5 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD CONTENTS

From the Editor’s Bed 4 Laughing in the Face of Disability 26 Gordon Kirkland Gifted with Humour - A poem 5 Mrinalini Dayal Volatile Voice 28 Reema Bansal Jay Chhaniyara... 6 Shubhra Banerjee The Value of Humour with Disability 29 Jeffrey Smith The Joy of Quadriplegia 10 Rajinder Johar The Funnier Side of Life with Disability 33 Vikram Dutt Perceptions... 13 Pradip Purtej Singh Specialities Multiplied- A poem 41 Sam’s Renaissance 15 SC Bhargava MP Anil Kumar The Hindrance Dog 36 The New Four-Wheeler 16 Sharon Wachsler Rajinder Johar Chuckles 38 Interview with Myself... 17 Preeti Monga David Roche Ifs and Buts- A poem 40 Ketna Mehta Smile- A poem 19 Sanil Kumar Importance of Humour 41 Laughing Matters 20 Contributed by Perala R. Chakrapani Aaron Broverman News 45 Devising a Device 23 Harmlessly Yours 55 Rajinder Johar Books and Films 56 The Show Must Go On 25 Salil Chaturvedi Looking Back 58

Cover Page : Designed by Arpan Jolly Cartoon Strips : Courtesy- John Lytle ; www.dizabled.com The views and opinions expressed in this Sketches : Padmakar Deshpande Editorial edition are of authors themselves. Board Editor and Publisher : Rajinder Johar Editorial and FOD Registered Offce B-1/500, Janakpuri, Sub-editor : Preeti Johar New Delhi-110058, India Members : Mrinalini Dayal, Rachna Yadav, Tel: 91-11-25597328, 41570140 Rubina Mohan, RS Bhandari E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.familyofdisabled.org Karnataka Chapter 418, Ist Main, Ist Block, R.T. Nagar, Bangalore Printed by Pin-560032 ; Tel: 080-23330200, 23535787 Graphic Syndicate Fax : 26615101 ; E-mail: [email protected] 14, Ground Floor, Tilak Nagar Industrial Area, Coordinator : Ali Khwaja New Delhi-110018 ; Tel.: 011-32968355

The only thing worth having in an earthly existence is a sense of humour. 6 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

From the Editor’s Bed

After Sports and Tenth Anniversary specials of The Voice… Family Of Disabled this time serves it readers with Humour Special (HS). Although the idea of publishing HS was long pending, but a frequently asked question – “What has humour got to do with disability?” worked as a catalyst. Such questioners reflect their ignorance about the psyche of disabled people.

If they prefer to believe that disabled people are deprived of the sense of enjoying and understanding humour, and at the same time perceive them as brooding, demanding, frustrated and depressed lot, whose fault is it? Certainly not ours! It is said that laughter is the best medicine. If it is so, what makes such people think that this particular medicine will refuse to work on disabled people, while all other medicines do? The unique property of this inexpensive medicine is that it doesn’t have any kind of side effect even after an overdose and is never contraindicated in any ailment. Neither it discriminates between individuals.

HS in your hand is a small effort to negate their belief and highlight the fact that people with disabilities not only can comprehend humour but also are as competent as the so-called temporarily able persons (non-disabled) in creating humour all the same.

Interestingly, similar sort of question was posed at the time of inaugural issue of The Voice… “What is the need of publishing a magazine on disability?” Now fifteen years later the readers await their copies anxiously.

Since 1998, first Sunday of May is observed as World Laugher Day when assorted groups of people, who have formed laughter clubs, assemble in parks/open spaces laughing in unison at the top of their voice throwing their arms heavenwards for the reasons best known to them. In this self-induced humourless laughter, participants open their buccal cavities to the fullest possible as if they have assembled for some sort of cumulative dental check-up. The members claim that this deliberate laughter has therapeutic value in abundance. For them laughter comes at a price Rs.1,100/- annually and Rs.11,000/- for life. After paying so much just for the sake of prearranged laughter, one would obviously laugh whether he likes it or not, lest he be considered a joker in the pack. Humour cannot be simulated but has to be stimulated.

In the past two years after stand-up comedy shows exploded on almost every TV channel in India, scoring high TRPs, people seem to have started valuing the need and effects of healthy humour and laughter in their lives. New crop of film- makers are making more meaningful comedies with disabled characters as protagonists, refraining from remote practice of evoking silly laughter at the expense of physical or mental disability.

I thank the contributors, professional humourists from overseas and well-wishers whose amazing enthusiasm made this Humour Special edition possible.

Arpita Ghosh, Poonam Bajaj, Preeti Seth and Smitha Pai extended their valued help in bringing out this issue of The Voice…

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly; devils fall because of their gravity. G.K. Chesterton 7 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Gifted With Humour

The able bodied make such a fuss! What on earth do they pity us for? We are happy and busy merry making... They’re trying to make our life a bore! Hey! we are excited sharing jokes! The world thinks we’re stupid... But we’re on cloud nine, They’re foolishly trying to be benign.

We might have less bones than 206, so what!! Did possessing all; ever make a difference. Ha!Ha! poor normal folks they’re on the heavier side! We’re lighter, yes we can say with pride!

We’re dripping with a rare sense of humour... They’re fretting and fuming over our tumour! Isn’t there much more to life I guess; We would rather let our spirits soar!

Life is simply like rock and roll; Able bodied - burdened with problems, questions & decisions. They need to relax and enjoy the beauty of living, We glorify Life! that’s our mission. The disabled dispel the idiotic things! Are socially adjusted to the best life has to offer, Educated to overcome pain, regret and sadness; Discovering our funny selves is the buffer.

Crutches, broken limbs and torn ligaments; Do we ever look scared? We’re appreciating what we have in reserve, Energised by humour; its our hidden power to preserve.

Fun, laughter, humour are all within ourselves, The able are busy looking for these in agony aunts. Being able they still can’t see, they still can’t hear! For heaven’s sake they are only surrounded by fear.

Who is truly Gifted? One begins to wonder! Able or disabled? whose going to choose betwixt; Hatred, crying,suffering; caught up in the web of life, Or happy, sharing, caring and simply loving Humour.

Surely the disabled are gifted! God created us to enjoy the gift of Life, Lovely creations are we; as we choose to see, Beauty is immortalised in the humour in our demeanour.

Mrinalini Dayal [email protected]

Common sense and a sense of humour are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humour is just common sense, dancing. William James 8 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

umour and disability don’t go hand in hand… that is, Tell us something about your family… Hmost of the times. However, the world always gives I live with my parents and elder brother Ravi. My family us a few mortals who have the ability to counter their has been and will always be my biggest support system. I disability, both physical and mental. JAY CHHANIYARA would not have been here without their constant is one of those very few disabled people who have the encouragement and unconditional love. guts and determination to rise above petty inconveniences and achieve what they You have an age difference of want. This 13-year old 19 years with your brother prodigy is a comedy Ravi. What is the kind of artist par excellence rapport you brothers share? and has shown the world what it takes to Age gap does not matter be right up there between the two of us. We love amongst the best – the having fun and masti. We share right attitude, more than an incredible tuning, both anything else. personally and professionally. He competently takes care of Diagnosed with my personal needs and cerebral palsy at a professional commitments. petite age of six, Jay chose to laugh his When did you discover your troubles away. Being knack for humour? confined to a When I was six, I had to wheelchair, he decided undergo an operation on my leg. to take refuge in Jay Chhaniyara: Performing on stage I lived at my aunt’s place after humour, instead of getting lost in the surgery and used to oblivion like scores of others. Second son to government frequently wince in pain. Seeing my condition, one of my servant Deepak Chhaniyara and homemaker Heena cousins presented me with a set of cassettes of jokes, Chhaniyara, Jay is a student of Class III at Simran Public saying that they would help me forget the suffering. And, School, Rajkot. Under the able guidance and management miraculously, that is exactly what happened. I forgot of his elder brother Ravi, Jay has earned huge acclaim and everything and got completely engrossed in those jokes. recognition. A star whose shot to fame was the television The same evening, I recited the cassette’s jokes in front of show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Jay has my relatives, leaving them in splits of laughter. It was then I been performing in various cities and has managed to tickle realised I had the knack for comedy. the bones of hordes of celebrities across the country. Are you humorous in real life as well? Despite having been bestowed with numerous awards, the kid is as unpretentious as they come. SHUBHRA Absolutely. I love being happy and making others laugh. I BANERJEE got the golden opportunity to interact with have unlimited fun in real life too. this vivacious kid; here are some excerpts from the interview Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. Peter Vstinov 9 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Do you also play pranks on people? How do they take it? I always keep playing pranks on people around me. Be it my family, relatives, friends or neighbours, I joke around with everyone. And thankfully, all of them take it sportingly.

When did you first get the opportunity to showcase your talent in public, and how was the audience’s reaction? My comedy shows started in Gujarat itself. I used to perform mainly during the festival of Navratri. The audience’s response back then was simply superb. They were very appreciative and encouraging.

Being a child artist, how do you manage to establish a rapport with your adult audience so that they don’t take your jokes as juvenile humour? I have never had a problem connecting with adults. I have all kinds of jokes in my repertoire and can easily come up with the ones that cater to an adult audience. ... with Navjyot Singh Sidhu, member parliament and actor Mahima Chaudhary Do you fabricate your jokes on your own, or do you keep a stock of humour related material? loved me unconditionally. Sunil Pal ji was very fond of me; Sidhu ji treated me like his son and used to carry me on his Most of my jokes are fabricated by me. However, my lap all the time. Shekhar ji and Perizaad were also quite family does keep a stock of such material by assembling close. For me, they are friends for life, and I respect all of jokes from newspapers, cassettes, etc. them from the bottom of my heart.

Who is your biggest humour idol? Besides performing on television, where all have you My all-time favourite has to be my Guru, Mr. Vasant Paresh. performed live? One of the best comedy artistes in the country, he is my Despite having showcased my talent on television, I have teacher and one of my biggest inspirations. not stopped performing in front of live audiences. I have participated in more than 1500 shows across India, in cities The Great Indian Laughter Challenge was the show like Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, etc. that brought you in the limelight. How do you think it has impacted your career and life as a whole? How do you manage your studies along with participating in so many shows? That show means a lot to me. It has changed my life and career forever. Apart from giving me an international It has been a long time since I have been able to concentrate platform, it gave me a chance to interact with some on studies. It becomes difficult as I continuously have wonderful human beings. The whole experience of working shows to perform at. However, as soon as I get relatively on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge was simply freer, I do plan to take my studies seriously as it is extremely fantabulous. important.

How was your rapport with the judges, the celebrities, Now that you are a celebrity, how do you take the the anchor and fellow participants? recognition and appreciation from people around you? To put it in simple words, it was mind-blowing. All of them I am quite humbled by the love and appreciation showered To provoke laughter without joining in it greatly heightens the effect. Balzac 10 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD by my fans and well-wishers. I feel very happy and pray that I get their blessings for life.

