I'm Anne-Mason and I'm an ambassador for
the International Day of People with
Disability. I'm proud about that. Where
do I start? I had polio at the age of 12
and my left arm and shoulder and hand
are all paralyzed and have been since
1950.
And so I've learned to live with
disability nearly all my life.
There are some things that everybody can
do to help support the disability
community.
You can treat us like people,
like just everyday ordinary people, cuz
that's what we are.
You can ask before you try to help.
People who use wheelchairs do not always
have a carer and people use wheelchairs
are perfectly able usually to make up
their own minds. It's probably a good
idea to remember that people with
disabilities are people. My inspiration
for getting into the disability movement
was the fact that it was simply
something that needed doing
and I was one of the many many people
who helped to get some of these things
done. I've always believed that sitting
around and pouting and complaining
is is simply not helpful and it doesn't
work usually. But trying to explain to
people why something is needed works
better. And it means that if you make
things easier for people with
disability,
you make it easier for everybody
actually.