
body
Science proves
you can get fit
without moving
a muscle, writes
Wendy Bentley.
A number of studies have shown that “thinking” about exercise can actually result
in similar changes to the body as if the exercise was actually performed.
By understanding the mechanics of thought and how each thought affects your
body, you have the ability to improve your own health mentally and physically.
Anyone with a disability knows that your health is most often dictated to you.
The doctors, the insurance companies, the family, the carers, they all have their
say. But what about you? Your thoughts matter and, in fact, if you believe in them
strongly enough, they just may change your life!
A thought repeated many times over becomes a belief and belief is powerful. It is
so powerful that it is causing great distress for pharmaceutical companies, who
are making millions of dollars from drug manufacturing. The reason is, in many
clinical trials, the “placebo”, is proving to be more effective than the trial drug.
As a daughter of a C3-4 quadriplegic,
the discovery of belief in mind-over-body
thinking brought tears of joy to my eyes.
This is remarkable considering a placebo is an inactive drug used in a clinical trial
as the control method by which all results are measured against. Some scientists
conclude that a person’s belief that a drug will work is more powerful than the
actual drug.
As a fitness trainer and daughter of someone with C3-4 quadriplegia, the
discovery of belief in mind-over-body thinking brought tears of joy to my eyes!
It was a health magazine that published a study, showing people performing
specific exercise and people imagining themselves performing it, actually
achieved a similar amount of weight loss. Since reading that information, my life
has been dedicated to bringing this type of healing to the world.
Above: Wendy with father Ron Hallam.
October 2010 — Vol 19/4
top tips
I have since discovered there is an abundance of scientific
evidence to support the mind-over-body theory. In 1992, a
study comparing training of voluntary muscle contractions,
with imagined muscle contractions, discovered that the
visualisation of muscle contraction alone produced a 22
percent increase in muscular strength.
The scientific evidence does not stop there. Books such as The
Biology of Belief by Dr Bruce Lipton, How Your Mind Can Heal
Your Body by Dr David Hamilton
and The Brain that Changes Itself
by Norman Doidge list many
scientific examples.
Wendy Bentley is a holistic
personal trainer specialising
in exercise for the body, using
nothing but the mind, and she
has developed a series of audio
exercise programs. For more,
visit thinkforfitness.com.
If you would like to put this theory to the
test, here are my top five tips to get your butt
into shape no matter what your physical
circumstances:
1.
Go to a quiet place, close your eyes and focus
on your breathing to clear your thoughts and
calm you.
2.
Begin to imagine yourself doing any type of
physical activity that you think might be fun. It
could be walking, running, a weights session or
surfing. It doesn’t really matter.
3.
Really feel every movement you are making. For
this to work, you must feel the movement. Feel
every muscle contraction with every move you
are making. Feel yourself sweating, feel your
heart beating faster, feel your breathing speed
up and feel the feel-good endorphins releasing
through your body as a result of exercising.
4.
Believe that you have actually done a real workout.
Belief is the most powerful drug available.
5.
Practise for at least 10 minutes every day.
Getting Mobile
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Auto Extras enjoy changing lives through our wheelchair van conversions. A van
that carries wheelchairs and walking passengers can offer greater freedom and
independence for families and groups who want the active lifestyle.
Auto Extras undertakes the modification of vans to the exact requirements
of each individual customer. For every situation involving mobility impairments
and/or extra seating we offer the most flexible and practical solutions with
a comfortable and professional finish.
Auto Extras service includes:
• Analysis and advice on each situation
• Sourcing appropriate vehicles
• Installation of loaders, restraints, seats
and lighting
For further information
Please contact Auto Extras on:
Phone: (07) 3252 3809 or 1800 811 626
Fax: (07) 3257 1459
Email: sales@auto-extras.com.au
www.auto-extras.com.au
linkmagazine 17
volunteering | maggie gill
Africa
calling
Maggie Gill is volunteering as a
physiotherapist through Australian
Volunteers International at the
Phelisanong centre.
Earlier this year, Victorian
physiotherapist Maggie Gill left home
to travel to Lesotho in southern Africa
to work with an organisation, known
as Phelisanong.
It runs a centre for orphans, vulnerable
children and children with disabilities.
Disability is still seen by many here as
punishment for past wrongdoings.
Lesotho is a small, mountainous country,
home to the Basotho people. AIDS is
taking a devastating toll on the area, with
people dying in alarming numbers.
In the foothills of the Maluti mountains,
this remarkable community though
has come together to provide a
children’s home.
Founded by villagers, who are HIV
positive or have a disability, the
indigenous-led, grassroots group
understands on a personal level what
the challenges are in living with HIV
and disabilities.
Since its inception in 2001,
Phelisanong has grown to become
one of the leaders in community
development in Lesotho. Here,
Gill writes about her role with
the organisation…
The project
On a terrain that requires tyres
from “monster trucks” and powered
wheelchairs unheard of in these
parts, young people with significant
movement disabilities are dependent
on carers and fellow peers for assistance
with all activities at Phelisanong.
Physiotherapy services aim to
provide options and alternatives for
movement and activities of everyday
life, helping young people to achieve
their full potential.
With disability still seen by many
[locals] as punishment for past
wrongdoings, some major aims
are also to break down the stigma
and misconceptions surrounding
disability, integrate children
with disabilities into their wider
communities, and to recognise
and celebrate the achievements
and contributions that people with
disabilities make.
Village life
With no electricity in my hut - and
candlelight only doing so much to
illuminate the room - going to bed
early has become a routine!
This is not so bad, considering the
roosters and donkeys, along with
the blasting horn of the bus from the
mountains, have set the wake-up call
for well before sunrise. For most, the
day starts around 5am, with sweeping
the yard (something I haven’t quite
understood yet, given that it is all
red dirt!), building a fire outside for
cooking and the children preparing for
school, which starts at 7.30am.
The water is collected from the
communal tap in the village and then
heated on a gas cooktop to bathe in
a bucket – also something I am yet
to master! I am lucky to have some
friends in “the city”, who let me use
their twin-tub washing machine when
I visit. As it turns out, I am no domestic
goddess – all washing clothes in a
bucket seems to do is substitute dirt all
over my clothes for soapsuds’ stains!
Getting to the city to wash my clothes
is also a great adventure each and
every time. The 130km trip takes
anywhere between
three and four-and-ahalf hours on public
transport. The trip
requires changing
transport three times,
usually at a different
location each time, and
the minibus taxi only
leaves when it’s full.
There is no such thing
as a timetable, and so, if
you are unlucky enough
to just miss the last taxi
to leave, you sit on the
16-seater bus and wait until there are
15 other people wanting to go in the
same direction as you! This experience
is not all bad, as there are always people
trying to sell you fruit, fat cakes and topup airtime for your phone!
And, of course, very few Lekhooa
(meaning: white people) travel on
the public taxis, so intrigue and
conversation is never lacking. Add this
to the deafening gospel music that blasts
out of the speakers, until the bus shakes
with vibration, and you really do have a
different experience every time you travel!
For more on Phelisanong or
to donate, visit phelisanong.
com. For volunteering, head to
australianvolunteers.com.
Now you’re thinking
linkmagazine 19
travel | bruce mumford
Goingfurther
This is the third in a series on accessible travelling by Bruce Mumford.
This issue, he tackles planning an interstate holiday.
So, you’ve found doing short trips not
as difficult as you feared? Maybe you
survived a couple of nights away with
only a few cuts and bruises? And now,
you’ve caught the travel bug and are
ready for a bigger trip? What about two
weeks’ away interstate?
My wife had always wanted to go to the
Great Ocean Road and salary sacrifice
had forced us to go on a big holiday to
get the kilometres up on our new car.
Above: Author Bruce Mumford
is ready to go, wearing a
“fashionable hat”!
Photo: Louise Mumford.
Right: Takeabreak.com.au.
Holidayinspirations.com.au
I had a journey worked out that looked
pretty good on paper, but when I
checked it closer using Google Maps (a
good idea - maps.google.com.au), the
road didn’t look so good, after all. And,
it occurred to me then that Victoria is
shaded green on my map to make
it look different from NSW, not
because it is lush everywhere...
Google Maps is very useful as
well, because you can enter the
exact address of a place you are
thinking of staying and then have
a look around the area in real
pictures. I’m amazed how they
got all those little yellow men out
there taking so many photos!
I also started by going to the local
travel agency and picking up a few
tourist brochures on the areas we
intended to visit. These are useful to get
an idea of the significant sites and tourist
spots, so I can include them in our
itinerary – or, in some cases, avoid them.
I visited the library too and borrowed
some relevant books and travel guides.
Guides like Lonely Planet are good
for updated information - not only on
places to stay - but also on attractions
and places to eat (lonelyplanet.com).
Their information on accessibility is
usually good too.
I then worked out a route using
NRMA’s Trip Planner (free on the
internet - go to drivethere.com.au).
It will give you distance between each
stop, as well as information on local
attractions and accommodation.