Your achievements and awards: By the grace of God, I have managed to win a few awards like Marshall’s Comedy Award (2005), Pogo Young Achievers’ Award (2005), Rajasthan Gaurav Award, Gujarat Gaurav Award and the Ahaar Award.

Does having cerebral palsy ever played a hurdle in your progress? Thankfully, my handicap has never been a hurdle in my life. In fact, it has egged me to do better than everyone else.

Did you ever have to face rejection from people because of your handicap? Never. Everyone I have met has been really nice and accommodating. Nobody has discarded me because of ...with Wasim Akram, former captain, disability. Pakistan cricket team

Where does the road go from here? What is your mission to depend on charitable institutions or celebrities to get in life? funds for my ashram. In fact, I plan to fund it through my own money that I will raise from my comedy shows. My biggest mission in life is to work for children suffering from cerebral palsy. I want to build an ashram where these Where do you see yourself ten years down the line? patients will be provided free treatment. It will be called ‘Cerebral Palsy Adarsh Arogya Ashram’. I don’t want Ten years down the line, I want to become a famous comedy star. I hope I will be a well-known name in the country as far as the genre of humour is concerned.

Being an entertainer, how do you entertain yourself? I can spend endless hours watching cricket. It is my biggest source of entertainment. I am a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar, and fortunately I have been able to realize my biggest dream of entertaining him. When I met him, I told him, “Jab aap out ho jaate ho, main bahut rota hun.” To this, he said, “Pavilion ke andar jaake main bhi rota hun!” He is truly humility personified.

Your signature joke to end the interview… Santa and Banta are playing a game of chess!!!

The author is a freelancer with willingness to work for the less-privileged. Email : [email protected] Jay Chhaniyara

A well-developed sense of humour is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life. William Arthur Ward Humour is reason gone mad. Groucho Marx 12 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Medical literature is replete with the havoc that quadriplegia inflicts upon an individual and robs him of many body functions. In contrast, RAJINDER JOHAR traces a few advantages he experienced after he sustained spinal cord injury resulting into quadriplegia.

ound mental and physical health is nature’s most I was able to pull myself out of this web, to my pleasant Sprecious gift to the mankind. Its loss, temporary or surprise I found that a few of my defunct faculties could permanent, may affect an individual, making him partially still be advantageous to me. I agree with Richard Bach’s or completely dependent in performing his activities of daily view, “There is no blessing that cannot become a disaster, living (ADL), such as eating, drinking, talking, personal and there is no disaster that cannot become a blessing.” hygiene, walking and so on. Certain gadgets may also have And when I tried to locate a blessing in the disaster to be prescribed to make these tasks easy. (quadriplegia), astonishingly, I found not one but many!

There are numerous diseases/conditions, which may lead Overnight, like an infant I had become the focus of to absence or impaired functioning of any of the body everybody’s attention, care and comfort. My smallest need segments. Here I shall confine myself to quadriplegia. Injury, and demand was immediately met like that of some nawab. disease or any pathology of spinal cord in the higher cervical No one carried any expectations from me - a rarity (neck) region that interferes with its functioning results in otherwise. Being advised by my family to lie back and quadriplegia. In a complete lesion of cord, the paralysis relax, I can’t understand why people have reservation about affects all the four limbs accompanied with sensory loss. taking things lying down, believe me it is fun. Control over bowel and bladder is also lost. The person forever leads a wheelchair or bedridden life. The only Like Rai Sahibs and Khan Bahadurs were the titles remedy known is rehabilitation through various modalities conferred in the days of Raj, society has now bestowed of physical medicine. Considering the complications upon me a new title ‘quadriplegic’. Though it may be wrong associated with quadriplegia, it has gained notoriety as a ethically and morally but Indians somehow prefer to address disastrous tragedy to strike. a disabled person by the disability s/he has.

Over twenty-one years ago, in an accident, I sustained an By the time I launched Family of Disabled (FOD), a injury to my cervical spine resulting in complete paralysis voluntary organisation, finger joints in both my hands had below chest and also of both hands. A herd of negativities become stiff and deformed which proved to be a great like shock, depression, grief, agony, misery, frustration and asset for me to operate electronic typewriter for office anxiety in addition to physical symptoms, which a patient correspondence. Had the fingers remained flail and supple with quadriplegia normally encounters were more manoeuvring the typewriter would have been impossible pronounced in my case. The reason was my being cognisant due to loss of muscle power. of the poor recovery of people with spinal cord injuries, in my capacity as incharge of the occupational therapy I’ve been able to cultivate a new set of friends and well- department at King George’s Medical College, Lucknow, wishers comprising non-disabled and disabled people. This where I was engaged in rehabilitating a multitude of group enables me to discuss the common needs and physically incapacitated people. solutions of the problems faced by ‘differently able’. People help each other in the time of distress. It took me five long years to realise the worthlessness of a negative attitude that had enveloped me. Eventually when Doctors exhibiting their calculative skills issued me a A person without a sense of humour is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road. Henry Ward Beecher 13 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD certificate showing hundred percent disability. Citing this as a cent percent performance, I motivate my children to secure full marks in their missions, like their father, who has achieved perfection in disability.

I feel proud to be serving the national cause of a ‘small family’. Acquiring quadriplegia at 37, brought an unceremonious and abrupt end to my sexual adventures, thereby restricting the number of offsprings to two children and mind you that too without any surgery, pill or device. Continuous non-usage of muscles dispossessed me of my treasured musculature and has left not much My spouse and I have swapped roles. As she was working flesh between my skin and bones which has made woman then and now enjoys voluntary retirement, I had my bony contours markedly prominent, thus converting taken over the homemaker’s job. She runs outdoor errands me into an ideal specimen for medical students to study while I look after the children, guests, servant, pets and surface anatomy. Fresh medical graduates too can hone other domestic chores. My sexual identity appears to have their skills, knowledge and art of therapy through the multi- changed without visiting a surgeon. dimensional scope my body offers. In addition, afflictions of various systems like neuromuscular, urinary tract, While attending public functions as a participant/guest, I respiratory, skin and skeletal in one single individual offer have observed that the usual protocol is waived off, just ample scope to different specialists to practice their for me. As the chief guest and his entourage have to step expertise under one roof and on one patient. down the dais to my stretcher-trolley all customs are put aside. When norms are deviated, exclusiveness gets extra When employed, I had been responsible in raising the defined. country’s largest occupational therapy department at KGMC, yet my bosses preferred to be indifferent to my While going out to a movie/ play or social gathering I need sincere and disciplined endeavours. Now that I am totally not bother to locate a vacant seat. I carry my furniture with dependent on others, my smallest accomplishment gets me. Before coming on to the trolley I spent a few months noticed, appreciated and recognised. The point is that after in wheelchair, which encouraged my friends to call me a acquiring quadriplegia, even my little achievement gets chairperson for all occasions and seasons. The credit of observed. A few awards have also come my way. Print course goes to quadriplegia. and electronic media has generously done stories on my work through Family Of Disabled. On one occasion a TV Being bed-bound my materialistic needs have dwindled channel was shooting me while another was waiting for its immensely. Wardrobe, shoes, toiletries, cosmetics, and turn in the adjoining room. Ahoy! Quadriplegia. Earlier transport expenses. You name it and I need them no more. when I was in the joband toiled hard, my work went Hence, no necessity for economy drives. unnoticed.

Mosquito/insect bites, cuts and bruises do not scare me – Being home bound and bedridden has made me available thanks to the absence of sensation of touch, pain and to others 24x7. Friends, relatives, neighbours and even temperature associated with quadriplegia. Presence of acquaintances take it as their constitutional right to phone pressure sores and any ailment of abdominal viscera goes or walk in whenever they like, to narrate and off-load their unnoticed by me but cause concern to the doctors and my grievances, woes and seldom their joys. When their family. catharsis is complete they feel relieved. Thus, quadriplegia has made me accessible all the time to all people for their

A sense of humour... is needed armour. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life. Hugh Sidey 14 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD emotional outbursts. reaction of the onlookers. One of the biggest advantages has been that now young ladies feel absolutely safe in my I am not consumed with religion but God loving I am. I am company. They consider me the most harmless creature! unable to imagine how I have endeared myself to medley of visitors representing different faiths- Hindus, Sikhs, The above findings are entirely of my own and cannot be Muslims, Christians, etc. Some of them felt very strong generalised. No two persons suffering from the same urge to pray for my health and welfare on my bedside. condition react in a similar way. The ill effects of quadriplegia Those of them who are into attending preachings/sermons, cannot be minimised. The damage incurred is invariably test their ability discussing spirituality and religion. Some irreversible and mostly leaves the patient tremendously even chant, others sing devotional songs, yet another class shattered. All rehabilitation procedures would be futile if pour out their knowledge about Karma theory and the incumbent fails to involve himself and participate actively philosophy, they find in me a readily available listener who to fight his disability. Brooding, cursing and weeping leads can’t flee no matter how hard he tries. to self-pity, which certainly signals doom. Realising the nature of paralysis where done cannot be undone, the only I indulge at length in introducing my lay visitors to the course left is to salvage the best out of the worst. The different aspects of quadriplegia like its aetiology, optimum use of the remaining faculties would result in a symptomology, treatment, management, complications and more productive and enjoyable life. It not only helps the prognosis. By the time they leave, they are aware of what incumbent but also the people around. quadriplegia/c is. Being confined to indoors for over last two decades, the climatic and environmental vagaries like What matters is how you live your life – fighting disability heat and cold waves, have not been able to affect at all the bravely or surrendering to it meekly? Society would do a secret of my health and vigour. great service if it starts looking at the strengths a disabled person has, than at his/her weaknesses. Like any pretty women, I too get abundant side glances from every possible angle when taken out in a trolley- The author is editor of The Voice... stretcher (my present mode of movement). Being the centre Email : [email protected] of attraction, I thoroughly enjoy the curious but impersonal

Two vultures sitting on rocks. One vulture sees a man in a wheelchair coming down a hill. He taps the other vulture and says, “Say, look Fred... Meal on Wheels”

Why are bats blind? Well, you wouldn’t see too good if you hung upside-down Marriage is love. Love is blind. Therefore, marriage all day, would you? is an institution for the blind.

