Decorate the Season with a Daisy

In the last few months so much has happened that puts many individuals with disabilities in the lime light. And for a change it's been the good kind of lime light. There is Lazy Legz the Canadian break dancer (who is absolutely amazing by the way) who has incorporated his crutches and his incredible upper body strength into this amazing art form. There was the first wheelchair back flip this summer. Wheelchair dance itself is becoming an intriguing art form. And yesterday i was swept away at Balancing Acts 6, the first disability arts festival to come to Edmonton. We watched a documentary-"Shameless: the ART of Disability", filmed by a famous Canadian documentary directer Bonnie Sherr Klein. She had a stroke and has spent the last twenty years adjusting to the world of disability. And what she found was a world of some of the most incredible talents and artists. And I was honoured that they shared their stories and their art with us through the documentary. There is also a new wave of comedians who have disabilities and use those disabilities to enhance their comic sketches, and they are some of the most talented comedians I have ever seen.

I could say much more on this topic and will at a later date. However I bring this up now because this year SBHANA (the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Northern Alberta) is launching an awareness campaign this Christmas to honor people with disabilities because of the incredible talents they have, and to encourage members of the association and other individuals with spina bifida and other disabilities to realize their full potential. Not only does the rest of society have a lot to learn about spina bifida and other disabilities, but so do the people who are affected by it. We need to celebrate disability this Christmas and all of the amazing things we are learning from it culturally instead of just scientifically.

To kick off the campaign we are encouraging everyone to buy a daisy magnet to wear on their bumper. (vehicle bumper, or mailbox, fridge, any where you want it, show it off!) Each beautifully designed magnet is weather proof and guaranteed to last through out all the seasons, and strong enough to be put on any vehicle.

For more information on the campaign and information on how to order a daisy for you and anyone else interested (they make great stocking stuffers) you can visit www.takeaction2006.ca

Celebrate ability this Christmas and help the SBHANA decorate the Season with a Daisy!