We try to do no more than five hours’
driving between overnight stops - that
way none of us get too tired. (And, yes,
being a passenger and map reader can
be quite exhausting - especially when
my wife can get so annoyed with my
well-intentioned navigational tips!)
It also gives a reasonable amount of
time to have a look around at points
of interest and at our overnight
destination. The thing about successful
travelling is not to try and do too much
of it at once.
Once you’ve worked out your stops, it’s
time to start booking accommodation.
But before you do, it’s a good idea to
get some travel insurance.
This is a really good idea, because
as accessible accommodation is not
that easy to find, you need to book
it when you can. But this means
that if your trip is cut short by fires/
floods/wildebeest stampedes (and,
in Australia, the first two are pretty
common), then without travel
insurance you’ve lost your deposits.
It’s not very expensive either. We paid
$112 for our family of four for two
weeks and this has no excess and
covers theft, lost luggage, hire car
damage and a few other things, as well
as lost deposits.
You probably won’t bother paying
extra for a pre-existing medical
condition as, if you’re like me with MS,
it won’t be covered anyway. We really
just wanted to safeguard our deposits.
You’ll find travel insurance easy
enough on the internet. Just shop
around and be careful you’re not
paying extra by going through a thirdparty travel agent. We used Mondial as
we have found them pretty good in the
past (worldcare.com.au).
Now, it was time for some serious
research and to begin booking things.
The internet is a fantastic tool for this.
I made a pro-forma much like the
one given in part 1 of this series (Link
August) and copied it before emailing it
out, making changes when necessary.
for accommodation. The only purposebuilt accommodation for wheelchair
access is called Fish Eye 9, fisheye9.
com. I have also included a list of
wheelchair-friendly accommodation
providers in the Apollo Bay and Otways
area as well.
There is no wheelchair hire in the
Great Ocean Road region. The closest
facilities I know of are in Geelong or
Melbourne. The Geelong contact details
are at geelongmedical.com.au/
hireequipment.html...”
Then, you need to go on searches
for suitable accommodation. Many
internet search engines are not specific
enough and you can waste a lot of time
contacting each property individually
to check on their accessibility.
If your trip is cut short by wildebeest stampedes, then
without travel insurance, you’ve lost your deposits.
A good place start your search is
the local tourist offices. I began with
Tourism Victoria (visitvictoria.com)
and then was referred to the Great
Ocean Road Visitor Information
Centre, which was very helpful
(visitgreatoceanroad.org.au). Don’t
hesitate to inform them directly of
your accessibility needs, as they are
usually prepared with lots of useful
information and can point you in the
right direction for other requirements.
The below correspondence came
from Marika Mercer, the tourism
officer at the Great Ocean Road Visitor
Information Centre:
“To follow are some properties that
may be able to meet your requirements
Apart from the tourist office
suggestions, there are a number of
specialist disability websites (such as,
e-bility.com or australiaforall.com),
but theses can be limited to places
suitable mainly for those with more
profound disabilities.
I made a lot of use of the takeabreak.
com.au website. Their search page
allows you to specify the area, type of
accommodation and accessibility. (At
the ‘all holiday experiences’, tab-select
‘accessible’ or ’accessible by wheelchair
AS1428’.)
TakeABreak also has a useful holiday
destinations page, which gives reviews
and general information about many
areas you might visit (again, choose
‘accessible’ in the ‘Experiences’ tab.)
linkmagazine 21
I’ve also had an extremely good
response rate from property managers
on this site and the nature of their
responses and their timeliness give
you a good idea of what to expect.
One owner, for example, replied after
several days that he found my request
“quite interesting”, but wondered if I’d
be able to deal with the various levels
and numerous steps in the apartment.
Needless to say, I didn’t proceed.
Others, however, were quite realistic
and helpful, as below: “We would love
to accommodate you and your family…
However, I am not certain the facilities
are wheelchair-friendly… I am unsure
if a standard doorway is enough width
for you to gain access. I have researched
on the internet and [we] do not meet
many of the criteria.
accessibility is suitable for you (there’s
a pro-forma guide for this too in the
August Link issue).
you.” This response was enough for me
to know I’d manage but, for others, it
could be impossible.
Everyone’s access requirements
are different and operators can’t be
expected to cater for every kind of
disability or to be able to mind-read
your needs. Obviously, you don’t want
to lash out on an expensive trip only
to find once there that it’s impossible
for you to get in (as I did once with a
seaplane flight, as below!)
So now, we’re almost ready to go.
I’ve planned our route, got travel
insurance, booked several places to
stay, including a wheelchair-friendly
stone cottage in the Grampians and an
accessible lighthouse keeper’s cottage at
Warrnambool, booked a helicopter flight
over the Twelve (or whatever) Apostles
and checked on equipment hire.
“Our helicopter flights are accessible to
people in a wheelchair, which will not
be a problem. There would obviously
be a small climb into the aircraft.
However, we do have a step to assist
In three weeks’ time, we’ll find out
if this and the GPS is enough to
compensate for my map-reading skills
on the road...
Your email has brought to my attention
that I do indeed need to look at the
facilities available for [people with
a disability] as it must be frustrating
for you to find that may places do not
cater for wheelchairs. Every prospective
guest is important and I do not like
to deter anyone and realise that our
accommodation does not provide the
appropriate facilities.”
When people put time and thought
into their responses like this, I think
it’s important to reply, expressing
gratitude, even if you decide not to go
ahead with a booking.
In booking accommodation, always
start with the busiest areas and the
times (like weekends) that will be
more difficult to get.
If booking tours or attractions, you
definitely should have personal
contact with the operator to ensure
Photo: South Australian Tourism Commission
There are no hand rails in the
bathrooms or toilets and know there
would not be enough room for a side
transfer from the toilet to a wheelchair.
On a positive note, there are no steps at
the front or rear door it is all level with
the outside.
TRAVEL NEWS
Art escape tours
Feeling creative? Rawnsley Park Station in SA’s Flinders
Ranges has long provided inspiration for artists. Its
new Art Escape tours will continue this tradition by
providing guests with the opportunity to learn from
renowned botanical artist Gilbert Dashorst.
The new tours cost $880 per person twin-share,
including two nights’ accommodation in a onebedroom eco-villa, art classes and materials, a Sunset
on the Chace tour, and some meals. The doors in the ecovillas are also wide enough for wheelchair access.
To register for a 2011 tour, visit rawnsleypark.com.au
or phone (08) 8648 0030.
Illustration: Daniella Caruso, daniella-caruso.blogspot.com
travel | bruce mumford
opinion | anthea skinner
Do you hear what I hear?
Anthea Skinner
reports on living
with tinnitus.
I’ve had tinnitus since I developed Meniere’s disease in my teens. Tinnitus is a
whistling, ringing or buzzing sound that occurs within someone’s ears or head.
It can be caused by damage in the inner ear from loud noises, traumatic injury,
some drugs and some forms of hearing impairment, including conditions such
as Meniere’s disease, otosclerosis and presbyacusis’.
Tinnitus cannot be cured. While in some people it disappears naturally
over time, others have to learn to live with it. There are two main factors in
managing tinnitus: coping with hearing loss and learning to live with the noise.
Coping with hearing loss
In some cases, the buzzing in a person’s head becomes so loud that it drowns
out the sounds of things going on around them. When this is the case, the
tinnitus itself becomes a form of hearing impairment. Given that many people
with tinnitus already have a degree of hearing loss, the extra noises in their
head can compound this problem.
Illustration: Daniella Caruso, daniella-caruso.blogspot.com
Unlike many forms of hearing impairment, the levels of tinnitus a person
experiences can change from day to day and even hour to hour, making it
important to be aware of what is going on in your head, as well as what is going
on around you in order to stay safe.
When experiencing tinnitus, the most difficult sounds to distinguish are those that
are similar to the noises in your ears. These means that even with mild tinnitus,
it can be difficult to hear “white noise”, like approaching cars, rain on the roof
or the sound of appliances like dishwashers. Developing strategies to cope
with this is important, like being sure to look both ways before crossing a
street and feeling for vibrations of appliances.
I think of the noises in my head as
my personal flock of crickets.
Learning to live with the noise
Many people with tinnitus become frustrated listening to the constant noise in their heads.
It can cause anxiety and loss of sleep, which, in some cases, become more disabling than the
physical symptoms.
Tinnitus is often worst at night, when there are fewer background sounds to distract you from the
constant buzzing.
I have developed my own way of coping with the noise. At first, I tried to ignore it, but the more I tried
to ignore it, the more frustrated I became. So, I tried a different tack.
Instead of trying to ignore the sounds in my head, I made a conscious effort to listen to them. The
buzzing is constant, but not unchanging. I often lie in bed pretending that I’m listening to a weird
modern composition, taking note of minute changes in pitch and volume.
After a few minutes of this, my mind usually drifts off to other topics and I am able to fall asleep,
unworried by the sounds.