Nobody says you must laugh, but a sense of humour can help you overlook the unattractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected, and smile through the day. Ann Landers 15 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Disability and humour are as perfectly matched as ham and eggs, or paratha and gobi … it is all in the eye of the beholder, in the perception of both, the viewer and the viewee … which is exactly the definition of humour as PRADIP PURTEJ SINGH has understood it to be. It is always about something different, something unusual, something that – as often as not – is discomfiting for one or both. He shares with our readers, how he settled on this definition.

s a person with rather around to see this very Indian chap gaping at me with his Avisible disabilities, I mouth half open. Even my looking at him enquiringly – and have always been the focus then, frankly, glaring at him impatiently – did not loosen his – I wouldn’t exactly say the tongue. The light dawned at last and I asked, “Dr Ali, I cynosure – of all eyes presume? Frankly, I expected a much older man…” That whenever I ventured out in seemed to break the ice all at once and he almost stuttered public. It used to make me as he responded, “I expected someone completely different very uncomfortable to have You don’t sound like this on the phone …” I nearly died so many just stand around laughing – and he too, had the grace to join in after a few and stare at me, and when seconds. I could hear their comments it would make me even more Then there was the time I went to the then USSR on a distressed. Of course, my increasing fidgetiness would be holiday. I was all by myself, considering the earlier hugely amusing for my “fans” and make sure their attention experience of going to the UK and the Netherlands on my would remain focused on me. It took me years to learn to own sufficient to tackle any situation. Of course, I had no provide for their entertainment rather than be intimidated idea how difficult it would be in the Soviet Union, with an by it – I now ostentatiously fit a cigarette into my special entrenched bureaucratic attitude that made people do smoking device, or use the gadget I have for holding the everything with utmost reluctance, and where the concept mobile to the ear, thus diverting their attention from my of service just did not exist. I had flown in from London by person to the esoteric design of my possessions. As often British Airways and was kept waiting in the aircraft for as not, this evokes oohs and ahs of wonder and even assistance to arrive to get me off. First, a painfully young appreciation. and very rigid and serious security officer came to check my passport. He spent such a long time comparing my There are often more personal experiences, where the face to the photograph that I was convinced I was fake! reactions may be more visceral, sometimes just intellectual. Then, without a word, he put the passport in his pocket I remember once, when an Indian scientist working in the and vanished. I sat there dithering for about 45 minutes, US was on a visit to Bhilai and the MD (Managing Director) when I saw an ambulance come screaming up to the wanted me to call him to my office. He was at the MD’s underbelly of the aircraft, and two large men came up office, where I duly phoned him and fixed the meeting, accompanied by a sour faced woman in a doctor’s white promising to send a vehicle to fetch him. About half an coat. She came up to me and started asking me in very hour later, there was a knock at my door, and when I called loud Russian about my ‘disease’ and my medical papers. out “Come in, please”, someone was ushered into my room. Incensed, I retorted in Russian that there was nothing wrong I was busy at the computer at the time, and waited for with me, that I had come not for treatment but as a tourist. whoever it was to make their presence known. When the She started screaming at the security man (boy?) demanding silence stretched to maybe half a minute or more (half a to know why their time had been wasted, then shook her minute can be quite long in the circumstances!) I turned finger at me and told me something I couldn’t understand.

The ultimate test of whether you possess a sense of humour is your reaction when someone tells you don’t. Frank Tyger 16 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD But then the security boy (man?) suddenly showed that he but true, that Russia was perhaps the only country in the was the boss. In a few, well chosen words, delivered sotto world, India not excepted, where an Indian was a First voce, he had the lady doctor reduced to abject contrition Class Citizen! About ten minutes later, the young lady in – all I could understand was ‘foreigner’ and ‘prestige’ and charge entered and asked me – again in very loud tones – “our country”. The upshot was that I would be taken by if I had my ticket on me. I answered as calmly as I could this team, after all – however, it was not part of their job to that I was physically disabled but not hearing impaired, help carry a disabled passenger down the very dangerous she needn’t shout. And the two gentlemen spontaneously monkey ladder that had been hoisted up to the nose of the added, “He is normal, he speaks Russian!” at which I aircraft … I would have to go down myself; they would, couldn’t help and burst out laughing. The men joined me, presumably, carry me in the ambulance if I were to fall and but the girl just rushed out of the compartment, with a survive! I managed to get down in one piece, by which stricken look on her face. She came back in a couple of time the ambulance had disappeared, so these two giants minutes, her eyes red, and sitting next to me gave me a now pushed me in a wheelchair to whatever my destination huge hug and kissed my cheek to apologise for all that she was. What was eerie was not that they didn’t understand had said – explaining that she was concerned about the whatever I tried to ask them in Russian – they ignored me language problem as she wouldn’t know what help I like we ignore ants probably screaming at us when we are needed. We actually became good friends; she was working about to step on them, not aware they are there... Naturally, over the vacations from University, where she was studying we don’t expect ants to speak our language, so why bother chemical engineering! When a week later I retuned to trying to listen? Scary! Eventually, of course, everything Moscow, it was on the same train and in the same carriage was alright – I had been saved the tedium of customs, etc. with the same girl as the in charge. It was like a reunion the security man/boy having taken my passport for the with an old friend. purpose, and I duly left the airport none the worse for the experience. I can – and do – laugh about it now, but then I One last bit of ‘humour’ – having lived and worked virtually was perhaps scared out of my sense of humour! all my life in a steel plant, I have a different way of looking at things. I often refer to my handicap or deformities quite Then, a few days later, I was to catch a train from Moscow unselfconsciously. Imagine my complete amazement then to a place called Novgorod, about 600 km away. This when a professional from one of the first rehabilitation time the help was reasonable as I was wheeled up to the NGOs I ever interacted with took umbrage at my use of train and prepared to board it. The hotel chauffeur who the term ‘handicapped’. She corrected me with some had been deputed to drop me wanted to hand me over to asperity that I was ‘not handicapped but disabled.’ At this the person in charge of the carriage, who turned out to be I took exception, and said that begging to differ, I was a young, harried-looking woman. She started screaming certainly not in any way disabled, as I was quite able to do at the escort (in Russian of course) the moment she saw anything that others could, but had a handicap since my me, to ask sarcastically if this was supposed to be a home limbs were deformed. She nearly had a seizure! She told for the disabled people or war wounded – how was she me in no uncertain terms that I had absolutely no clue what expected to look after a person in a wheelchair with all the I was talking about – as she marched up and down the work she had, and why did it always happen to her, and room angrily – and that I should learn how I was to describe couldn’t they put me somewhere else... I was getting angrier myself. When I said it hardly mattered as I was describing and angrier inside as I heard her go on, but had the sense myself not her, her missionary fanaticism seemed to break to keep quiet. Eventually, I got aboard and settled in the and a self-deprecating smile appeared. We both had a good berth allotted, while a couple of Russian men were busy laugh – still do when we remember. arranging their own stuff. One of them asked me very slowly and loudly in Russian (curiously, this is not something unique The author spent his lifetime working with Bhilai Steel to the British – that if you speak slowly and loudly enough, Plant as a public relation officer and is reminiscent of anyone from anywhere in the world should understand your the place. Physically disabled but widely travelled, he language!) where I was going. I answered in fairly good is presently based in Delhi and likes to socialise and Russian that I was from India and was going to Novgorod. read There were smiles of welcome, and admiration too – strange Email : [email protected]

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, a sense of humour to console him for what he is. Francis Bacon Sr. 17 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Sportsman. Inventor. “Trailrider” system to allow disabled people access to the Bibliophile. Pianist. wilderness and the “Martin 16 sailboat” to sail unassisted. Speaks Cantonese. He also floated the Reach Disability Foundation, and Keen astronomer. through its six affiliated non-profit societies, helped disabled Student of Greek people to qualitatively elevate their lives, for which he was philosophy. Ardent conferred the Order of Canada. hiker and camper. BBA. Activist. Exhibiting inexhaustible sap, Sam plunged into the Byzantine Councillor. And a world of civic politics in 1993, and has been a member of munificent man to boot. the city council ever since. He raised awareness with That’s Sam Sullivan, a legislators and community leaders of the vast potential that man of many parts, an people with disabilities offer to the society at large. His indefatigable chap who crowning feat hitherto was his election as the Mayor of crams more into a day than most do in a week. Vancouver on November 19. (Just weeks back, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s survey had rated Vancouver When I initiated our epistolary friendship in early ‘90s, I as the best city to live.) never knew Sam was already a luminous lodestar. Having been in the pits since June 1988, I naturally adored him as Winning mayoralty was surely sweet, but Sam gallantly he had conquered adversity and proved that there’s life conceded that reuniting six years ago with Lynn was after disability. sweeter!

In January 1979, at the age of 19, a tumble while skiing Of course, the new Mayor of Vancouver has his work cut crushed Sam’s cervical spine and rendered him a out. Good luck and Godspeed, Sam. quadriplegic (paralysed neck down). Though he remained upbeat in the hospital and rehab, life at home spiralled into -The author, MP Anil Kumar, is a versatile columnist depression. He somehow convinced his childhood flame and contributes to various magazines and newspapers. Lynn Zanatta – he had to literally move heaven and earth After sustaining injury to his spinal cord, he has been to impress and woo her – to disunite. Despair and living in Paraplegic Home, Pune. desolation drove him into contemplating suicide but as he E-mail : [email protected] did not know how to do that without rattling his family, he kept postponing it. Then he had an epiphany. It kindled Courtesy: The Indian Express (TIME OUT)- January his renaissance. 14, 2006 A newscaster interrupted He embraced two mottoes: one, he would never let his scheduled programming to disability be an excuse for anything – even if it was; and announce the outcome of the two, he would never allow his physical limitations or the states interagency planning wheelchair to incarcerate him. He committed himself to committee aimed at solving handicap drivers parking dilemmas. “More on reach out to disabled people and mitigate their hardships. handicap drivers at 10 p.m,” he said. My ten-year- He first founded the Tetra Society, which recruits old granddaughter Andie looked at me in disbelief. technically-skilled volunteers to contrive assistive devices “I didn’t know they could call handicapped drivers for disabled people. Inter alia, he co-invented the ‘morons’ on national television!” she remarked.

You haven’t lost your smile at all; it’s right under your nose. You just forgot it was there. 18 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

In the recent years, Indian roads have been inundated with myriad of private vehicles- both two and four wheelers. Newly acquired vehicle is always a prized possession for its owner. Every manufacturer canvasses the salient features of his product including its make, body, economy, etc. and once bought the user brags about the same. Sample this:

“Hello Rashima. Congratulate me. I have bought a new quite small it is extremely manoeuvrable even in crowded four-wheeler for myself,” said Ravi on the phone. and narrow bylanes and itself can be transported easily.” “Oh, Ravi, I am so pleased about your new acquisition. My curiosity was further heightened. You really needed one.” “Want to know more?” He proceeded like a seasoned “Thank you. I wish you could come over and flag off my salesman. “It is environment friendly as it does not run on inaugural ride.” petrol so there are no fumes either. It has no-puncture hard “Sure. I will be there in the evening. The occasion warrants wheels so there are no flat tyres; it runs noiselessly. In short a celebration too.” it is user-friendly all the way.” He enumerated a few more I tried to enquire about the colour, make and model of his qualities of similar nature like low maintenance cost and new four-wheeler. special accessories. “You will know everything when you come,” Ravi replied I had heard a lot about non-conventional vehicles abroad in a secretive schoolboy’s manner, and wondered what sort Ravi was rousing my curiosity. I drove to his referring to whose matchless merits he place at the appointed time. Before elaborated so assiduously. “But would entering, I scanned the drive way for you be able to operate such a vehicle his new four-wheeler but was on your own?” I was slightly skeptical. disappointed to see nothing there. I “No. So what? Till I learn to use it found him waiting in his huge front somebody will have to help me around,” verandah were he welcomed me with he said confidently. his warm and infectious smile. I gulped the tea fast and almost dragged “I am happy you have come, he said him to the verandah where he said his joyously.” new four-wheeler was parked. When “Where is it?” my patience eluded me the cover was removed I saw a sleek, while exchanging pleasantries. gleaming, brand new wheelchair resting “What’s the great hurry? Relax and make yourself on its four wheels – two big rear wheels and two roller- comfortable.” coaster sized front wheels. “Wasn’t it you who were so eager about your new A gamut of emotions crossed my mind leaving me possession?” overwhelmed and speechless for a moment. Ravi was “Okay. Let us first have tea, the rest will follow.” paralysed chest downwards following an accident six His deliberate attempt to fan my inquisitiveness was months ago. apparent. I let him have his way. He was then helped into his new four-wheeler and on his request, I gave the inaugural push from behind and prayed During tea, he appreciatingly narrated the salient features for the speedy arrival of the day when he would leave the of his latest belonging. “Look, Rashima, my new four- wheelchair just as he had left his sickbed. wheeler is no ordinary thing. It is white as snow and delicate as a fairy. The upholstery is extra soft and cosy. The back - RJ reclines to allow a complete lying posture to the rider. Being Email: [email protected]

Humour is a rubber sword - it allows you to make a point without drawing blood. Mary Cosby 19 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

David, what first gave rise to your career as a pioneer beauty, they get a deep and healing reassurance. They like in the genre of facial-difference humour? it and they pay me money. Cool, huh? It was January 1990, when I was first falling in love with Hmm. Was that me talking, or Reverend Dave? my wife, Marlena. We had a quarrel. I got discouraged and felt I was losing myself in the relationship, that I had to What are some memorable audience responses to your do something for myself. I decided it was time to take work? comedy classes. I had no intention of talking about my A very beautiful woman came into my dressing room, face at that time—I am part of the generation of denial. I started crying and revealed that she wanted to disfigure rarely if ever talked about how I looked; I just pretended I her face because nobody really listened to her or took her was normal. This worked a great deal of the time, but it seriously. gets kind of ridiculous on stage. The classes were so I love it when someone in the audience loses control and supportive, I gradually was encouraged to talk about myself, can’t stop laughing. which turned out to be richly humorous. The best compliment I ever received after a show was when a young man, an adolescent with multiple disabilities, who Why are you sometimes called “Reverend Dave”? was in the audience, stood up after the show and said: “Up My “Church of 80% Sincerity” grew out of improvisational until tonight my heroes have been different than me, work I was doing, as did the title. It is a church for people superheroes with costumes and superpowers. Now I have who are not perfect. Like me. I saw that we are the a hero who is like me and I can be a hero too.” congregation of the flawed. And I get to be the Reverend Dave. I want to be Pope, but that seems a tad presumptuous You told me once that in pursuing this career, you’re to me right now. But soon, soon. scared a lot of the time. How so? Is it worth it? I still get scared. Not because of my appearance, but What do you feel like when you step up onstage to do because I am obsessive compulsive. I often find myself the opposite of what people with visible disabilities so taking new risks and challenges, things I have never done often want to do—hide, deny, change the subject? before. The problem is, this upsets my carefully planned Here is my secret: I have learned to tap into my inner beauty daily routines which have always given me the illusion of and express it on stage. This is very powerful, because it is safety. Then I get afraid because I forget that what is commonly believed in America that the face is the locus of happening is actually wonderful. But I am learning to get the human persona. So, a marred face reminds people that over it more quickly. In my morning prayers, I say “I learn they themselves often feel disfigured, flawed, unacceptable from fear and darkness. They do pass.” and “I am grateful to others. In performing, I deliberately bring up that fear for the faith I have, and I commit to building on it.” I get by and pain for the audience. Through humor, their vision of with 20% faith. You can imagine that it takes a lot of work. me (and themselves) gets reframed. When they see my In dull, daily life, does Rev. Dave really practice what

There is hope for the future because God has a sense of humour and we are funny to God. Bill Cosby 20 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD he preaches? I have four teeth left, all on top, and I love them dearly. I I beg your pardon? My sincerity level has averaged 86% have given them names: Shaky, Sturdy, Lefty and Tiny. I this year! always give them compliments so that they remain confident. Oh, and because I have no chewing surfaces, I do not Where is Rev. Dave headed? A three-picture deal, a waste time chewing food. I just swallow it down. multinational entertainment conglomerate? You have mentioned soap operas a few times. You mentioned your friends. Do you have a lot of friends? My friends have always said I should be in a soap opera. Marlena enjoys Bollywood I do. And as I mention in my show, I also belong to a gang, films, but I am not sure I could with all of the cool facially take that level of excitement disfigured men in show needed to be a performer in business. Think of all of them: Bollywood. All that dancing! Quasimodo, The Beast, Plus the stars have to be even Frankenstein, Igor, The more handsome than in Phantom of the Opera, Hollywood. Freddy Kreuger. Those are But really, I just finished a book my home boys. We go out at for Penguin Books, same title night and do the things that as the show. It will be out in facially different guys like to do: February 2008. hide in the bushes and jump David Roche with his wife, Marlena Blavin out and scare the cute What would you tell our readers, young and old, who people! Great fun! have a latent spark in this direction? What is “a latent spark”? I mean, an interest in being a performer, a humorous performer? We know that Americans can be obsessed with Choose to be around supportive and loving people. Then appearance. Are there any good things about being get out there and do it. Take classes. Take risks. Find what facially different in America? gives you strength and faith and find ways to build them Well, a few. Once in a while, I get on the bus, an elderly that work for you. Don’t wait for inspiration to be creative. woman will get up and offer me her seat. Work is the source of inspiration. I have also found that I do have an all-purpose excuse. I just say, “Sorry, can’t help you. My face is acting up.” And The author is an internationally known performer who people don’t question that. has presented his one-man show “The Church of 80% And because I have very few teeth due to receiving radiation Sincerity” in many countries, including at the White therapy as a child, I save a lot of time brushing them. I am House and at the Olympics Arts Festival. For more grateful for that. information, visit www.davidroche.com.

How many teeth?

Humour is that which most efficiently recognises that we are living in an imperfect world, with imperfect arguments and things that are insane, illogical, and irrational. And the only way we can live with that fact is to laugh. 21 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Smile Hello, and welcome to the Mental – just around the CORNER... Health Hotline. If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly. Paddling through the tides in life If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press I still compose the heart of mine 2 for you. It just stops beating for a while If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6. Seeing the pain was just a sign, why my heart went down If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call. Out of the sky and into the cloud I couldn’t take it now If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be I wondered as to How transferred to the mother ship. I could correct this flaw At a distance as I Saw If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you which number to press. Lay the solution right below the eyes and above the Jaw If you are a manic-depressive, it doesn’t matter which I had seen this before and awhile number you press-no-one will answer. I just never gave it a try… It was a good turn in time… If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969. When I knew I needed a smile… If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with Smile through your pain… the hash key until a representative comes on the line. Well…try and try again… What you lose is not new... If you have amnesia press 8 and state your name, But my friend you always have a smile to gain… address, phone number, date of birth, social security number and your mother’s maiden name.

Sanil Kumar If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, slowly and Email : [email protected] carefully press 000.

If you have bipolar disorder, please leave a message after the beep or before the beep. Or after the beep. Please wait for the beep. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. BV Panduranga Rao If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have low self esteem, please hang up. All our operators are too busy to talk to you.

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. “Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, and then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.” “Mom... see, I have finished my homework... “Oh, I understand,” said the visitor. “A normal person Now let me go play...” would use the bucket because it’s bigger than the spoon BV Panduranga Rao, also known as Laxman of Steel, or the teacup.” has worked in Bhilai Steel Plant for over three decades. “No.” said the Director, “A normal person would pull Settled in Bangalore, he continues to produce cartoons the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?” for newspapers and journals. A person reveals his character by nothing so clearly as the joke he resents. George Christoph Lichtenberg 22 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

AARON BROVERMAN meets four comedians with disabilities and helps us know how they crack up audiences — and maybe teach them something at the same time

THE ROOKIE: ANDRE ARRUDA

It’s a special night at the legendary Yuk Yuk’s comedy club in Toronto. In a bid to win cash prizes, dozens of comedians take turns entertaining the audience, trying to outdo each other. The competition is fierce, and every punch line fills the crowded room with bursts of laughter. Then it’s Andre Arruda’s turn. As he slowly walks up to the stage, an awkward silence falls over the crowd. He grimaces as he struggles to get his three-foot-four frame onto the stool in front of the mic, using his cane for support. A few patrons mouth, “Does he need help?” and all of them wonder if it’s okay to laugh.

Arruda’s cane falls. People begin to shift in their seats as he gets up to retrieve it, Mr. Magoo style, only to have it fall again. He picks it up and painstakingly remounts the and Kenny vs. Spenny. He’s also done some live theatre, stool. Finally, he gets himself situated and the house lets playing a bank robber in John Feld’s play Oops! at last out a collective sigh. Then, leaning into the mic, Arruda year’s Summerworks Festival in Toronto. Things are good, delivers the kicker: “I’ll be brief.” The room explodes in but Andre the “Anti-Giant” wants more. For one thing, he laughter. The 24-year-old comedian, whose short stature isn’t paid to appear at Yuk Yuk’s. Recruits promoted from was caused by Morquio’s syndrome, has just figuratively amateur enter a system called the Fast Track. They receive given the audience the finger, and they can’t get enough. only experience and discounts on food and drinks until More importantly, his gleeful exploitation of people’s typical Breslin decides to move them to the main roster—the path gut reaction to disability puts him on equal footing with the to paid gigs across the country. Arruda has been on the audience and confronts their discomfort: “Yeah, I’m Fast Track for three years, watching other comics get disabled. You know it, I know it, can we move on now?” promoted.

Arruda’s been doing comedy for five years, personally Three years seems to be the maximum, so Arruda thinks drafted by Yuk Yuk’s founder Mark Breslin out of the he’s due. He says Breslin has told him he needs to be comedy program at Toronto’s Humber College. Arruda patient, but Arruda suspects he’s languishing on the Fast always dreamed of being a comedian, but there was a time, Track because of untold concerns about transportation and growing up in suburban Kitchener, Ontario, when he accommodation on tour. Even the Toronto club, which was thought it was impossible. He hoped to get into an acting accessible when Arruda joined, moved to an inaccessible program at a college in Toronto, but was turned down. He venue. “I just get some of the guys to lift my scooter in,” he was ready to give up, but a persistent high-school drama says. “Part of me feels guilty I’m hurting their backs, but if teacher pointed the talented young man toward Humber. they put in an elevator, it wouldn’t be my problem.” Arruda hasn’t looked back since. Arruda may be in limbo at the moment, but his frustration He performs every other Wednesday night at Yuk Yuk’s is giving him ample material for his act. “Comedy comes and has scored roles on MuchMusic’s Video On Trial from difference and pain.”

Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think. LA B Buyere 23 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD THE RISING STAR: JOSH BLUE successful,” says Blue. After all, he adds, he can’t write from someone else’s point of view. “This is all I’ve ever Josh Blue is where every struggling comic wants to be. known. I don’t want to be stuck in that loophole of being Born in Cameroon and now a resident of Denver, typecast as a disabled comic, but I am a disabled comic. I Colorado, he went from amateur comedian and Paralympic have the forum right now, but I do comedy because I soccer player to winner of the most recent season of NBC’s thoroughly enjoy it. If someone takes inspiration from [the Last Comic Standing, beating out hundreds of other fact that I have a disability], I’m cool with it, but it’s not my hopefuls. This bohemian Gomer Pyle with dirty blond hair intention.” wins over audiences with his self-deprecating humour and something he calls “The Palsy Punch,” a riff on the spastic THE VETERAN : BRETT LEAKE limbs that come with having cerebral palsy. According to Blue, “It’s good in a fight because no one knows where it’s Brett Leake knows it’s possible to have a career in comedy coming from and neither do I.” Blue’s career is now in without focusing on disability – he’s been doing it for 24 hyperspeed, with performances wedged between years. Known for his Southern charm and squeaky clean appearances on hit shows like Mind of Mencia, Live with act, Leake starred in his own PBS Special, Laughing Regis and Kelly and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He’s Matters with Brett Leake, which continues to air regularly also released his first comedy DVD, 7 More Days in the on the network. (Watch part of it at Josh Blue Brett Leake Tank, based on a bit where he tries to convince a cop that at www.brettleake.com.) In 1991, he became the first he’s not drunk and just has cerebral palsy. comedian with a disability to perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and was invited back four times. “I think Despite his early success, Blue is still the same easygoing it’s an advantage for me,” Leake says about diverting his guy he’s always been, and no one is more bewildered by act away from his disability. “I wouldn’t be as successful the past year than him. “One day I was just a regular comic as I am had I chosen the other path.” and the next, everybody knew my name. It’s a world- changing experience.” One event helped Leake make that decision. In 1985, comedian Frankie Bastille saw Leake perform at an open Blue hopes he’ll eventually do movies, a sitcom, maybe mic night and was impressed. He invited Leake to open even direct. For now, he’s adjusting to his newfound fame for him at a set in Athens, Georgia, a few states over from and continuing to make people laugh. He is only mildly his native Virginia. That night, after the show, Leake was concerned that he’ll be painted as a novelty act for using awoken by a pounding on his door. It was Bastille, his disability as fodder for comedy routines. “I know I have demanding to know why Leake had spent so much time to do a variety of things and not just rely on the palsy, but talking about his disability when he hadn’t done that at my career is crazy right now. It’s making me very open mic night at his home club. “My answer was, ‘This is defensive, I’m away from home and regardless of their reaction to me, I want them to know that what I’m talking about is informed,’” says Leake. At that time, he says, he couldn’t disassociate the audience’s reaction to him as a comedian from their reaction to him as a human being.

Leake, who started out as a stand-up comic and later switched to sit-down,has facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. He has learned that his disability is only one part of him, and no matter how comfortable he is with his material, that can’t save him from the judgment of the audience. He is an observational comic, one whose comedy draws on the ironies of life (“Dumb has a silent ‘b.’ I don’t think that’s fair to dumb people.”) He eventually developed “irony fatigue,” which he defines as “the symptom of someone who’s done it a long time and realized that exposing ironies isn’t going to change the world.”

Leake wanted to see his world differently, so he turned his comedic talents to motivational speaking, a forum seemingly built for comics with a disability. “When someone looks at a person with a disability, they’re thinking, ‘I wish I could

When the Gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers. Oscar Wilde 24 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

popular one-man show, The Church of 80% Sincerity, to teach people about self-acceptance and the universality of his experience. (A book based on this show will soon be published by Perigee Books.) He also appears in Bonnie Sherr Klein’s recent film, Shameless: The Art of Disability, Anne Lamott’s bestseller Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith, and on CNN’s Paula Zahn: Now. keep things in perspective like that person.’ They look to them for optimism,” says Leake, who often speaks to rooms Comedy is essential to Roche’s success and teaching, but full of educators and health professionals. “It makes it easier it wasn’t always that way. “I resisted the healing part of it, for a comedian with a disability to become a motivating but it’s sort of been forced on me,” he says. “People would personality because it’s already built into the observers’ come up to me and say I’d changed their life and I would and listeners’ mindset.” think, ‘You are so pathetic.’” It took four or five years of performing for Roche to realise that it could be inspirational. Motivational speaking isn’t for everyone. Before taking “I realised that it really helps me to be inspired and I could this route, comics must decide what brought them to comedy relate to that feeling as a human need.” in the first place, says Leake, and it can be a soul-searching experience. “Was it that you needed to explain yourself on Roche once used alcohol as a coping mechanism for his stage so that you felt better about yourself when you were emotional pain. Then he recognised the power of comedy, out among others?” asks Leake. “Or do you have a different and that changed his life. “Humour is the most subversive mission?” of the arts and it offers instant reframing, so while people dig around for months with a therapist, humour can fix them Leake’s own goal is no less than to understand the desires to an attitude and turn it around and hold it up to the light that make us human. “I want to know what suffices. Living and change something entirely.” with a physical limitation when so much of what brings us pleasure is physical leads to a search for what is enough— The author is a journalism student at Ryerson how much comprehension, achievement, happiness—is University in Toronto. necessary to flourish.” It’s a study he’s undertaking one performance at a time. Read more about our featured comedians at their websites! THE TEACHER: DAVID ROCHE Andre Arruda: www.myspace.com/antigiant David Roche (a.k.a. Reverend Dave) is on a mission to Josh Blue: www.joshblue.com and heal through comedy. Being born with a rare facial difference www.badarmproductions.com has made him part of an exclusive gang, Roche explains: Brett Leake: www.brettleake.com “Frankenstein, Igor and Quasimodo. Those are my David Roche: www.davidroche.com homeboys.” Courtesy : Abilities, Canada’s lifestyle magazine for people with disabilities Roche uses his various presentations, including his most

Man is distinguished from all other creatures by the faculty of laughter. Joseph Addison 25 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD t is quite easy for disabled people to procure gadgets employed with the World Bank, in Hong Kong, sent across Ilike wheelchairs, calipers, artificial limbs, hearing aids, a few devices buying them off the shelf but they too did not etc. but when it comes to acquiring a self help device (SHD) serve the purpose. It was now very clear that I needed a it becomes an onerous task, which I never realised. Getting customised device. Upon my request an orthotist was a writing device (WD) for myself proved to be a unique despatched by a voluntary organisation to help me with experience. the necessary device. He was young and appeared to be fresh in the business. While being ushered into my room he It so happened that I sustained an injury to my cervical had a good look at me from the entrance. Hesitation was spine in 1986, culminating into quadriplegia. Apart from writ large across his face. “Hello! Please come”, I losing all the movements below chest, I was also robbed encouraged him, signaling to my bedside chair. He cautiously of all the functions in both my hands. Holding any object moved and seated himself. between my fingers and thumb was not “I need a writing device. Can you help?” possible. I tried to comfort him indicating towards my right hand. He took my hand into his Once a and proceeded with a concentrated class detailed evaluation twisting and turning it teacher which resembled more with that of a asked her Self-help devices are recommended to palmist. He appeared little confused, young disabled people to assist them perhaps the sender did not brief him students perform certain daily chores about my condition. My grossly what was independently. Writing device is just deformed fingers added to his misery. the most one of them, which RAJINDER After a important JOHAR got made for himself. Here, thorough part of a he narrates how... examination human he pro- body after the brain. Heart, lungs, kidneys were the nounced, answers she got. She explained — the most important part “You will get the device. I will come again next week and after the brain were the hands. One thinks with brain and take the measurements.” He left the room as swiftly as he creates with hands, this is how the world has developed. could —just the reverse of when he entered fearing I might call him back to discuss the device further. I could After the accident, I was well looked after by my extremely immediately make out that he will never return. And he did caring and supportive family for the activities of daily living not. May be I was the first quadriplegic who had asked —eating, drinking, dressing, etc. They even helped me with him to make a WD. writing my letters. But, I was not comfortable with it. I wanted to write independently and at will. The urge to write Then another orthotist, an experienced one, was became all the more intense when I decided to float a approached. The gentleman was hyperactive in every voluntary organisation - Family Of Disabled (FOD), in sense— walking, talking and movements. He took 1992 - for which I still work. It required a lot of writing measurements of my right wrist and hand from every and I thought it was only me who could do justice to the possible angle and from every possible side of my bed, task. I started looking for some kind of writing device. using all the gadgetry he carried in his briefcase –– tape, Being in Delhi, the country’s capital, to get one will be vernier caliper, marker et al. All the while he kept muttering, easy, so I thought. I sent my requisition to a few NGOs giving himself some kind of assurance. While leaving, with and orthotists. great confidence he declared that WD was not a big deal and he would give me a trial after five days which he did One of the reputed NGOs out of their concern for me sent not honour. I called him after a week. He said he needed an assortment of WDs. I tried them on but unfortunately to consult a couple of experts after that he would get back none worked. Then one of my acquaintances who was to me. Days rolled by and there was no sign of the

Don't give other people a piece of your mind unless you can afford it. 26 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD hyperactive orthotist. However he left me amused a lot with his conversational skills, unpurposeful gestures and oozing pseudo confidence which failed to deliver. During my training and my job as an occupational therapist, I had an opportunity to make a few SHDs for different disabilities. After being convinced that I cannot get the desired device from any of my known sources, I thought of giving it a try at my home. I revealed my mind to my mechanical engineer brother who instantly agreed to do the needful. To him it sounded an extremely simple job. The required material comprised 4” gypsona bandage, a little piece of cotton, a compass from geometry box and a metallic jotter refill. Procedure was very easy. Water soaked gypsona bandage was wrapped over a layer of cotton around my wrist where the device would eventually sit. The compass was incorporated in the gypsona at a 60º angle, as we use a pen/ pencil while writing. After visit are always keen to click me writing with the indigenously smoothening and giving finishing touch it was split from the made WD which cost me only Rs. 30/- and consumed just ulnar side, removed and left to dry. 30 minutes to make. Even today, after 15 good years, it functions well. Interestingly my search for a WD ended at The device was ready. Whenever I wish to write, it is tied the same place from where it began i.e. my home bringing to my wrist with an ordinary bandage. With my residual the seven year itch to write to a legitimate end. Another shoulder and elbow movements I can write for hours. Could instance which proves, all over again, that world is round. there be a better birthday gift, from my elder brother, on that cold January evening. People from media upon their Email: [email protected] A policeman was interrogating 3 MEN Extremely frustrated at this point, he shows the picture who were getting trained to become to The third man and in a very testy voice asks, “This is detectives. To test their skills in your suspect, how would you recognise him? He quickly recognising a suspect, he shows the adds, “Think hard before giving me a stupid answer.” first MAN a picture for 5 seconds and then hides it. “This is your suspect, how would you The MAN looks at the picture intently for a moment recognise him?” and says, “The suspect wears contact lenses.”

