On our calendars, we’ve drawn a big red circle around December 3rd. Why? Because it’s International Day of People with a Disability (IDPwD). We celebrate this day to raise awareness, understanding and acceptance of people living with a disability in our communities.
In the lead up to IDPwD, we spoke with Lynda Holt, ParaQuad ambassador, who shared what IDPwD means to her and how she navigates living with SCI.
Lynda runs her own business, Choice Consultancy; where she supports people on the NDIS within the home and out in the community. She is also an Australian Paralympic athlete, winning a silver medal for shot put at the 2000 Sydney Games. Lynda is currently training to be selected for the Commonwealth Games team (Good luck Lynda!).
Why are days like IDPwD important to continue the conversation about people living with disabilities in our communities?
IDPwD is such an important day where people with a disability can be seen as productive, successful people in the community and not just the old stereotype we have all experienced. This is an opportunity to keep changing people’s views on who we are and how we bring value to this world.
What does this day mean to you?
I’m always looking for opportunities to bring people with disabilities into the light, change people’s views, and make a change. Slowly we are seeing change for the better, thanks to things like the recent Paralympics and the ‘We The 15’ movement, but more needs to be done.
What do you hope the future is like for people living with a disability?
More inclusion, better access, better acceptance, and thriving in their field of expertise and not be seen just as someone’s inspiration for overcoming our disabilities but for what we achieve.
This year the Sydney Disability Expo is held on Friday the 3rd and Saturday the 4th of December. It is an excellent opportunity to discover new products, meet people in the disability industry and reach out to services and support for people living with a disability. Look out for the BrightSky booth, where we’ll be exhibiting our specialist healthcare products and answering all your questions.
For more information and how to register, visit: ssde@socialimpact.institute.