I now think of the noises in my head as my personal flock of crickets, like secret pets that no one
can hear but me. I can’t get rid of the noises in my head, so instead I have learnt to love them.
linkmagazine 23
fashion | alyssa gill
about fashion
Having a
fashionable eye
doesn’t have to be
beyond people with
vision impairment,
Alyssa Gill writes.
In an image-obsessed society, keeping up with
the latest fashion trends can be challenging
enough. For some though, it can even be – well
- blind guesswork!
To understand the fashion-related challenges
faced by people, who have a vision
impairment, imagine being left in your local
shopping centre with nobody to guide you.
One challenge will present itself after another
when trying to coordinate colours, textures,
shapes, sizes, prints and accessories, with
touch as your only tool!
a magazine and later a website, which offers
articles from skilled writers - both with and
without vision impairment. (Find the online
glossy, Fashionable Eye for The Blind Guy and
Gal, at fashionableeye.com.)
“When I was losing my sight, I became very
depressed,” Ko recalls. “I stopped going out,
caring about how I looked and how I presented
myself. Over time, I started losing my fashion
sense and then also my confidence. I decided
that I needed to get back to where I was.”
Fashion comes down to visual intuition.
There are minimal support outlets to
help people with vision impairment
become fashion-savvy. New technology is
Driven by a determination to share fashion with
helping, such as the colour recognition iPhone
the wider world of disability, Ko came to the
app, Color ID, providing “temporary eyes” for
realisation that through text alone, visuals like
the shopper.
fashion could be described quite successfully
to those with vision impairment. The magazine
However, self-expression in fashion requires
has been around for four years and the website
more than the partnership of possible
for three years, generating more than 5500
colours, according to Austin Seraphin, a
followers.
blogger with vision impairment, who pens
behindthecurtain.us. “It seems to me that
It’s certainly on the money for fans like Melanie
fashion comes down to visual intuition. I could
Takkos. “I’ve never really been any good
find things that both say ‘blue’, which logically
with fashion and I’m sure having a vision
should coordinate colour-wise,
impairment doesn’t
but a sighted person might still
help. Fashionable Eye
say: ‘Oh, I would wear the other
is a great magazine,
thing instead. It goes better.’
because it is written
When I ask why, they say: ‘I
by a bunch of young
don’t know, it just does!’”
people, who actually
know what they are
So, what other help is
talking about!”
available to people, who
have vision impairment and
want to build their fashion
identity? Sydneysider
Dawson Ko, 27, right, has
created one such means.
At 15, Ko developed Behcet’s
disease, an incurable immune
disorder, which resulted in him
slowly losing his sight. Aspiring
to maintain the confidence and identity he
had developed through fashion, Ko created
opinion | johnny mackay
ark
ays
Model depicted is in no way associated with this story.
Staying fit and healthy and finding a shoulder to lean
on helped Johnny Mackay tackle the “black dog” that
is depression, as he writes.
It was all unexpected. Sure, life wasn’t grand, but you know it was
pretty good, I thought.
In retrospect, it seems like the changes took place overnight,
though I am not sure that is true either.
My best friend and lover of five years decided to take up relations
with another man. This was enough to force me to explore my
own personal difficulties, shortcomings and relative commitment
issues. I discovered that I loved her more than I loved life - more
than I loved myself. Unfortunately, my newfound passion for a life of solid relations with her and her alone - fell on deaf ears and I was told it was too late.
More than anything the ‘weight’ of the hole inside me was incapacitating. The darkness was
unbearable. The pain relatively inescapable. I say relatively because, as a previously active
person, I liked to walk and run.
Here and now though, I did it not because I wanted to, not because it made me feel better,
but simply because I was able to disperse my thoughts and alleviate the crushing pain only
when I was walking.
Needless to say, in my ‘darkness’, I walked four to five times a day for 30 minutes to an hour
each time. When I stopped, my blood and toxicity were almost touchable and seemed to
‘pool’ inside me. It was overwhelming. I had trouble thinking or talking about anything but
my perceived troubles. I couldn’t walk on some days - literally.
In the middle of correspondence study with university work, it took but a few days to fail and
quit. While I knew I had to work to keep my house and pay my ongoing bills, my performance
became quite poor. On some days at work, a simple carry of books from one shelf to another
became unfathomably slow. On one day, I broke out in tears on the boss’s shoulder – she sent
me home.
From home, I refused to go anywhere and spent most of my time trying to cope with the pain
and darkness. I became socially inept. And why would I want to be with people? Divulge
the intricacies of my melancholy? As far as I was convinced, I had failed not once, but on so
many deep and important levels. I couldn’t face anyone - including myself!
I was 40 years old. Surely, I knew how to cope with life’s upsets? I was a creator, a philosopher,
author and dreamer. How would this look against my passionate outgoing and usual self
people knew?
I was a male. Aren’t I supposed to be strong and look after the women and children in
my community? And, I was a father. What sort of example was this to give my children?
Consequently, I reached a stage of contemplation and planning, with suicidal thoughts. I was
ready to end the nightmare.
While my mother and sisters were greatly concerned for my wellbeing, I limited their contact
deliberately. So too, the usual advice to “think of your children” or “your future” had no effect.
linkmagazine 27
opinion | johnny mackay
Having said that, I was lucky. A long-distance casual friend
became my on-call phone support, a casual local friend
became my new best friend and crisis confidant, and my
own daughter (only 20 herself!) took time out to contact me
every day and stay over with me a few times a week. I never
asked one of those people to do what they did. They were
simply the right people. It was good timing too, as things
were just about to get worse - very much worse.
I couldn’t walk on some days - literally.
After a few sick days and a lagging performance, my boss
called me into her office with the owner of the business to
discuss their plan to support me – “You’re fired!” Though the
position paid quite badly, this wasn’t something I needed.
Not then. It was only a week later the engine in my van blew
up, rendering it totally useless. I had no money to fix such a
thing. Could it get any worse?
My depression was a third bout after a serious patch
around five years before and, another five years before
that. [But] this was my worst hit by a long-shot. While it was
‘undiagnosed’ and may not officially be called clinical, it
was certainly chronic – I didn’t need a doctor to tell me that.
According to definitions currently available, it was psychotic
depression, because it included audible hallucinations –
hearing voices.
The feelings of hopelessness, while manageable when
walking, were unbearable when standing still.
To cope, I began drinking – wine in general (cask), about two
litres a night. It helped me sleep. I began cigarette smoking,
which I had done when I was younger. This time, I smoked
two packets a day and the anxiety of not smoking became
worse than the toxicity I began to mirror in my stature,
complexion, speech and clarity of thought.
My two friends and my daughter had an intensive capacity
to listen and let me drool unjudged or without question
over and over the same path every hour, every day. This was
coupled with the manic walking program I was unable to
stop, so began my unintentional recovery program. I paid
some prices too. I lost 12 kilos and looked ill.
It only took a few months to get myself to a state of pretence
and convince someone to hire me. Alas, my performance
was still poor. I tried harder to no avail. The organisation
this time, however, was supportive. I took counselling at
their cost. Even though the first response was to get me on
medication, I refused.
Mainly I think, because it was an admission of defeat and
honestly? I would rather die than be defeated by myself. The
counsellor listened and listened and listened and I talked
and talked and talked.
Occasionally, she would detect I had paused and offer
input. Her biggest concern was the alcohol, and so, I agreed
to buy bottles instead of casks. With such a non-existent
budget, my consumption was inevitably reduced. She was,
however, pleased I was walking and told me that, statistically
speaking, walking three times a week, 20 minutes a day, was
equal to a first course in anti-depressants. I figured I was on
a sixth or seventh course!
This time with her was well-spent. Like verbal vomit, I
needed to cleanse and it took many sessions with the
counsellor and my friends and my daughter. What a great
privilege it is to have the honour of befriending someone,
who will listen without question or judgement.
Slowly, I began to analyse my life over and over and see that
I had succumb to ‘building on the sand’ syndrome. I began to
make sense of what I had done and what I must do. Nearly a
year later, I began to plan building again but, this time, on rock.
At that time I didn’t need or want anyone to give me
permission or acknowledge the validity of my thoughts or
plans. No, what I needed was exactly what I was already
getting – unconditional love and support, listening,
openness, honesty, and company.
My boss called me into her office with
a plan to support me... you’re fired!
And today? I am sure most people would say I am healed,
never to return and a better version by far of the person I
was before that time. Of course, what doesn’t kill you makes
you stronger, right?
Well, I can only hope they are right. When all is said and
done, I must understand that the possibility of my black dog
returning is greater than for some. But, on the bright side, it
seems that keeping oneself healthy and well, using the tools
of nutrition, exercise and meditation, may offer protection of
defiant proportions.
And, at the end of the day, I will always have a choice.
More than anything, a choice to pick up the phone or visit
someone who I trust.
And that is where you – my support person - comes in…
Tasmanian Johnny Mackay is a father-of-three and a
registered celebrant. He has worked with people with
disabilities for eight years and, more recently, people living
with mental illnesses. He is the author of Rebel Yell and
Sonja’s Song.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental
health issues, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14.
opinion | peter coulter
The musings of Peter Coulter
Peter Coulter ponders the benefits of acupuncture - and language surrounding disability.