The first MAN answers, “That’s easy, we’ll catch him The policeman is surprised and speechless because he fast because he only has one eye!” really doesn’t know himself if the suspect wears contacts or not. The policeman says, “Well...uh...that’s because the picture I showed is his side profile.” “Well, that’s an interesting answer. Wait here for a few minutes while I check his file and I’ll get back to Slightly flustered by this ridiculous response, he flashes you on that.” He leaves the room and goes to his office, the picture for 5 seconds at the second MAN and asks checks the suspect’s file in his computer and comes back him, “This is your suspect, how would you recognise him?” with a beaming smile on his face.

The second MAN smiles, flips his hair and says, “Ha! “Wow! I can’t believe it. It’s TRUE! The suspect does He’d be too easy to catch because he only has one ear!” in fact wear contact lenses.

The policeman angrily responds, “What’s the matter with Good work! How were you able to make such an acute you two?? observation?”

Of course only one eye and one ear are showing because “That’s easy,” the MAN replied. “He can’t wear regular it’s a picture of his side profile! Is that the best answer glasses because he only has one eye and one ear.” you can come up with?”

A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal. Oscar Wilde 27 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD “You never take into account my disability,” I was How you imagine yourself also influences others’ imaginings complaining to a friend who had booked movie tickets for of you. I’ve also learnt to hang strings from top latches so us. The cinema hall was not very accessible which was to I can pull them open. be expected, but what had got my goat was that our seats were way up towards the back. I was annoyed that my friend had not thought of choosing seats that were easier to access. The anger didn’t last long, as it never does with good friends. He carried me up to the seats and we enjoyed the show.

On the way back, he apologised for not thinking about the seats and said something that’s still fresh in my mind after fifteen years, “You know, one doesn’t think of you as a disabled person even though you are in a wheelchair. I just feel you’re the same as me.” At that time I retorted, “Sure, the fault is all mine!”

Born on June 14, 1968 in Coimbatore, SALIL CHATURVEDI had to deal with paraplegia as a result of road accident in 1984. Sharing his life experiences, Salil narrates how he used to crib and feel dejected when he was unable to do things because of being a wheelchair user, but with the perennial support of family and friends he realised nothing is impossible to a willing heart and that ‘The Show Must Go On’

But that admission of my friend was a big revelation to me. The same friend and I had once gone to an Air Force I thought of other times when I felt frustrated, helpless and Officers’ Mess to play billiards. We were teenagers growing therefore angry. One of my pet peeves with my parents up in an Air Force camp near Allahabad. Our fathers served had been that they would leave things out of my reach, in the Air Force and we would often go to the Officer’s shut doors with latches on the top rather than the ones at Mess and spend hours playing billiards and snooker. This the bottom. I would fly into an indignant rage, “If you as day, as we were exiting the billiards room, a senior officer my parents are not sensitised then what can I expect from almost bumped into me. He sprang back to avoid collision the world?” I would exclaim, my anger tinged with and as I passed him, he looked at my friend behind me, heartbreak. and with a sympathetic cluck of the tongue asked, “Polio?” Without pausing to think my friend replied matter-of-factly, But that one remark from my friend put things into sudden “No, Salil.” We laughed heartily after that but today when perspective. The love and support of my parents, my I look back at this incident, I feel that only if most people brother, my relatives and friends has been instrumental in took a leaf out of my friend’s book the world would be making me independent and confident. My parents’ attitude different. For one, corporate India could learn from my of ‘you can do anything you want’ has given me the strength friend to recognise the person and not look at the disability to go out and achieve my dreams, whether it was playing while hiring people. wheelchair tennis in Australia and Japan, going out on holidays, deciding to marry, running a company of my own Another incident that comes to mind involves my elder and more recently, acting in a television serial. brother who is in the army now. After my accident, which left me with a spinal injury and my family in a state of shock, My friend’s honest remark taught me that being disabled it took a long while to find the strands of life again. During and thinking of oneself as disabled are two separate things. The Show goes on Page 27... My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe. Jimmy Durante 28 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

©2007, Gordon Kirkland

GORDON KIRKLAND is a Canadian humourist, whose syndicated newspaper column appears in newspapers in Canada and the United States. Three of his books have received Canada’s Stephen Leacock Award of Merit for Humour. His fifth book,‘I May Be Big But I Didn’t Cause That Solar Eclipse,’ is about to be released. A frequent guest on radio and television, he speaks in conferences and conventions on a wide variety of topics, I often tell people that I was injured in a serious golfing including finding the humour in major life changes accident. The look of shock amazement on their faces is and using it to combat chronic pain. Let us see, how? quite amusing. I then point out that my car was rear-ended while I was on my way to the golf course, and that it had a detrimental effect on my handicap. ost of my readers know that I am disabled. I allude Mto it from time to time in the newspaper column and I have never been noted for being overly politically correct. in my books. Since I write about the humour in everyday I don’t particularly like the labels that people put on life, and my disability is part of my everyday life, it’s just themselves or others. To me, it doesn’t matter whether one of the topics open to discussion. you are white, black, brown, or an off shade of purple. People are people. The same goes for being disabled. A great many people find it odd that I can find humour in Those of us who find ourselves in this situation seem to my situation. A radio talk show host once told me that he have so many new words applied to describe our condition thought the idea of a disabled humourist was a bit of an that I am always afraid I will use the wrong one and offend oxymoron. I told him that I was most certainly not an myself. oxymoron, just a regular, run-of-the-mill moron. I’m still trying to figure out the person who described me The point he was making was based on the stereotype that as being “mobility disenfranchised.” once you become disabled, you immediately lose your sense of humour. Those of us who find ourselves in this situation That accident was in 1990. In 1992, my car was rear- are supposed to mope about, and be generally ticked off ended again, sending me back to the hospital for another with the world. Unfortunately, it is more often people in the three months. In 1994, it happened again. After three rear- disabled community that perpetuate that stereotype. end collisions in the first three even numbered years of the decade, I was almost afraid to drive in 1996. Like everything else, there is humour in this part of my life. It sometimes takes a bit more digging to find it, but it is The third, and thankfully final, accident was a Royal there. Canadian Mounted Police officer, who was unable to stop when traffic ahead suddenly halted. In a radio interview a

Silly is you in a natural state, and serious is something you have to do until you can get silly again Mike Myers 29 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD few years later in the The Show goes on ... from Page 25 American deep south, that period I was encouraged to try and walk with calipers the interviewer asked with some support. My brother would sit in the wheelchair about the accidents. to lend stability to it and I would hold the pushing handles When I mentioned the and walk slowly as he moved the chair. One evening, as RCMP officer, he we were doing this, my frustrations welled up and I started looked bewildered berating my brother because no one else was around. To and asked “On a my horror he simply got up from the chair, which left me horse?” I explained with no support. I swayed uncertainly for a moment and that we have cars in then came crashing to the ground. His words resound in Canada now. my ears till this day, “Don’t think you’ll have it special

because you have a disability.” I could hug him for teaching The official diagnosis me that lesson and probably will, the next time I meet him. for my condition is that I am an ‘incomplete paraplegic.” My spinal Within days of my accident, as I lay in the Intensive Care Unit of the Command Hospital, Lucknow, I was given a Gordon’s fifth book about cord and other nerves card signed by my father, mother and brother. It showed to be released were severely damaged, but not lively dancing girls on a stage with hands entwined behind severed. My wife says that is just typical, because I never their backs as they were kicking up one leg in a gay dance finish anything that I start. routine. One of the girls was missing from the row. The card simply said, ‘The Show Must Go On.’ I am certain For the first several years after the accident, I was confined that the card was chosen by my father, for I know his habit to a wheelchair. Through a lot of therapy, I eventually of examining cards in detail before deciding on the right learned to walk again with crutches clipped to my forearms. one. During that period I often experienced something that most wheelchair bound people discover when they are forced Thanks Dad, I’m trying to keep the show going. to wait in a line at a bank or grocery store. It happened so often, I considered calling my first book, Laughing Through The author has represented India for wheelchair tennis Life At Fart Height. at the Japan and Australian Opens respectively. He has also acted in the children’s Muppet serial Galli Galli When I was recovering after the second accident, a doctor Sim Sim, the Indian remake of Sesame Street, where he told me that when we laugh we produce endorphins that plays the role of Jugaadu, a disabled garage owner are ten times stronger than morphine. I was enjoying the and a friend of the Muppet. He is fond of travelling morphine so much, I decided to go for the stronger pain and writes poetry in English and Hindi. killer and give laughter a try again. I didn’t know that it Email : [email protected] would become my career as well as my addiction. A man in his eighties reads that hearing loss is rapid at his age so Naturally, I would just as soon that the accident never he decides to give his wife, the happened. A doctor told me several years ago that I had same age, a test. She is in the used over one million dollars in medical services paid for kitchen with her back to him so he by Canada’s medical services plan. I told him that, on the asks quietly “What’s for lunch darling?” He gets no response. A little worried,he takes two steps whole, I’d rather have the million dollars. nearer.”What’s for lunch darling?” Again she keeps her back to him and does’nt respond.Now he is really When we become disabled we lose a lot. Laughter does worried so he goes right up behind her and asks not have to be one of the things we lose again”What’s for lunch darling?” At this she suddenly whirls round and yells “For the third time you deaf moron we’re having pork chops!!!!!” …and it’s cheaper than morphine.

Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing. Oscar Wilde 30 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

REEMA BANSAL is not only academically brilliant student but also paints exceptionally well. This lively and joyous person clarifies that she doesn’t intend to offend anyone, in any sense of the word as she believes that each person becomes what s/he is, by a complex interaction of factors, both from within and without. Man is a social animal, and the influence of interpersonal communication can never be downplayed. Accordingly, she shares certain events in her life, which have made her wonder…

irstly, there seems to be this class of people who are I wonder… Do I look so financially deprived? I mean Finherently upset with their lives. They don’t seem to foot braces aren’t THAT expensive! And are they aware know it but they have rejected themselves, and hence feel how much I love going for walks? incapable of intermingling with the other class of people, the happy-go-lucky ones. When they come across a Fifthly, certain elders were lecturing me, without invitation. ‘covertly’ disabled person who is smiling, they immediately It seemed I was being looked down upon as the biggest assume that the person is depressed within and only trying fool around, and the unluckiest soul on earth. When I to put up a face. couldn’t hold back anymore, I blurted out, “Oh, I don’t I wonder… Is there any cure for such SiS (Self-inflicted give a damn to my disability!” No doubt it quietened them Sorrow) souls? for that moment, but it definitely keeps coming back in the form of many other labels from them! Secondly, I particularly remember this incident when I was I wonder… Is it time I compile a disabled dictionary? sitting with ABC, shedding tears over a then-recent issue. Sobbing, I asked, “Do you think it can ever get better?” Sixthly, tasks like painting-humour-exercise-music-etc, all The issue at hand and my tears had nothing to do with my that immediately generate a positive feeling within, are disability in any way. However, what I got was a long positively associated with people with no covert disability, response based solely on my disability! but if undertaken by one who is visibly disabled, are met I wonder… Is my ‘physical’ disability ‘mentally’ with queries like, “Is it your way of coping with your infectious? disability?” I wonder… I might as well take to soccer! Thirdly, I had gone for a trip with a group of people. The place unexpectedly turned out to be rickety-rockety, so a Seventhly, people whom we love the most don’t seem to wheelchair was provided for, but no person to pull/push it. understand how much it can hurt when we see them feeling My companions insisted on doing it for me, despite my hurt about our disability, while it never hurts us in the least repeated refusal. So, as I sat perched in the wheelchair, I bit! began cracking jokes, something too basic to my persona. I wonder… and then I stop wondering!! However, each statement of mine was retaliated with a clear taunt. I had to ask them to carry on and just let me sit (Since certain quoted events relate to significant people in under tree-shade comfortably! my life, either in present or past, I could have never I wonder… Should I carry some laughing gas wherever conveyed my thoughts on face, firstly for the fear of hurting I go? their feelings; secondly, I realise that I might have acted similarly had I been in their shoes, and they in mine; thirdly, Fourthly, sitting among people, I begin sharing little things I love them all, as they love me. But one needs to vent about my routine as casually as they do about theirs. somewhere… The Voice… always comes to my rescue.) However, even simple statements like, “Then I changed my foot braces and went for a walk” are met with comments The author is a psychology (hons.) graduate from Lady like, “Oh, you poor girl…” Shri Ram College, New Delhi. Email : [email protected] Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein 31 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Researches have proved the positive influence of laughter on our health and longevity. Jeffrey Smith, a magician better known as Amazing Jeffo explains how humour has proved to be a conduit that connects him to his audience and helps overcome misperceptions about the capability of people with disabilities. “Thank you; you’re the greatest knows I am capable for speaking for myself, shrugs and audience I have never seen!” I says, “I don’t know; why don’t you ask him?” This gives use this line in every magic show, me an opening to jump in, “I could ask him for you and get which illustrates my philosophy of back to you, if that’s ok?” The food server will typically using humour to cope with, and smile and realise her incorrect assumption regarding my even embrace my disabilities. I capability. Humour acknowledges the level of am a magician who happens to be awkwardness by some, and tears down barriers and blind. I make a living as a magician promotes communication. entertaining private, corporate and civic groups. I do motivational Humour is a healthy outlet for frustration. It can also serve speaking to parent groups who as a coping mechanism, it helped me deal with ulcerative have children with disabilities and colitis, which is a disease I lived with throughout my speak to companies about the childhood and resulted in my being the second youngest in benefits of hiring people with medical history to receive an illeostomy at age seven. The disabilities. Often magic is the night before the illeostomy surgery the team of doctors Jeff Smith vehicle I use to express humour. came to my room and showed me the bag I’d be wearing Some might ask, “What’s so funny when I awoke from surgery. They also suggested that about someone with crippled fingers, resulting from some illeostomy patients even name their stoma to help rheumatoid arthritis, performing sleight of hand?” Or, feel more comfortable with having one. The stoma is the “What’s so amusing about a motivational speaker coming end of the intestines that protrudes through the stomach from a history of severe stuttering?” And, “Is it a laughing wall and fits into the bag for purposes of elimination. “So,” matter that a magician is blind?” Quite contrary to the they said, “Think about what you’d like to name it.” It was normal belief, poking fun at life’s challenges minimizes their just a second before I blurted, “How about naming it stressful effects and reminds me and others there is still Cyclops?” “Why Cyclops?” they asked. I answered, much laughter and enjoyment in each day. “Because Cyclops has only one eye!”

Another line I use in my shows is, “Don’t you just hate it I use a white cane that enables when you can’t find something around the house because me to navigate independently. someone has moved it two inches to the left or right!” Self- As a teenager at a mobility directed humour helps others realise the importance of training session, I convinced my laughing at one’s self and that disability is not a tragedy. It instructor that we should take a is true that we cannot control our circumstances but we break and stop for a beer. Since can choose how we react to them. I hadn’t had anything to eat that day, combined with the fact I I use humour as a teaching tool to gently correct the was only about 100 pounds at negative, stereo-typical attitudes that people with disabilities the time, the beer really are less able to contribute to society in meaningful ways. disoriented me, but I wasn’t When my wife and I are dining out, it is not uncommon for about to admit it. My assignment the food server to look at me and ask my wife, Devon, was to practice crossing one of Jeff at a disability “What does he want?” or, “Is he done?” My wife, who the busiest street intersections in awareness show Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. Oscar Wilde

34 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Minneapolis. The light turned opportunities that might come later that night as a result of green and I started off on a my romantic gesture. I didn’t realise what I had done until straight line until a semi truck when at home my clerical assistant had told me what card on my right began revving his I had actually chosen. It turned out to be the display placard engine in order to get off to a that directs people to the birthday card section. My intent fast start when the light was to buy her a card with a funny message on it. Well, changed. With every rev of this was as funny a message as I could ever have wanted. his engine, I began We folded it to be shaped like an actual greeting card and unconsciously veering more wrote a message on the inside, “I would like to share with and more to my left until I you my unique love by giving you a most unique card.” missed the entire corner of the The funniest part of this whole story was the reaction of curb on the far side. I was the store clerk. I had unintentionally presented the clerk Jeff Smith at a birthday walking parallel to the with an unusual dilemma. I beamed with pride as I asked party magic show sidewalk amid honking traffic her, “Have you ever had a blind person in your store choose and irate motorists. Blissfully unaware in my altered state a greeting card all by himself?” With a confused voice she I was thinking, “Wow! This has to be the widest street responded, “N-n-o… I-I-I can’t say we have!” In I’ve ever crossed!” Unknowingly I was walking up the retrospect, I don’t know if her uncertainty about telling me middle of the street toward the next intersection. Finally, of my mistake was to not embarrass me or general my mobility instructor caught up to me and explained why nervousness about interacting with a person who is blind. nothing I was hearing made sense. Regardless, when I asked how much I owed, she hesitated, and then I heard her turn the card over a couple of times Another instance I can’t resist narrating is the time I decided and finally say, “I guess a couple of dollars.” I thought it to select a birthday card for my wife, independently. kind of strange that the price would not be clear to her. Sometimes as a blind person I get frustrated with other But it didn’t matter to me at the time because I knew in my people picking out my greeting cards, so I thought my wife naïve little way that I had just scored big points with my would think it very romantic She was charmed with my wife. idea. So there I was, feeling around the birthday card section and not getting anywhere. Since all the cards Humour comes naturally to me, growing out of a desperate “looked” the same to me, I just grabbed one. It was an need for attention and recognition, arising from a chronic unusually shaped card and I had difficulty finding its stuttering condition now long overcome. The positive matching envelope; so I took an envelope that was handy. reaction I received from my humour gave me self- I figured even if the card had to be folded an extra time or confidence, which played a major factor in my eventually two, Devon would appreciate the thought just the same. I attaining fluent speech. Still a stutterer at my first magic was really quite proud of myself and thought of the possible show in 1990, I was messing up trick after trick. In my panic, I resorted to humour by blaming the audience for the tricks not working right. When the audience howled at my novel solution to the problem, I quickly realised that the point of all of this is not to fool people but to entertain and enlighten.

A healthy dose of humour has proven as great a medicine to me as any prescription or treatment.

The Amazing Jeffo, a.k.a. Jeff Smith, performs 150 shows per year. To invite him to perform for your corporate, educational, religious or civic group, call 651-457-7300 or drop him an email at [email protected]. For more information, visit www.amazingjeffo.com Jeff with magic class group If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation it would be the ability for each individual to learn to laugh at himself. Charles Schulz 35 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

have always believed that pleasurable is the way in which charge at the National Institute for the Orthopaedically Iwe see things. I am 55 years old. I suffered a spinal Handicapped (NIOH) at Bon Hooghly, Calcutta. So I injury when I was 24. Doctors re-gressively pronounced spoke to him in Bengali – the language in which he was me dead (on August 6, 1976 at 9 p.m. if memory serves enticing customers to purchase the agarbattis – and me right); then in a hallucinatory state after miraculously requested him to spare a few minutes when ever he had opening my eyes at 2 a.m. on August 12, after which the the time. He graciously accepted my entreaty and asked all-knowing docs said – “iska to dimag gaya” (his mind me to wait till he had made enough money for the trip. has gone for a six) - doing me the courtesy of acknowledging that at least I had it earlier! Later, the doctors asserted that After a little while he came and enquired what I want. I I would never walk again in my life – ‘poor thing; so young, informed him about the facility of a free artificial limb at national level sportsman, so handsome and what a waste NIOH. He looked at me in a manner I thought extremely of his life…’(the docs thought that I was always weird since his gaze was both piteous and amused. He hallucinating and therefore unable to follow the sweet things asked me whether I worked in an office. I said, of course they were saying about me. Ha, ha!) I do. He proceeded to enquire over-politely if I drove to office. I said, yes, usually I do. So your car or your scooter Ho, ho to life with disability. I walk, I run, I climb mountains is your vehicle to reach your place of work? Do you sit in of both the mind and the Himalayan and Shivalik ranges your vehicle and work? (once even the Alps) and laugh; both at myself and others while pulling their legs. I have travelled more in the 31 post- Of course not! I snorted. injury years than I had earlier, though I was always an inveterate traveller, even before the injury. I have trekked, “Come along, I want to show you something, bada sahib,” taken dinghy boat rides, journeyed on elephant back and he said in a tone that I found to be particularly disdainful. I by clinging on to the side railing of a wildly careering Gypsy accompanied him to a compartment that bore a label – driving on mountain and desert dirt roads. Having learnt in Hawker’s. He picked up a prosthesis (an artificial limb) Physics that ‘Lightning never strikes at the same place and said to me, I too have my vehicle to get to work. I then twice’ I never feared anything. park it here as you do your vehicle… It is from no place other than NIOH!” Pain and difficulty in walking, sitting, bending, standing for even 20 minutes seems like hours and agonising but is a Another time, I was making a Channel crossing between part of my life. But constant physical distress has perhaps England and France. There were two extremely good- made me ever ready with joy in the heart and the ability to looking girls sitting across. They were playing a little game, look at the humourous aspect of ‘disabled’ life. Some best which I made an effort to follow – since that gave me a experiences… chance to concentrate on their beauty while assuaging my conscience that I was not staring; I was only making an In 1988, while travelling by train from (then) Calcutta to effort to follow the game they were playing, which was Jamshedpur to conduct a five day workshop on Media guessing the vocation of the various people in the Ferry and Disability, I saw a young man, an amputee below boat. ‘a banker’, a carpenter, an official in the government, knee, who had boarded the train at Calcutta – Howrah “an oversized, plug-ugly roué” (that’s me they decided, station - hopping along selling agarbatti. I felt sad that he how unfair) and so on. But the person who was sitting next did not have an artificial leg which he could get free of to me – a Hellenic God with blond hair and angelic eyes,

