Fall 2008

I cannot take full credit for this article, although it does reflect my most personal sentiments. It was Jack Pearpoint of the Marsha Forest Centre, working with Maurice Voisin, who largely penned this article. Maurice is one of a small group of friends who helped ensure that a gentleman by the name of “Edgar” experienced an end-of-life experience filled with dignity – and surrounded by compassion.
By Raymond D. Cohen

Quarterly Updates of Announcements, News, Programs and Technology from across the Canadian disability community.

The year 2007 turned out to be a not-so-pleasant one. Now, when asked about my amputation, I merely respond, “Bad year, that 2007.” In late January, the discovery of a bone tumour left me a below-the-knee, left side (LBK) amputee. My amputation and subsequent chemotherapy had me anxious that I wouldn’t ride my silver anniversary – my 25th year of riding.
By Elizabeth Bokfi

If we can do Hawaii and New Mexico, we reasoned that New Zealand couldn’t be much different...can it? Travelling to and exploring the beautiful landscape of this South Pacific island has been a far-off dream for both of us. We never considered doing a cycling tour until friends of ours, Steve and Malini Hall, suggested we take on this adventure together. We were up for the challenge.

Long after a war is over, land mines continue to kill and maim – and most of the victims are civilians. The prevalence of land mines in war-torn regions has been recognized for decades. In total, 60 countries have serious mine problems, and 120 countries have unexploded ordnance (UXO), potentially lethal artillery shells. Since 1975, land mines have killed or injured more than one million people worldwide, 90 per cent of them civilians.

Canada is a hockey-crazy nation. Now, imagine our national pastime on...wheels? Electric-wheelchair hockey, also called power hockey, is a dynamic, fast-paced sport. Though it follows the same general structure as its ice-based cousin, electric-wheelchair hockey is played in gymnasiums. Teams have five players on the court at a time, wielding plastic sticks, with two distinct desires: have fun and score goals. Games last 45 minutes (three 15-minute periods). You can play in fall, winter and spring in cities across Canada and the United States.
By Myles Estey

I was diagnosed with a congenital sensorineural hearing loss at the age of two and a half. I have severe-to-profound hearing loss in my left ear and profound hearing loss in my right ear.

Sipping a cold rum cocktail in the company of new friends at the rooftop restaurant at the Ambos Mundos Hotel in the historic part of Havana is about as good as life gets! Although I had travelled to 24 countries around the world, I had never visited any of the Caribbean islands. When I discovered Traveleyes, a U.K.-based travel company that organizes tours for persons who are blind or have low vision, I decided I could do two things at the same time: check out Traveleyes, and see Cuba as it currently is, before any significant changes take place.
By John Rae

After a few years of living with a chronic illness, I realized that I could not provide a new doctor with my critical health information – not from memory, anyway. I became very frustrated with filling out new “medical history” forms at each doctor’s office. I could not keep track of everything related to my illness, such as medication, tests and rehabilitation therapies.
By Gloria Troyer

When I entered university as a bright-eyed teen, I wanted to try lots of different things, and I was immediately drawn to the martial arts clubs on campus. The idea of combining my fascination with history and culture with keeping fit really appealed to me. Over the years, I participated in several forms of Japanese and Brazilian hand-to-hand combat.
By Stephanie Green

This article is the third in a series about the CulturAll 2.0 Network, a national multi-sector network funded by the Dept. of Canadian Heritage and led by the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, developing innovative approaches and tools to ensure that everyone in Canada can participate in Canadian cultural exchange online. When we see something interesting or informative, the degree to which it impacts us depends on a degree of trust – how credible do we find it? Context is important here: The less “meta” information we have about something, the more help we need in assessing it.
By Stephen Hockema and Sambhavi Chandrashekar

By Independent Living Canada

By DisAbled Women's Network Canada

By SCI Solutions Network

By Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada