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Daisy

May 18, 2014 ~ marktonga

Daisy

Abandoned by her owners at just two months old and born with two paralysed front legs, Daisy had a tough start to life life. The Brussels Griffon and Terrier cross was moments from death after being discovered by an animal control officer who scheduled for her to be euthanised after no owners came forward. However, at the last minute she was saved by A Home 4 Ever rescue center, in Bellflower, California, and staff nursed her back to health and even raised money to buy her a wheelchair.

The profitability in hiring workers with a disability

May 15, 2014 ~ marktonga

A Tim Hortons franchisee has found that hiring Canadians with a disability has boosted his bottom line. It’s an approach that’s been coined “return on disability.”

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When I Walk by Jason DaSilva

May 11, 2014 ~ marktonga

When I Walk, a new documentary of filmmaker Jason DaSilva’s journey with MS. Combining humor, a love story and Jason’s steely determination to live life to the fullest, When I Walk is guaranteed to move you: http://buff.ly/RlD0eK

Jason has also created AXS Map, an app to rate the accessibility of places to help make the world a more inclusive place. XS Map aims to ease the burden of social exclusion by providing people with disabilities the freedom to be spontaneous about where they eat, shop, work, and play. AXS Map aims to combine many different voices and points of view on one shared network, both creating a workable resource for and reinforcing a community of people who care about access and inclusion. You can download it here: http://buff.ly/RlD0eO

Brothers Cayden and Connor campaign for an accessible playground

May 5, 2014 ~ marktonga

More inspiring work from Cayden and Connor, the brothers who compete in triathlons as a team. They’ve just campaigned to have a wheelchair friendly playground near their house so everyone can enjoy. Selfless and such inspiring work!

These siblings epitomize brotherly love.

Cayden Long, 9, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. His family was accustomed to driving almost an hour away to use a playground he could access, Good Morning America reported.

Big brother Conner, 10, wasn’t shy speaking out about the injustice. He voiced his opinions on a panel hosted by Miracle Recreation, a company that builds commercial playground equipment, mentioning how hard it was to find a playground that he and Cayden could both play on together.

His brave and honest words prompted a response. Miracle Recreation agreed to build a wheelchair-friendly playground in White House, Tenn., where the Long family resides.

The grounds, which officially opened earlier this month, is inclusive for all children wishing to have fun, regardless of physical disability. According to the brothers’ community Facebook page, Conner named the playground A Roll Around the Park, in honor of Cayden.

This isn’t the Long brothers’ first time in the spotlight. Conner was initially invited to attend the Miracle Recreation panel because of his heartwarming efforts to include Cayden in the triathlons he competes in. The duo has never placed in the competitions, according to The Tennessean, but that doesn’t matter. Conner guides his younger brother in the grueling contests, regardless — Cayden rides on a trailer on land, and in a raft during the swimming portions.

“It’s not always about winning,” Conner told the outlet. “It’s about having fun and crossing the finish line, and Cayden and I love to do it together.”

The brothers’ touching story of triumph inspired others from coast to coast, including NBA star LeBron James.

Read more at Huffington Post: http://huff.to/1jX2dnV

Jian Jackson: A Will and a Way

May 4, 2014 ~ marktonga

Jian Jackson was born healthy. At about 5 months old, she had a high fever at the orphanage where she lived in China. Four days later, she wasn’t moving her legs anymore.

“By then they took her to a doctor, but it was too late,” explains Stacie Jackson, Jian’s adoptive mother. “The doctors here think it was polio.”

The 8-year-old suffered nerve damage to both legs, and she now uses her hands to move, with her legs and feet hopping or dragging behind. She’s amazingly agile, and her upper-body strength is great enough for legless rope climbs, bar muscle-ups and handstand walks.

Stacie has been working with her daughter every day after school on walking. The child has made progress, one day taking 113 steps unassisted from the back of the school to greet her mother.

“The first thing I started her doing was the rowing machine,” recounts Stacie, a member at CrossFit affiliate Ignite Fitness in Alabama. “She really needs to build up her quad strength, and so that push-pull on the rower was really good for that.”

Ignite Fitness owner Shane Rodriguez has also been working with Jian.

“She’ll try almost anything I do, so I guess I need to start doin’ more things, ’cause I don’t think I’ve showed her something that she hasn’t been able to do,” he says with a smile.

Stacie says Jian has a positive attitude, often encouraging herself through physical challenges.

“It’s just amazing how well the kid can thrive … just with love and a home and food.”

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joQ4euETbf8

Read more: http://journal.crossfit.com/2014/04/jianjacksonstory.tpl

Dr Lis Kirkby is Australia’s oldest PhD graduate at 93 years old

May 2, 2014 ~ marktonga

Congratulations to Dr. Lis Kirkby who recently graduated from the University of Sydney with a PhD. She was the state leader of a major political party, played a lead role in a primetime television drama, fought for social change and ran a radio station in a newly decolonised Malaysia. Now at 93 years of age, Dr Lis Kirkby is Australia’s oldest PhD graduate. You are never to old to stop learning!