Pins and needles
I admit to being a skeptic as to whether acupuncture works or not. How shoving needles into yourself can
relieve pain, inflammation, swelling, sleeplessness, bad temper and almost everything else, I could never
contemplate.
The placebo effect is something that I have never seen examined and I think that it’s possible that the
reason my back doesn’t hurt so much is because those needles are hurting a lot more!
A study by New York’s University of Rochester Medical Centre, reported in New Scientist, induced pain in mice - by pushing
needles into their knee joints - and then analysed levels of a certain chemical, with and without acupuncture.
The mice reported having only half the pain as before. This should perhaps be a new prerequisite for obtaining a job in a
research institute: “You must be bilingual - fluent in mouse.”
Short of asking the mouse how he feels, I do not know how to tell if he is feeling less pain. There is the functional MRI, of
course, but this takes no account of whether said mouse is having a dream or is simply constipated. I am also having trouble
equating a mouse with a human being - a needle to a mouse is a crow bar to you and me!
You must be bilingual - fluent in mouse.
Autism – spectrum or syndrome?
I have often ended some of my lectures to university students with a simple, short
line: “I have something that none of you have - a disability!”
It is because of this disability - its nature and extent - that I work where I do and
also makes me good at what I do. With many disabilities, the unfortunate and
often misguided focus is on the disability - its severity and inherent difficulties.
This is understandable, if wrong and severely limiting.
I have just read an article in New Scientist from a person with autism. She
works at a university in Canada doing research and claims that there are
distinct advantages to being autistic, at least in her case.
Some of these are an ability to focus on one thing at a time, a demonstrated
ability to see things hidden in a maze of other information and an artistic
ability beyond that of non-autistic people.
She is not a “savant” and says that these are the exception rather than the rule.
While recognising that those, who have autism, need social services and help,
she stresses that there is another side to the coin. Many such people merely
need some assistance and recognition of the heightened abilities they possess.
The very name of the suite of disorders that the name encompasses – autism and
ADHD - the varying degrees of severity of each disease and the apparently rather
loose application of the diagnosis all conspire to make it very difficult to cope for
the people so diagnosed. Look at the word, spectrum - it means a range or broad
panacea of various things.
A better and more accurate definition of the condition is needed and, with this, an
education campaign to educate those who use and misuse it. Our medical system has
what one might refer to as a “doctor spectrum disorder”!
October 2010 — Vol 19/4
linkmagazine 29
link | disability enterprises
No more
missing socks
When a large laundry service couldn’t keep track of smaller garments it
teamed up with Minda to create the perfect partnership and solve the
lost sock quandry.
The culprit: socks!
Sometimes the
smallest things
create the biggest
problems. When SA’s
Department of Families and Communities (DFC) set about
reviewing their laundry tender, they wanted to know: could
a commercial laundry supplier really manage the everyday
household issue of ‘where is that missing sock?’ and, at the
same time, provide a highly efficient commercial laundry
operation?
In answer to this question, Minda Laundry Services
commenced its collaboration with International Linen in
servicing the DFC laundry contract in December 2009.
International Linen has a large number of aged care
customers and along with the used sheets, pillow cases
and blankets that are returned by this customer base, every
now and again, along comes socks and many other items of
personal linen. As a large commercial laundry, International
Linen has the capacity to wash and iron in excess of 2000
sheets per hour but, as they discovered, has the ability to
lose a pair of socks!
By their own account, for International Linen to attempt to
launder items of personal linen is like trying to land a jumbo
aircraft at Parafield Airport – it is not a good fit!
Being aware of Minda’s laundering facilities, International
Linen approached the Minda laundry about providing
a weekly service whereby Minda would pick up the
various items of personal linen – launder them, sort them
by location (if suitably labelled) and return them to the
International Linen facility at Torrensville. Therefore, on the
next delivery to one of the aged care customers, they could
take along the freshly laundered items.
International Linen is an industry-leading provider of
commercial laundry services to the hospital and healthcare
sector, processing many tonnes of laundry and linen every day.
Minda Laundry Services, on the other hand, is an operation set
up with a completely different focus - that being to optimise
the collection, sorting and tracking of laundered customerowned goods while simultaneously providing employment
opportunities to people with a disability. The collaborative
opportunity between the two organisations was born out of the
unique mix of capabilities the two organisations have which,
while very different in isolation, when combined, form a potent
solution offering.
The collaboration with International Linen was seen as
a real opportunity to not only optimise the utilisation of
Minda’s plant and equipment but, more importantly, it is
the increase in laundering volumes that provides a secure
source of employment for people with disability.
The social benefits of this collaboration
can also not be overstated.
While International Linen and Minda Laundry Services
might, at times, compete in the marketplace for laundry
work, the reality is that the coming together of these two
organisations allows each to focus on its core competency.
This enables the combination of the two businesses to
deliver the best possible solution to its customer, the DFC.
Together, International Linen and Minda have overcome
all the challenges of handling a mix of high volume
standardised linen products, as well as dealing with the
individualised services required when handling personal
laundry items. The individualised service operates five times
per week and includes all aspects of laundering such as
sorting, washing and drying and separating items into ward
allocations, identified by a colour-coded bag system and
returned to the correct ward.
The social benefits of this collaboration can also not be
overstated. From the DFC’s perspective, as many of the
personal items were gifts to residents, the loss of these
garments can be quite an emotional issue for an elderly
and quite often frail person. However, the value of this work
can best be reflected in the words of those people who are
employed as a result.
Greg Evers is a supported employee working in the area of
logistics. He says: “I enjoy going to the Julia Farr site (DFC)
and picking up the laundry bags, which helps out the laundry.”
Minda’s commercial laundry operations employ a total of
58 employees - 42 of these being people with a disability
working in various supported employment roles.
Regina Jalosjos, another supported employee at the Minda
laundry, says: “I feel proud to be a valuable member of the team
that is relied upon to complete the tasks that are required.”
Phil Osborne, the manager of Disability SA’s hotel and
ancillary services, says: “Working in the disability sector
provides staff and clients with wonderful opportunities
to improve services and quality of life for all associated
with this unique sector. So, when assessing tenders for
the linen, laundry tender for Highgate Park, one of the key
evaluation criteria was social responsibility, which included
consideration of service providers, who would involve
or employ people with a disability. International Linen
Services, with their plan to incorporate Minda in the laundry
linen service, certainly offered that opportunity and has
proven a very successful liaison. Highgate Park is receiving
an excellent service while Minda staff are seen as happy and
proud of their quality of work and service they provide.”
According to Andrew Ramsey, the manager of Minda
Commercial Enterprises: “This is a great example of how
two organisations that are truly focused on delivering
the best in customer service can deliver not only the best
commercial outcome, but also an outstanding social
outcome. Organisations so often look for great partnerships
in business and, having only recently joined Minda, this is as
good an example as I have seen anywhere”.
Organisations so often look for
great partnerships in business
and… this is as good
He adds: “What is exciting is that this is just one example of
how Minda’s commercial enterprises can partner with external
organisations to add value to the total service offering”.
For more information on the laundry operations mentioned
above, contact either Bernie Doyle, the general manager
of health care for International Linen Services, on (08)
8234 5295 or Andrew Ramsey, the manager of commercial
enterprises for Minda Incorporated, on (08) 8422 6398.
Photo: Paul Dean of Minda, Heather Turner of International Linen, and Greg Evers of Minda.
linkmagazine 31
entertainment | radio shows
Community
radio is a rich
source of local talent,
willing to share their
diverse stories and experiences.
There are programs all around the
nation that hone in on disability news,
views and events. Here’s just a few,
as Andrew Blanchard reports.
Shout Out
Blu FM 89.1FM (Blue Mountains, NSW)
The Shout Out show began a year ago in response to
the 2009 report, Shut Out: The Experience of People with
Disabilities and their Families in Australia. The report gave
voice to the isolation and social segregation many people
with disabilities and their families felt.
With this in mind, the community radio program – on
Wednesdays, 10am to 12 noon - was formed with the goal to
“shout out” the gifts, talents and contributions of people with
disabilities in the community.
The hosts are David Cretney, who has years of working in
the disability field with the Sylvanvale Foundation, and Kell
Taylor, an enthusiastic volunteer and local musician, who is
passionate about sharing people’s stories via the show. “We
wanted to raise awareness of issues affecting people with
disabilities and their families,” Cretney says.
By forming a partnership with Blu FM and the Sylvanvale
Foundation, the radio program has been able to feature the
voices of community members - near and far.
Andrew Blanchard has
worked in the disability field
for about three years. He
regularly writes about film,
disability, and the community.
One of the show’s most inspiring guests was a young man,
known as DJ Aaron. He was involved in a creative project at
Camden Creative Studios, where he discovered a passion for
mixing dance beats. DJ Aaron spoke on the show recently
about how his support needs haven’t deterred him from
discovering and expressing his talents.
