Were Just People By Steve Ferreira Steve Ferreira

We’re Just People By Steve Ferreira

Steve Ferreira Student at Bellevue College I’m here to let you know what it’s like to live with a disability

Ea Early Life Born in Taipei, Taiwan Second born of twins; twin sister Emily Born not breathing and placed in an incubator with an IV in my head At three months diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

What is Cerebral Palsy describes a group of disorders which affect body movement and muscles. Damage to the brain interferes with messages from the brain to the body and from the body to the brain.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy Damage to the brain before or after birth Damage from injury or disease. Premature or low birth weight. Infections such as meningitis. Head injury Drowning or poisoning.

Living With Cerebral Palsy Childhood is not the same as other children Things are difficult; sitting up and crawling are hard Muscles will not do what your mind tells them; very frustrating All types of therapies; physical; occupational; hydrotherapy; hippotherapy (with horses)

How does Cerebral Palsy affect the body? Cerebral palsy varies from person to person. Muscle tightness or spasms Involuntary movement Difficulty with “gross motor skills” such as walking or running Difficulty with “fine motor skills” such as writing or tying your shoes Cerebral palsy cannot be cured but you can make your body stronger

My Early Childhood Seizures – at the age of four I had my first seizure. Seizures are frightening because you lose control of your body Body starts shaking and freaking out Takes hours to feel regular after a seizure Take medicine to control seizures

Wheelchairs Received my first manual wheelchair at 4 years old – was okay Received a motorized wheelchair at 6 – was amazing Gave me freedom and made me feel like I could run!

Elementary School Had lots of friends and kids accepted my differences About third grade kids started to notice I was different One kid called me a retard! First time I felt discrimination.

Middle School Combination of three local elementary schools Some kids had never seen someone in a wheelchair Some kids tried to bully me and called me a cripple and a “fag” Learned to advocate for myself School had a zero tolerance level

High School High school was great; lots of freedom It was great rolling down the hallways and having everyone yell out my name Sometimes there was kids who made nasty comments and it hurt so bad One time a kid turned the light off in the bathroom to be funny and I lost my balance and fell

College Life College life is great Bellevue College is very accommodating to disabled students Joined different clubs and I’m a member of the Leadership team Really like the freedom at college

Out in Public People tend to stare at me when I’m at the Mall or in public places See the wheelchair and not me as a person Want to say “keep staring, I might do a trick Sometimes people talk to me VERY LOUD or VERY SLOW Just talk to me regular!

My Speech My speech is sometimes hard to understand because of the cerebral palsy I talk slow not because my mind is slow but because the cerebral palsy affects the muscles in my mouth If you don’t understand me, ask me to repeat This is not offensive

Living a Disabled Life Very hard but you need to deal with it I speak because I want people to realize what it’s like to have a disability People in wheelchairs are NOT weird – they’re just regular people I try to do the best I can despite my disability

Sports I’ve played baseball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, swimming, field, biking and weightlifting International competitions for discus and shot put – won Gold in discus in 2010 in Czech Republic; won Bronze in Shot Put in 2008

How Does It Feel to be Disabled Sometimes it feels like I’m invisible. People see my wheelchair and my parents or caregiver but NOT me. It feels like people don’t try to get to know me as a person. Sometimes people think that because I’m in a wheelchair, I’m weak and they then pick on me.

How Disabilities Affect Peoples Living life as a disabled person is hard because you don’t always have the same opportunities that abled-bodied people have. Sometimes daily living needs are a struggle.

How to approach people who use a wheelchair. Talk directly to the person, not to the person who is with them. Sit down, if possible. when having a long conversation so you can be on eye level. Talk to the person in a normal tone of voice. They are probably not hard of hearing. If you do not understand what the person said, just ask the person to repeat. Don’t pretend to understand.

If you still don't understand a word, ask the person to write it out. Be a patient listener. Don't interrupt or finish the speaker's sentences unless that person looks to you for help. Concentrate on what the person is saying, not on the difficulty you are having understanding. Do not assume the individual needs help or wants someone to push his/her wheelchair --- ask first.

My concerns about treatment of the disabled “Normal” people sometimes treat disabled people like they are not good for anything Disabled people are sometimes treated as if their feelings don’t count Questions are asked to the parent or caregiver, instead of the disabled person Disabled people are perceived as weak and therefore are prone to being bullied

Conclusion Some disabilities are apparent or obvious which lead to poor assumptions – don’t assume. If in doubt – ask. Some disabilities are not obvious and people don’t understand. Be open minded when you meet a disabled person. Everyone is important and needs to be treated the same as everyone else.