Did you know July is #disabilitypride month? Join Liz Meckes, Director of Development, as she shares a bit of her journey and perspective on the importance of #disabilitypride #easterseals #inclusion
Surprise! I have a prosthetic eye - that I choose not to wear. After losing my left eye to cancer in 2022, I had various eye patches for 6 months while my face healed. When I healed enough, we started the process for a prosthetic. My sticker, as my 4-year-old calls it, is beautiful. It looks incredibly realistic although the eyeball doesn’t move. They put the final product on my face in June 2024. I thanked them, walked out of the doctor’s office, and broke-down. Covering my “socket” as we call where my left eye used to be, was an overwhelming reminder of what I lost. Of what I had to fight. Of what I’m still fighting and recovering from. It felt like I was hiding. My face, my scars, they are part of my story. Do I get stared at? Yes. Do I love kids asking, “why do you have one eye” at daycare drop-off, at the playground, and at family gatherings? No. Do I want to hide my face, my disability? NO! SUPPORT YOUR KIDS IN ASKING QUESTIONS! I have the privilege of helping children be more inclusive, accepting, and engaging by answering their questions. That kid on the playground that is different – more times than not, they would rather be asked a question than avoided and ignored. Let your kids ask questions, even when it’s uncomfortable for you. Teach them to satisfy their curiosity about differences while asking what they have in common with others. When I answer kids, I acknowledge that I had something hurting me, that we said goodbye to my eye and now I don’t hurt. But, even though I only have one eye, I love baseball, swimming, riding bikes, reading, and playing with my son. I ask them if their hair is straight and note mine is curly. We are all different and that’s okay. July is Disability Pride Month. Celebrate with me by building an inclusive society that does not isolate, disrespect, ignore, and limit the potential of all community members. #disabilitypride #easterseals #inclusion #equity #access #communitybuilding