If you have a story to share with the program, contact
weshoutout@gmail.com. More on the show at blufm.org.au.
The Wednesday Talk Program
Phoenix FM 106.7FM (Bendigo and Central Victoria)
Each Wednesday, Geoff Morris hosts a talk show on Phoenix
FM - from 9am to midday - discussing disability issues and
all things happening in the community. Morris is also the
president of the station, which proudly features the diverse
voices of the local area. Every week is different on Morris’
program, with a parade of guests taking their turn in the
hot-seat. Morris’ conversational approach to interviews
allows some incredible stories to be told, helping to attract a
significant listening audience in the local community - and
online. phoenixfm.org
The Boldness
3CR 855AM (Melbourne)
This show was started with the simple idea that boldness
is a reflection of “the front” often required by people with
disabilities to get what they want, rather than waiting for
someone to give it to them. Taking a leaf out of the book of
the popular BBC disability website, Ouch!, hosts Phin and
Elvira have a funny and controversial approach to discussing
human rights and disability issues. The Boldness is a podcast
set up by Grit Media, as part of an initiative
to bring disability information and issues
into people’s homes. It’s broadcast every
third and fifth Wednesday of the month,
from 6pm. 3cr.org.au
EthnicAbility
6EBA 95.3FM (Perth)
Every Monday at 9pm, hosts Sanja
Vuksanovic and Zel Ischel explore issues
affecting people with a disability from an
ethnic background on-air, giving advice and
providing information.
This page:
Above: DJ Aaron spins decks on Blu FM’s
Shout Out show.
Below: Shout Out pianist Bill McMillian
livens up each show with his quirky tunes.
Opposite page:
Shout Out’s David Cretney and Kell Taylor,
with regular guest Valda Lang.
The program features a plethora of guests,
including service providers, carers, parents
of children with a disability, and anyone else
keen to share their stories.
mrtawa.org.au/1/ethnicability.php.
linkmagazine 33
entertainment & reviews
Farmyard to fashion pack
Between the pages
Leila Sweeney is not just a
contender from Nine’s The
Farmer Wants A Wife. She’s
also the designer behind
the fashion label, Lass. She
donates part of her profits to
Down Syndrome NSW.
Tell us why your label is ecofriendly. I grew up on a farm [in
NSW’s Walcha] and I love nature...
So, I decided to create garments
from recycled fabrics and fibres. I
even used my dad’s old work jeans for one dress!
How did you come to share a house with a guy with
Down syndrome, Tom? I hit it off as friends [with his
housemate, Rozzi]… After later moving in with her and
Tom, I realised there were so many things I was holding
myself back from. There was nothing Tom wouldn’t do and I
thought:, ‘This man is such a go-getter at life, I should be too!’
The only thing that ever made Tom upset was seeing other
people he loved and cared about upset and I wanted to be
more like that – happy with life... The day The Farmer Wants
A Wife aired, I received a call from him at 2am, crying: ‘Leila,
no, you can’t get married. No, no, no [laughs]!’
Did you end up finding love on The Farmer Wants A
Wife? I didn’t find love with Devon, once he had chosen
me as his ‘final girl’. I went and stayed with him for a week
and, hmm... I saw that he was not the type of guy I was
looking for and he felt the same about me! But, once the
final filming day at the Hunter [Valley] was over, I went
back to Walcha with farmer Charlie and Alli to the local
Walcha show... Charlie
introduced me to Sean
McDougall, a Marcus
Ag. College boy in
Walcha, doing his work
placement. Sean and I
hit it off and have been
dating ever since. So, I
guess you could say, yes,
I did find love from the
show - just not in the
normal fashion!
For more, visit
leilasweeney.com
Sharon Kernot is a new writer-in-residence at
the SA Writers’ Centre, helping people with a
disability craft their words. Her role is thanks
to funding from Arts SA’s Richard Llewellyn
Arts and Disability Trust. Kernot’s the author
of In the Shadows of the Garden and Washday
Pockets (Ginninderra Press). Link spoke to her.
What kind of writing help do you provide? As they
have done in the past, I read and provide feedback
on people’s work. I also provide information about
workshops, writing groups, grants, mentoring programs,
and publishing, self-publishing and print-on-demand
opportunities. In previous years, an anthology has been
produced of participants’ work, which meant that many
people had their work published for the first time. I hope
to do the same, if time permits.
Your top tips for aspiring writers? Learn as much as
you can from experienced writers. Read your work out
loud – you’ll be able to hear all the clunky bits. Read lots
of books in the genre you’re interested in – this is a good
way to learn how other writers tackle the craft. Write
often and don’t wait for inspiration. Turn up at the page
or the screen and just write whenever you have the time.
And, don’t forget to have fun!
How hard is getting a first novel published? I don’t
want to put people off but it really is very hard to get a
novel accepted for publication – just ask the two novellength manuscripts sitting in my bottom drawer! Many
mainstream publishers will only look at manuscripts that
have come from a literary agent and, unfortunately, the
catch-22 is that it is as hard to get an agent as it is to get a
publisher. But, luckily, these days there are other options,
such as e-publishing and self-publishing. And, for poets
and short story writers, there are numerous mags and
journals out there just waiting to publish new writers!
For more, email the centre at sawriters@sawc.org.au.
Books
Knowing Jesse by Marianne Leone (Simon & Schuster)
US actress/writer Marianne Leone wrote
this memoir to “celebrate [her son’s] life, to
deal with his death, and to share him with
others.” Jesse Cooper was an honour roll
student, who loved to windsurf and write
poetry. He also had severe cerebral palsy
and quadriplegia, was unable to speak and
wracked by seizures. He died suddenly at
17. Knowing Jesse: A Mother’s Memoir of
Grief, Grace and Everyday Bliss looks at the
stamp he had on the lives of Leone and her husband, Academy
Award-winning actor Chris Cooper.
Terminal Decline by Dr Mohamed Khadra (Random House)
Bestselling author and Sydney University
surgery professor Dr Mohamed Khadra
has created a fascinating argument for
re-evaluating the Australian health care
system in his new book, Terminal Decline:
A Surgeon’s Diagnosis of the Australian
Health-Care System. The tome looks at the
different government-driven health care
reforms, which have led to the current
system we have in place today. Dr Khadra
argues it’s a system stifled by bureaucracy. He’s been a cancer
sufferer himself, so has seen it through the eyes of both surgeon
and patient.
Wheels in Motion by Laura McGee
NSW’s Laura McGee is in her mid-twenties
and has cerebral palsy. She says: “My
physical disability is quite severe, including
being non-verbal. I access the computer
via two head switches and a Morse code
program.” Intrigued to find out more about
her? Read her autobiography, which can be
bought via bookpal.com.au. Or, check out
her Facebook group, Laura McGee’s Wheels
in Motion.
DVD
Carers’ Stories of Hope and Recovery by beyondblue
Research suggests more than half of Australia’s carers have at
least moderate depression – and a fifth of
them have severe depression.
Not-for-profit organisation beyondblue
has released a free carers’ kit, which
includes the DVD, Carers’ Stories of Hope
and Recovery. It features the stories
of everyday Aussies, who have cared
for their partners and children with
depression and/or anxiety.
To order your free DVD and booklet or to
find out more about depression, anxiety and where to get help,
visit beyondblue.org.au or call 1300 224 636.
Goss
•
Former Big Brother star Rima Hadchiti - a primordial
dwarf belly dancer – has given birth to a baby boy,
earning her the title, “Australia’s smallest mum”.
Hadchiti’s tiny womb would only allow the bub to
grow inside her for 29 weeks, according to ninemsn.
Still, after a hospital stint, the premature baby is said
to be fighting fit. Rima’s husband is of normal height,
so their son is not expected to be short-statured.
•
An armless pianist, who uses his feet to play the
keys, has won the first season of TV show China’s
Got Talent. Liu Wei, 23, won over the audience with a
rendition of James Blunt’s You’re Beautiful at the final.
He lost both arms, aged 10, after being electrocuted
during a hide-and-seek game.
•
NSW writer/filmmaker Robert Pickles was one of
20 artists selected by the Australian Network for Art
and Technology to attend a workshop investigating
“destination cinema” in October - filmmaking
that immerses audiences in a full dome, with
hemispherical screens and surround sound.
•
A collective of 88 dancers, musicians and artists,
who are deaf, have become an acclaimed stage act,
the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe.
Since forming in 1987, the troupe has performed
in more than 40 countries and raised about AUD
$750,000 for disability charities, according to Reuters.
Website in focus
This site is said to be
for “babes, who just
happen to have chronic
illness”. American
“editrix” Jenni Prokopy,
pictured, created the
site in 2005 to provide
an online community
for younger women
with chronic health issues, who wanted to be
their best. Prokopy was diagnosed at the age of
25 with fibromyalgia. The site offers hundreds
of resources, plus fans can also sign up for its
free newsletter.
linkmagazine 35
book review | katrina clark
Always Liza To Me
By Cecilia Rice (Allen & Unwin, 2009)
Reading Cecilia
Rice’s book gave
me a perspective
on living with
a child with a
disability that
shook my reality.
