Disabled Americans Awareness Month

Did You Know

Opening in fall of 2005, the Muhammad Ali Center will be a global gathering place that draws on six themes from Ali’s life: conviction, confidence, dedication, respect, spirituality, and giving.  It will challenge visitors to find the greatness within themselves.

Before a second accident confined him to a wheelchair, Jim MacLaren participated in marathons and ironman events all over the country.  He regularly finished in the top 20%, even though he was using a prosthetic leg.

Before Braille was invented in 1829, people who had trouble with their eyesight learned to read using a bulky system of large, raised letters.  Braille allowed text to be condensed and revolutionized education and the arts for those who cannot see.

Red-green color blindness can be a real challenge for drivers.  In bright sunlight, red lights may look dim and fail to stand out against the background of sky, trees, and buildings.  At night, green lights may look white, and become nearly indistinguishable from the street lights.

Disability is blind to race, age, sex, or social status.  Of children between the ages of 6 to 14, one in eight has some kind of disability.

The Paralympics 2004 was held in September and had more than 4000 disabled athletes from over 140 countries competing for 525 gold medals in 19 sports.

We use all five senses to enjoy the foods we eat.  By looking at a picture, can you imagine hearing the sizzling of chicken fajitas?  Does the sound of your food affect your appetite?

One in four Americans currently suffer from potentially blinding eye disease.  There are 1.1 million Americans who are legally blind and 2.8 million who have color blindness.