Posted 17th Aug 2022 by Mathew Smith
It’s What We Can Do, Not What We Can’t Do
3 minutes read time
With Disability Pride Month Coming to an End I Have so Many Reasons to be Proud
It’s been a busy month for me and Sheila a.k.a my wheelchair accessible vehicle. From winning two awards at the Milton Keynes Inspiration Awards – one for Inspirational Woman of the Year and an Outstanding Achievement award. This was a black tie event so I had a great excuse to get all dressed up on a Saturday night! I stayed out way passed my bedtime ( I haven’t done that in a few years) and of course I end the night getting a drive-thru McDonald’s on the way home!
I was also honoured to be invited to a celebratory 30th anniversary afternoon tea for the Centre for Integrated Living in Milton Keynes to celebrate the amazing achievements and hard work that they have done over the last 30 years for disabled people and their families. And yes, I was hobnobbing with Mayor of Milton Keynes, the High Sheriff and the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. Don’t mind if I do!
Another high point was attending a work event, the first face-to-face muscle meeting for MDUK for my area in 3 years at the MK gallery which has one of my very favourite Changing Places toilets. If you’re ever my neck of the woods I would definitely pop in and have a look. Being able to see everyone again and just talk about all things muscular dystrophy with people that know and understand what it’s like to living with the MD really helps. Sometimes you forget just how much you need to hear you’re not alone, as I’m sure it is for any form of disability.
Then on top of that I got to spend time with, and celebrate, my gorgeous little nieces first birthday. Memories I will treasure forever. And I’m not going to lie if I didn’t think me plus go-kart would burst the bouncy castle I totally would’ve got on it!
After all that Sheila my WAV needs a good soapy wash after all that driving around!!
However, there’s no getting away from one conversation and that’s the cost of living. Scope reported in the past that extra costs faced by disabled people add up to £583 a month on average. For the work event I attended my PA was on annual leave that day so I didn’t have a driver. I called my old friend the Wheelchair Taxi and what used to be £10 each way per journey has of course risen now to £12.50. If I sat (no pun intended) and worked out just how much it would cost weekly or monthly in wheelchair taxis trips like food shopping for instance quickly add up and you can understand why so many of us that need a wheelchair accessible vehicle that don’t have one of our own won’t go out.
In a way it goes to show just how quickly I have adapted to having my own WAV and the freedom it does give me. To be able to say yes to things I would have ordinarily said no to 8 months ago is a revelation.
I want to end disability pride month with what disability pride means to me. Just because I have muscular dystrophy and I’m a full-time wheelchair user it’s okay to be me. It’s okay to let go of a shame and have the confidence to say ‘yes, this is me’. The media can often portray people with disabilities in a negative light, so it’s important that we show people what we can do and not what we can’t do.
Until next time the adventures continue!