As a mother of a 13-year-old
daughter with Rett syndrome,
I thought I knew it all. What
I had never fully considered
was the perspective of my
other children as siblings to
our Georgia.
The author grew up as
a twin in a family of six
children. Cecilia’s parents’
first child survived only
five hours. Their second,
Elizabeth, was born with
physical and intellectual
disabilities and was also
thought unlikely to survive.
Cecilia and her twin sister
were born only one year
after Elizabeth. Their mother,
an ardent Catholic, went on
to have three more healthy
children after the twins.
embarrassing behaviour
in a shopping centre or
clearing her daughter of
smeared excrement in a
split second of inattention!
With virtually no home help
and five younger children
to care for, Elizabeth was
placed in care outside the
family home from age six.
I had expected this action
to distinguish this family
from my own in some way
but, instead, I ached for
Cecilia and her mother as
I read of how traumatic it
was to return Elizabeth to
her place of care after each
family outing.
Elizabeth, referred to
more fondly by her
family as “Liza”, was never
The love of a sibling is not the engulfing love of our mothers.
Cecilia describes how her
parents dished out their
love on a “triage basis”,
dealing with the demands
of Elizabeth, who became
more unpredictably violent
and dangerous as each new
baby was brought home
from the hospital.
I was personally able to
identify all too easily with
Cecilia’s mother’s desire to
dictate routine and order
in a house full of chaos. I
recognised and respected
her mother’s courage in
seeking to hold her head
up high while managing
inappropriate and
abandoned. Her parents’
love and concern for her
crossed the boundaries of
distance and her place as a
member of the family was
always paramount.
What surprised me most
when reading Always
Liza to Me was how each
sibling was so affected
by Elizabeth. How then
are my own children
affected by growing up
with their youngest sister
having physical and
intellectual disabilities?
Can I be so naïve as to
continue to believe it is
just a coincidence that my
18-year-old has chosen
to study genetics at
university? Do they look at
me often as their ‘crazed
mother’, focused solely
on the intense needs of
her child with a disability,
campaigning in any ‘spare
time’ to change policy and
attitudes Australia-wide?
I cried as I took comfort
from Cecilia’s reflection
that, in her own experience
and in speaking with other
siblings, although they love
their sibling deeply, the
love of a sibling “is not the
engulfing, stretched love
of our mothers”. She states:
“It is a gentle, watchful love
and we are not sorrowful.”
...
Katrina Clark is the vice
president of the Association
for Children with a
Disability in NSW (ACD
NSW) and is a board
director and secretary
of Carers NSW. She was
responsible for two new
publications for ACD
NSW, Through The Maze
and Helping You and
Your Family - information
resources for families and
therapists caring for a child
with a disability.
advertorial | bedford
Bedford Catering for Generation Choice
Emerging generations of people with disability or
disadvantage are evolving with the times, demanding greater
choice and challenging service providers to keep up.
Bedford Chief Executive Max Dyason told colleagues at
the recent Workability International Conference in Dublin
that service providers must adapt to meet the demands of
those they support, who are fast expecting better pathways,
choice, access and quality from disability services.
Mr Dyason said the prevalence of bundled services across all
areas of life – from vast shopping centres to combining credit
cards with an airline of choice - is changing the mindset of
younger generations, including people with disability.
“Each generation has distinct values, beliefs and motivations
which have been borne from social, family, media and
economic influences,” Mr Dyason said.
“People with disability are no different. Young people with
disability are becoming more aspirational and want more.”
What’s more, mental health is on the rise, dual disability is
more prevalent and disadvantage is further blurring the lines.
As such, the ability to have adult services for distinct groups
or highly specialised areas is reducing.
Bedford is attempting to address these changes with what
Mr Dyason termed its “Diversity Model”.
In four years, Bedford has grown from operating four
employment sites in Adelaide to 24 across metropolitan
and regional South Australia. It now supports in excess
of 3,000 South Australians with disability or disadvantage
in employment, training, housing, recreation and life skills
development – up from 520 a decade ago. Of this growth,
one third has come from seven mergers that have occurred
since 2006 aimed at facilitating a greater service offering.
“Work and life are no longer separate elements, rather part of
a whole person,” Mr Dyason said.
“Whilst one organisation cannot be all things to all people,
informal and formal partnerships, joint ventures or structured
agreements between organisations can provide similar
results. The days of single service organisations are probably
numbered; people want the ability to transition seamlessly
through a choice of service offerings.”
He said that while the change is occurring gradually and
organisations need not panic, it’s essential they consider
the expectations of younger generations in order to remain
relevant and viable.
“Disability services of the future will need to be commercially
competent, set competitive production and quality
standards, challenge capabilities, become adaptive and
responsive to the market and those they support and offer a
diverse range of services,” Mr Dyason said.
“Bedford is focused on
offering a more relevant and
contemporary approach that
raises the profile of people
with disability and helps
individuals get what they want
from life.”
Bedford – proud sponsor of Link Disability Magazine
link | food
l
e
f
a
l
a
F
s
l
l
ba
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of chickpeas
1 brown onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp rye flour
Coriander (chopped)
Mint (chopped)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
Lime juice
Coconut oil
Method
Grind up the chickpeas in a food processor or
juicer (if your juicer allows for this). Combine
all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix
together well. Form the mixture into balls,
roughly the size of a golf ball. Put the balls
in the fridge for half an hour (this will make
them better to fry). Lightly fry the balls in
coconut oil until cooked. They should be crisp
and golden on the outside. Serve with yoghurt
dressing, as below.
Dressing
Yoghurt
Lime juice
1 small clove garlic (crushed)
Mint (chopped)
Coriander (chopped)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve
with falafel balls.
A
&
Q
Q&A with Jessica Ainscough
Jessica Ainscough is behind The Wellness Warrior blog (thewellnesswarrior.
blogspot.com) The mag journalist was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer,
Epithelioid Sarcoma, at age 22. She traded in her glamorous lifestyle to become
a carrot juice-guzzling, yoga-loving vegan, with a passion for natural healing.
(She recently blogged about being treated by Sunshine Coast osteopath and
acupuncturist Hans Wild, who is vision impaired!) Her recipe’s left.
How has your life changed since cancer? Gosh, almost every aspect of my life has changed!
I quit my job at Dolly Magazine and moved from Sydney back to the Sunshine Coast. My diet
is completely different. I am now vegan. I don’t eat sugar, salt and fat and I don’t drink alcohol
anymore (I’m still having trouble accepting that last one). I now meditate every day, practise
yoga and devote all my time to healing and living a healthy, balanced life. My priorities are
completely different now.
How long will you give yourself for recovery via the alternative cancer treatment, Gerson Therapy? Gerson tells
their patients to stick to the therapy for a minimum of two years. My case is a little different though. I’ve been given about 18
months because I am young. My cancer is contained to just my arm and I have been dabbling in the therapy since I was first
diagnosed over two years ago. I have been on the strict therapy of 13 juices a day, five coffee enemas a day, castor oil every
second day and a strict set vegan diet for about five months.
What is a coffee enema? It’s where you put coffee up your bum! Coffee enemas are designed to detoxify your liver. Our liver is our
body’s major detoxifying organ and it is often overloaded with toxins. Coffee enemas help to stimulate the liver and increase bile
production to excrete the toxins more rapidly. This is so important if you’re embarking on a major detox. If the toxins aren’t flushed
out, they will just overburden the liver.
Problem with your
telephone, mobile phone
or internet service?
The Telecommunications Industry
Ombudsman is a free and independent
dispute resolution service for
people with complaints about
telecommunications or internet services.
If you have tried to resolve a complaint
with your phone or internet service
provider, but are not making any
progress then contact the TIO.
The TIO may
be able to help.
TIO_YellowA5hor_col.indd 1
Website
Freecall
Freefax
TTY
Interpreter service
www.tio.com.au
1800 062 058
1800 630 614
1800 675 692
131 450
linkmagazine 39
20/12/06 9:28:29 AM
link | the law
Finding
the right
Needing a lawyer can
be a daunting prospect,
so Simon Flower offers
some tips for finding the
right person to help you.
There are many reasons why you may
be looking for a lawyer to act on your
behalf. Perhaps you need a will or want to
contest a will. Or you were injured at work
or in a car crash and now need medical
treatment. Maybe you have been charged
with a criminal offence that you didn’t do.
lawyer
Below are some ideas to help you
find the right lawyer.
Where to start?
Find a phone number.
•
The best place to start is to phone the Law Society
in your state or territory. The Society has lists of
practitioners that deal with different legal problems. It
is likely that they will give you the name and contact
details of several lawyers, who specialise in dealing with
your type of legal problem.
