Disabilities, both mental and physical, can limit a person’s options, but they don’t have to, according to Dave Thomson, public education coordinator at Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD).
Living with a disability himself, he abides by the “three Ps” — patience, prioritizing and pacing.
When people get to a certain point in their disability, they begin to wish they could do various everyday activities, said Thomson. To help them do that, he organizes a monthly empowerment workshop, which raises awareness about supports and resources available for people with disabilites.
Next Tuesday, RCD will host the first of a two-part workshop called Enhanced Living. Part one will feature a speaker from the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation, who will talk about the Tetra Foundation, an organization comprised of engineers and inventors, who custom build gadgets and devices to help people live a full life.
For example, the organization is currently devising a one-of-a-kind music stand for a violinist who has fibromyalgia.
They’ve also built adapted bicycles, so people with disabilities can travel within their community and get exercise.
Part two of the workshop will be held next month and will give participants a chance to test out various machines and explore possibilities for their own needs.
Meanwhile, RCD is celebrating Invisible Illness Awareness Day by screening the movie Love Simple at the Richmond Cultural Centre on May 7. The evening will also feature a discussion and provide information about invisible illnesses.
Thomson highlighted the importance of the invisible illness event, as many people aren’t aware of these types of disabilities.
“We are ingrained to see,” he says, “people think ‘he’s not in a wheelchair, so he’s fine.’”
