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World Cerebral Palsy Day: Different and able, a message to society
View(s):By Ishan Samaraweera
October 6 was World Cerebral Palsy (CP) Day.
I am 24 years old and I was born with the condition. We are unique. We have our own strengths and abilities. It is only that we are physically restricted to a certain extent owing to moderate to severe brain damage.
Each individual alive has his or her own views on life. We, too, are a part of society. But most people think we are a burden. One must know to appreciate the talents and abilities of a differently-abled individual. By doing so, you show us that we belong to society and that you are ready to treat us as normal individuals. It would do our confidence a world of good.
Being an individual who is suffering from CP, which is a neurological disorder, life has been a challenge from the start. Lack of awareness can be regarded as one of the main problems we face in Sri Lanka. The general public is hesitant to interact with us. What we have is a condition, not a disease.
I am a former student of the Sri Lanka College of Journalism. During my time there, it was mandatory to attend the weekly Cabinet media briefings. Unfortunately, I could not do so as there were inadequate facilities.
I face difficulties even now. As a sports journalist at the Sunday Times since 2019, I feel I must voice my thoughts on the debacles we face as a differently-abled community when attempting to interview sports personalities. None of the sporting venues have wheelchair access.
My father has to carry me long distances with great difficulty to find a convenient place for the interview. In spite of using a motorised wheelchair, I rarely travel outstation due to the lack of suitable infrastructure.
I am the proud product of a leading international school. Enrolling me in a mainstream school was the only dream of my parents. They knew that it would be challenging. But they also knew it was the only way they could build a foundation for me to have a bright future through education.
I participated in annual concerts, sports meets and field trips. My parents wanted me to interact with society. With the guidance of our teachers, I was able to show my capabilities.
Despite being inexperienced in dealing with differently-abled children, our teachers gave me the parental care I was desperately in need of. All of them treated me the same as they did any other student. It played a vital role in my development.
But there are more than 50,000 CP people in Sri Lanka and most of them do not have suitable facilities. The attitude of society must change. We do not get the recognition that we deserve. I once had the rare opportunity to address a set of medical students at an awareness programme. After the speech, they were quite astonished by our courage and mentality.
Give the differently-abled the support they desperately yearn for. Give them the freedom to express themselves in society. It’s never too late to be aware about our community. If you have differently-abled people in your family, don’t ignore them. Make them feel they are a part of the unit. Teach them the human values that are essential to a peaceful and serene life. Let us get together and build a pathway for differently-abled children to have a bright future.
We don’t need sympathy. We need love, care and support. We are different and able, not disabled.
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