•
You could also look at the Yellow Pages (in print or
online). While the pages for “lawyers” and “solicitors” are
filled with many advertisements, you should be able to
find someone to help you.
•
One tip: some of the best lawyers don’t advertise
extensively. They rely on word-of-mouth referrals. Keep
a look-out for smaller advertisements that can help you
identify the right lawyer to help you with your case.
•
Ask someone you know who has had a similar legal
problem. Perhaps their lawyer was very good at
handling their legal problem. Perhaps their lawyer was
one to avoid. A friend or loved one can be a great way to
find a lawyer that can help you.
•
Lastly, you can use the internet to search and quickly
generate the contact details of numerous lawyers. Just
make sure they are in the state or territory relevant to
your case.
Once you have a phone number, contact your lawyer and
make an appointment to see them personally.
Choosing your lawyer
Choose a lawyer with experience.
•
Some lawyers choose to work in areas of law in which
they have only limited experience. Usually, it is best to
choose a lawyer, who has dealt with your kind of legal
problem in the past. If they have confronted those legal
issues before, chances are they will have the knowledge
to assist you by providing a prompt service that leads to
a good result.
r
Choose a lawyer, who you can rely on.
•
Legal cases always involve decisions made by judges
or magistrates. Once that decision is made, it is often
difficult and costly for the outcome to be changed on
appeal. It is critical that you have a representative you
can rely on to argue your case effectively on your behalf
at all stages during your matter.
Choose a lawyer, who provides you with a realistic
estimate of disbursements.
•
It is important to understand the distinction between
professional costs and disbursements. A fee or “cost”
is the charge for your lawyer’s time. A disbursement
is a charge for a cost incurred preparing for the case
(eg. a doctor’s report or photocopying). Sometimes
lawyers will offer a “no win, no fee” arrangement, but
may require you to pay disbursements as the case
progresses.
•
Remember that lawyers should provide you with an
estimate of both costs and disbursements before you
sign an agreement for that lawyer to act on your behalf.
Choose a lawyer, who explains difficult legal concepts.
•
There is no point spending the next 12 to 24 months
not knowing what is going on. Make certain you can
communicate effectively with your lawyer and that your
lawyer takes the time to explain difficult legal concepts
to you.
•
You should also feel free to specify your preferred
form of communication. Sometimes you may prefer to
receive advice in writing, sometimes you would prefer a
telephone conference or interview - the choice is yours
to make.
Choose a lawyer, who takes the time to see you
personally.
•
It is true that lawyers are very busy during business
hours - spending time in court and producing legal
documents takes time. However, you should be able to
see your lawyer personally when required. Maybe you
need to update the lawyer with some fresh instructions,
maybe you want an update. It is important to have a
lawyer, who responds to your request for a personal,
face-to-face meeting.
Costs of using a lawyer
Choose a lawyer, who provides you with a realistic
estimate of costs.
•
Usually lawyers charge on the basis of an hourly rate. One
unit every six minutes, 10 units for every hour. Hourly
rates differ greatly from lawyer to lawyer and from state
to state. It is important to remember that the lowest
estimate of costs is not necessarily the most accurate.
Sometimes the lowest estimate may be unrealistic and
unlikely to be achieved at the end of the case.
Ask whether the lawyer will charge you a fixed fee.
•
What is better than a realistic assessment of costs and
disbursements? A fixed fee agreement. If a lawyer is
prepared to commit to a fixed fee for their services it
usually demonstrates detailed knowledge of that area
of law and it certainly demonstrates a commitment to
efficiently processing your matter.
So the process of finding the right lawyer to deal with
your case can, at first, appear quite daunting. However, by
conducting the right research and making certain that you
and your lawyer communicate effectively, you can ensure
that you find the right help to resolve your case quickly.
Simon Flower is a barrister and solicitor, who specialises in
personal injury matters. For the past decade, he has worked
for several leading plaintiff law firms in Adelaide and on
behalf of the government at the Crown Solicitor’s Office. He
has extensive legal experience and has represented clients
in the Supreme Court of South Australia, District Court of
South Australia, Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Workers
Compensation Tribunal, Australian Industrial Relations
Commission, Industrial Court of South Australia, Fair Work
Australia and the Magistrates Court of South Australia.
linkmagazine 41
news in brief
other audio books, which they cannot
read in electronic form.
Scientists in Japan have developed a
robot that can aid people with mild
dementia by giving verbal reminders
about such things as appointments
and taking medicine.
The US singer, who is blind, told the
UN’s 184-nation World Intellectual
Property Organisation that more
than 300 million people who “live in
the dark” want to “read their way into
light”, and the current copyright system
denies them an equal opportunity.
The robot can recognise its master’s
face and voice and speaks according to
a specified schedule. It calls its master
by saying his or her name and gives
reminders, such as: “Today is the day you
go to the day service centre, isn’t it?”
If the robot hears the doorbell, it is able
to alert its master. The creators plan to
have it ready for use in five years.
Wonder wants better
audio books
Stevie Wonder has pressed global
copyright overseers to help people,
who are blind or visually impaired, to
access millions of science, history and
Men with disabilities
bashed at bus stop
Two men with disabilities were
viciously bashed as they waited at a
bus stop in Adelaide’s north-eastern
suburbs in October, according to a
report in The Advertiser.
The men were approached by two
other men, who attempted to rob them.
One of the victims suffered a significant
facial injury. The attackers, in their late
teens, escaped empty-handed.
NEW BOOK
Is Your Child Overweight? by Dr
Matt Sabin (Wilkinson Publishing)
Childhood
obesity
continues to
receive much
media attention
and this book
arose from a
need to put
together a
parents’ guide,
which is both comprehensive and
easily understandable. Author Dr
Matt Sabin is a leading children’s
specialist at The Royal Children’s
Hospital Melbourne and the Murdoch
Childrens Research Institute.
Robot to help patients
with dementia
MyGlucoHealth
Telstra Diabetes Management Online Service works
with the MyGlucoHealth Bluetooth-enabled blood
glucose meter to transmit, analyse and record blood
sugar levels over a Next G mobile in real time. Using
the MyGlucoHealth mobile application running on the
mobile phone, diabetics are able to send blood glucose
results from the meter via the Next G™ network to a
secure online patient record.
The online record makes it easy to view, track and
analyse glucose readings, and provide access to
a nominated carer and doctor to monitor results,
intervene if necessary and remind the patients to test
themselves regularly. The database automatically
sends text updates and alerts to diabetics and their
nominated carers for reading and medication reminders,
or when glucose counts sit outside benchmark levels.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that often lasts a lifetime
and has no known cure. While it’s possible to live a
normal lifestyle with diabetes, it needs to be carefully
managed every day – taking time, practice, confidence
and patience. MyGlucoHealth, the world’s first wireless
Bluetooth glucometer, means that monitoring of blood
glucose levels every day doesn’t have to be tedious
and uncomfortable. It is now quick and convenient to
manage so that diabetics can get on with everyday life.
Telstra provides and supports MyGlucoHealth and the
Diabetes Management Online Service across Australia
to mobile phone subscribers. To use this service, each
patient must have a supported compatible Telstra
Next G mobile handset.
More information, including compatible mobile
phones, stockists and pricing, is published at
www.myglucohealth.com.au
MyGlucoHealth aims to make it easier for people with diabetes to deal with the disease
on a day-to-day basis. Diabetes currently affects an estimated 1.7 million Australians, with
around 275 new cases being reported each day.
MyGlucoHealth WIRELESS METER
MyGlucoHealth Transmits Results
Using Wireless Bluetooth® Technology
MyGlucoHealth Network Portal
www.myglucohealth.com.au
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THE DETAILS, WE’VE GOT THEM HERE: ® Registered trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited, ABN 33 051 775 556.
TCON0987
Some of the breakthrough items are thanks to AAP.
VISIT TELSTRA.COM.AU/DISABILITY/CATALOGUE, CALL 1800 068 424 (VOICE),
1800 808 981 (TTY) OR EMAIL DISABILITY@ONLINE.TELSTRA.COM.AU
MAKING IT EASIER TO
STAY CLOSE
TELSTRA’S DISABILITY EQUIPMENT PROGRAM
Telstra want to make communication as easy as possible for all of our
customers. That’s why if you are elderly or have a disability, we offer a
range of solutions to help, at no extra cost to a standard rental phone.
So contact us to receive a brochure, or you can access it online at:
www.telstra.com.au/disability/catalogue, Call 1800 068 424 (Voice),
1800 808 981 (TTY) or email disability@online.telstra.com.au
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THE DETAILS, WE’VE GOT THEM HERE: ® Registered trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited, ABN 33 051 775 556.
TCON0828_D_L
TCON0828_Disability_285x210_D_L.indd 1
10/05/10 12:52 PM
STCOM
Some of the breakthrough items are thanks to AAP.
breakthroughs
UK: Herbal remedies given thumbs up
Two herbal remedies used for centuries to alleviate anxiety have won the backing of scientists.
Researchers found “strong evidence” that passionflower
extract and kava both combat anxiety disorders.
Pooled results from an analysis of 24 studies, involving
more than 2000 participants, also indicated that
combinations of the amino acids, L-lysine and
L-arginine, may be useful anxiety remedies.
But, the herbal medicine St John’s Wort, which is
commonly taken to relieve depression, and magnesium
supplements, were not found to be effective. The findings
were published in the Nutrition Journal.
- John von Radowitz
US: Autism linked to jaundice in babies
Infants born with jaundice are at much greater risk
of developing autism, a study in October showed.
The study, published in the US journal Pediatrics, found fullterm infants born in Denmark between 1994 and 2004, who
had jaundice, were 67 per cent more likely to develop autism.
Jaundice is seen in 60 per cent of term infants and usually
resolves within the first week of life, but prolonged exposure
to high bilirubin levels is neurotoxic and can cause lifelong
developmental problems, the study says.
Researchers also found the risk of autism was higher if the
mother had had previous children, or, somewhat oddly, if
the child was born between October and March.
Brain “rust” a cause of Alzheimer’s
Aussie scientists have made a significant advance
in the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, a
condition they describe as an accumulation of
brain “rust”.
An imbalance in the metals needed for healthy brain
function has been found at the root of the degenerative
disease, which afflicts 10 per cent of people aged over 60.
University of Melbourne pathology professor Ashley Bush
and his research colleagues have traced the imbalance to
the brain’s improper and related processing of zinc and iron.
“Similar to actual rust, it involves an abnormal combustion
of oxygen with iron,” Professor Bush says.
While the research does not reveal the complete picture of
the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, Bush says it had uncovered
a vital “corner piece of the jigsaw puzzle”. – Danny Rose
A filmmaker’s wired vision
When Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence was told he
would lose his badly damaged eye, he remembered
the Six Million Dollar Man TV series and chased a
strange and beautiful dream.
He would have a prosthetic eye built to replace it, he
decided, but the new eye would be a wireless camera and be
used to make films. “I don’t know anyone, who has lost an
eye and hasn’t considered getting a camera put in,” he says.
“It’s kind of a natural progression.”
Not so natural, it would appear, since the 38-year-old has
become the first person in the world to actually follow
through with the outlandish idea.
Arriving in Melbourne to premiere his footage shot from the
eye-camera for the Other Film Festival in August, Spence said
the quality is about as good as a mobile phone. The difference
is it’s all shot from his direct point-of-view, moves in the same
direction he’s looking and even shows when he’s blinking.
Known online as ‘Eyeborg’, Spence damaged his eye as a
child, while trying to shoot a pile of manure with a gun. He
became legally blind.
He was able to keep his eye until five years ago. Spence
called Melbourne scientists, working on the bionic eye
project, and they put him in touch with a team of engineers
at other centres. His device was recognised as Time
Magazine’s 50 best inventions of 2009. - Steve Lillebuen
Telstra is proud to sponsor Link Breakthroughs.
STCOMCB0276
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14/9/07 9:53:27 AM
link | comedy
Crack up!
In October, I saw
and took part in a
remarkable event 14 people, all of whom
had suffered mental
illness in the past and
still bore the scars,
performing stand-up
comedy routines to
an audience of about
100 people. This happened at the Mercury
Cinema in Adelaide. And, many of us had
never performed before.
Talking to some of the performers
afterwards, many confessed to nerves,
but all of us were glad that we did
the course and the performance. All
were well-received by, perhaps, a
forgiving audience.
Even more significant: this was
the first attempt at using comedy
in mental health in Australia. Run
in the lead-up to and during Mental
Health Week by the Mental Health
Coalition of South Australia, it followed a
similar program in Canada, conducted by
David Granirer, a counsellor and stand-up
comedian. Granirer said that his course and
the performance were part therapy, part fun.
In South Australia, the course took a different
turn to its Canadian counterpart. Here, the
classes featured improvisational Theatresports
games and comedy writing techniques, taught
by professional stand-up comedians. Writing
comedy is not easy, so it may be surprising
that 14 people were able to write material
suitable for the performance.
Many of us spoke about our experiences
with mental illness, taking mock revenge
against the professionals, who made our lives
a misery. Others told stories based on their
lives. The Adelaide courses were 12 weeks
long. In Canada, they took 12 months to train
the participants.
Wayne Eckert tries his hand
at stand-up comedy during
Mental Health Week.
So, is it a new therapy, as claimed by David
Granirer? It has not been tried out on people,
who currently suffer a mental illness. About
30 to 40 people participated in the classes in
Adelaide, but only 14 made the performance.
It may not be a universal panacea, but being
part of the classes was clearly therapeutic.
It may be that mental health, as a type of
disability, has finally caught up with what
other performers with disabilities already
know - that the disability arts can be an
empowering experience for both performers
with disabilities and their audiences.
South Australia boasts many disability arts
organisations, such as Restless Dance, Tutti
Ensemble and No Strings Attached. This
is not to cavil at this project’s marvellous
success, which may be due to its innovative
and unlikely focus, which pairs comedy with
mental health.
If we can show that we can
laugh at ourselves, we may
overcome the stigma.
Plans are underway for the program to be
repeated next year and the people, who
performed in the show, are organising a
follow-up during the Adelaide Fringe in
February 2011.
The Mental Health Coalition‘s aim is to
reduce the stigma and discrimination
associated with mental illness. It is taboo to
laugh at people with disabilities, but we are
still not accepted by the general community.
If we can show that we can laugh at
ourselves and our experiences, we may
overcome the stigma and gain acceptance.
Our thanks and congratulations go to tireless
Mental Health Week co-ordinator Tracey
Davis and her team and to the trainers, who
included Jo Coventry, Mark Trenwith, Hew
Parham, Seb Carboncini and Gus Lee.
And, I give a personal note of thanks to
everyone, who took part in the program, for
laughing at my jokes!
what’s on
Royal Adelaide Hospital Disability Awareness Week
29 November 2010
Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, SA
08 8222 2191 or rah.squ@health.sa.gov.au
Connect! 7th Annual Disability Arts Party
1 December 2010
11am-2pm
Dunstone Grove, Stepney SA
08 8363 5970 or contact.us@nostringsattached.org.au
Australian Disability Enterprise Open Day
1 December 2010
22 Albatross Street, Winnellie, NT
08 8947 0681 or admin@hpa.net.au
Get DIS Party Started
2 December 2010
Revesby Workers Club NSW
1800 983 044 or companioncard@nds.org.au
International Day of People with Disability
3 December of each year
www.idpwd.com.au
ParaQuad NSW Charity Golf Day
3 December 2010
Oatlands Golf Club, NSW
02 8741 5600 or www.paraquad.org.au
House With No Steps - Celebrating International Day
of People with Disability
3 December 2010
Sunshine Coast, Qld
07 5471 0072 or nhill@hwns.com.au
Celebration of Ability 2010 Dance Party
3 December 2010
Wagga Wagga
Dan 02 6921 9225 or dan_inc@bigpond.com
Celebration of Ability
3 December 2010
540 Regency Road, Enfield, SA
08 8342 9168 or custserv@portenf.sa.gov.au
Together Dreams Can Come True
3 December 2010
Great Eastern Highway, Burswood Entertainment Complex,
Burswood, WA
08 9245 6575 or events@partnerandproposer.com.au
Breaking Barriers Together
3 December 2010
High Street, Jandowae, QLD
07 4668 5688 or jandowaeags@gmail.com
18th Annual Thirroul ‘Hands on Day’ - The Disabled
Surfers Association of Australia Inc
4 December 2010
Terrigal Beach, NSW
Ian 0421 601 222 or Michael 0418 420 620
‘Having a Say’ Conference 2011
10 Decemeber 2010
Deakin University, Geelong
Christine 03 9416 4003 or christine@valid.org.au
The Cooking Show Recipe #1 - The things we like...
11 December 2010
Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre, NSW
Julie Humphreys 0448 358 353
www.aarts.net.au/main-events/
‘Come and Try’ - Bike/Trike Clinic for Novita
13 December 2010
Regency Park Centre, South Australia
margaret.parkin@novita.org.au
www.novita.org.au
Carols by Candlelight
19 December 2010
Elder Park, Adelaide
www.carols-sa.com.au
See What I’m Saying Short Film Contest
Ends 5 January 2011
www.seewhatimsayingmovie.com
NDS NSW Annual State Conference 2011
14-15 February 2011
Swissotel, Sydney
www.nds.org.au/events
Rural and Remote Australia
11th National Rural Health Conference
Perth, WA
13-16 March 2011
www.ruralhealth.org.au
Oska Bright 2011 call for entries
5th International Festival of Short Films made by people with
learning disabilities.
Entries close 30 April 2011
oskabright@carousel.org.uk
The 2nd Annual National Disability Summit 2011
4-5 May 2010
Melbourne Cricket Ground, VIC
www.iir.com.au/conferences/healthcare/national-disabilitysummit/registration
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kurt fearnley`s starring role

Transcription

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