Foresight is knowing when to shut your mouth before someone suggests it. 36 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD they could not put down. A model, a film or television star? So while his wife was being shown around on her shopping Finally the two Helen of Troys gave up. As we were spree by a friend, both us decided to have stroll; with me disembarking, the young man went up to the young ladies, explaining the sights of the birds of the feathered and non- “Mesdames, I teach lip reading to the deaf.” feathered varieties, while he enjoyed their sounds in addition to what I believe is the resonance of my mellifluous voice. Once, my dear friend and guru in disability, Dr. P.K. Mallick, I was explaining some Pretty Young Things (PYTs) – and who became a paraplegic through a freak accident and on the clothes (or the absence of them) that they were whose life the award-winning Bengali feature film wearing. Vikram himself was nattily dressed with a pair of Wheelchair was made by Tapan Sinha, was travelling in a Rayban goggles adorning his face. Inevitably, one of the car on a highway in England. Pradeepda, as we fondly girls collided with friend Vikram. called him was sitting in the front. The driver was another impossible man – fortunately he is still around to rag and “O, bey, andha hai. Dekhta nahin hai?” (Oye, are you ‘exasperate’ us as per his whim and fancy – Stephen blind. Can’t you see?). The PYT was furious, as she thought Bradshaw, tetraplegic as a result of diving into a pond she had every right to be. I quickly took Vikram’s swimming when the water level had dropped, driving like permission and said to her, ‘Excuse me, ma’am, yes he is a crazy man in a hurry. Pradeepda was tense and shivering. blind.’ “Hey Stephen, don’t you think you are going too fast.” “Of course I am. I love to drive fast.” The earth could have opened up and she and her friends “You mind slowing down…?” would have probably liked to be swallowed up. We two ‘Yes, I do.’ Vikrams, however, were able to talk nicely to them and I “Please, you’re making me nervous.” am sure they became ambassadors for temperate speech. “Excuse me, let’s get the record straight. Nothing worse can happen to you. Nothing worse can happen to me. The Second incident involves another visually impaired dear mathematical odds of two spinal injured persons – one of friend, Manoj Goel. Manoj has gorgeous brownish eyes whom is already a traffic-accident victim – being involved and has a habit of looking you straight in the eye when he in another traffic accident is about 1 is to 10 million. talks to you. He likes to think that it sends shivers of ecstasy Acceptable risk by me. Should be acceptable to you as down the spine of PYTs, including Sadhna’s, his lovely well. And I don’t hear Nandita (Pradeep’s wife) in the wife. Manoj has retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive disease back seat complaining. So shut up.” which makes you see less and less. Blind, legally. But the eyes look very beautiful; and I do not know why, but the I would like to recite an ‘accident’ where me and my eyes of those with RP have a shining quality about them. namesake- Vikram Dalmiya of Calcutta – a very handsome visually impaired person. And very handsome – He was in hospital since he had undergone heart bypass unfortunately he has never seen how cute and good looking surgery. Once he was shifted to a private room in Delhi’s he is and he has to take our word for it and is thus never Escorts Heart Hospital, I went visiting. Sadhna was on a sure whether we are pulling his leg or telling the truth were well-deserved break. So only Manoj and I were in the loafing around Dilli Haat. He had just been married and room when a pretty young nurse (not thing) came in with a was on his way back from Vaishno Devi where his new food tray. And in the typical style of PYNs, placed the tray wife (I don’t know if he has or has had an old wife; why do on a side table and said, “Your food. Take it.” Manoj we always say new wife, as if wives are available at the requested her to place it on his lap since he could not see marketplace to exchange and buy a newer model?) and he where the tray was and that since I was spinal injured I had gone to take the approval of the Lord of his marriage, would be unable to balance the tray to hand it to him. to add to the good wishes of his friends and family, whose utterances and opinions, as I have just explained, he could The PYN was livid. “I will report you. I have heard many never believe with any amount of certainty. And thus he excuses and many approaches to line maroing, but this is had opted for the safety of being backed up by divine too much.” She stormed out of the room, returning a few blessings. moments later with a senior officer. I forget whether it was a doctor or a Matron. Fortunately, whoever it was who

I think that God in creating man somewhat overestimated his ability. Oscar Wilde 37 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD came, recognised me as the guy from the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (of which I was then the Member- Specialities Multiplied Secretary of the Board) and realised that Manoj was to be sure blind; as I was, indeed, spinal injured. Manoj Like our country became the nurse’s favourite patient after the episode. On the prospering wheel, I too, progressively, So happy living with disability, with humour and with the Locomote on the wheel. funnier side of life. Characteristical to a judge impartial, I see all with an eye. Vikram Dutt, a rehabilitated disabled-cantankerous, And no trainer, on the shooting range; yet amiable, so he would like to believe-is a rehab Ever asks me to close an eye consultant and has worked in this field for over 35 To take an aim. years. I do not listen fair or unfair, Email : [email protected] And can neither say right or wrong. I never hug anyone to welcome, But always wave a hand- in Ta…Ta… A bloke is showing two young And bye…bye. American girls around London and they come to a Pelican crossing. He S.C. Bhargava, Noida presses the button and the pedestrian signal goes ‘bleep- Email : [email protected] bleep-bleep-bleep....’ ‘Whats that for?’ asked one of the girls. ‘Oh thats just to let the blind know that the Q. What do you call a person in a wheelchair with lights have changed’ said the bloke. ‘My Gaad’ she said, a child on his lap? really shocked, ‘in the States we don’t even let them drive...’ Ans. Amusement Ride

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until he knows everything about nothing. Albert Einstein 38 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Sharon Wachsler is a writer, teacher and trainer (she trains service dogs, which assist people with physical disabilities) In 1998, she trained her first service dog Jersey, but soon after she completed training she developed glaucoma and lost vision in her right eye. Later she became arthritic in her hip and Sharon had to find a successor dog to train. Here, Sharon enumerates the helluva time she had with Gadget, the successor dog.

his morning I got up at 6:30, which is generally as So today I awoke extra early to walk the dogs before Tmuch adventure as I can handle in one day. I had to taking them to the vet. I wanted Gadget to have one final get the dogs to the vet. Jersey, my aging service dog, romp before he had to kiss (or, in his case, lick) his manhood needed a growth on her lip removed. Gadget, the 70-pound good-bye. I climbed aboard my mobility scooter (similar puppy I recently adopted, was scheduled for neutering. to a motorized wheelchair) and clipped Gadget’s lead to my handle bar. As usual, Gadget ran joyously ahead, while Chronically ill, I rely on Jersey for mobility and Jersey and I followed at a more sensible pace. independence. Three years ago, when I adopted and trained her, Jersey was the perfect assistance dog. A This morning’s outing was to be brief because we didn’t mellow, acquiescent “floor potato,” she was easy to train have much time to get to the vet. Also, I didn’t want to and was, as she is today, a quiet companion when I’m too disturb my neighbors. I planned to head back before we sick to get off the couch. She retrieves what I drop, steadies got too near their house, to prevent rousing their dogs. me when I walk, and brings me my slippers. However, as one friend put it, “Jersey acts like it’s her job but not her As we reached my neighbors’ barn, I opened my mouth to career.” Like most people, Jersey works but she’d rather alert my canine duo, “OK, let’s head home!” But before I be sleeping. Or eating. Especially eating. could speak, my neighbors’ dogs set off a racket. Gadget, spying his best friend, a Black Lab named Shadow, lunged When Jersey developed arthritis I knew it was time to find to the end of his leash. a trainee to succeed her. I wanted my new dog to master complicated skills that were beyond the phlegmatic Jersey. “Come on!” I hissed, “We’re not playing. We’re leaving.” Thus I sought a younger, more energetic pupil — the canine I could hear Lilin calling from her house. I wasn’t sure if equivalent of a workaholic. A dog who would bound off to she was calling me, Sharon, or her dog, Shadow. “Its find help in a crisis, pull my wheelchair with gusto, and Sharon,” I yelled, so she wouldn’t think I was an intruder, carry groceries like they were Faberge eggs. Enter Gadget sneaking in at dawn’s early light. “Sorry!” I bellowed, as — a urine-spritzing, slobber-spraying, fur-covered ball of an afterthought, preparing to head home. muscle, with the warmest, smokiest cinnamon eyes. “In dog training,” the books say, “timing is everything.”

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt 39 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD This is true. Today Gadget gave me a lesson in timing as “Oh my God! Sharon!” Lilin rounded the corner, gasping, swift and sure as the most exquisite leash correction. her hand covering her mouth. “I’m taking the dogs to the vet,” I said inanely as I lay in As my scooter reached the halfway point in its arc toward the dirt. “That’s why I’m up so early.” Seeing another human home — perpendicular to my gasping service-dog-in- with me, Gadget trotted over, waggled himself at me, then training — Gadget bolted, pulling my scooter over on top returned to the vital work of throttling himself. of me. Relying on the quick thinking and steady nerves that have made me the skilled dog-handler I am today, I Lilin is not a big woman, but bless her, she is strong. She immediately took charge of the situation. “Aieeeee!” I lifted the scooter off my foot and helped me tip it back screamed, as I slammed into the hard-packed earth. onto its wheels. Scratched and grimy, the right side of my overalls hanging broken, I had to keep reassuring Lilin that “Ow!” I clarified, as 200 pounds of metal and plastic landed I was OK. on me. Truly, I wasn’t injured — just scraped and bruised. What Then I tried to get up. Unfortunately, my right foot was hurt most was my ego. After all, the reason I’d acquired a pinned under the scooter, which had been transformed in scooter and a service dog was to become more one second from a mobility vehicle to an immobility vehicle. independent, less needful of others’ help. Ah, irony — great I looked at the dogs to see how they were coping with this big, steaming piles of it. sudden, troubling turn of events. With Lilin’s help, I untangled the dogs and made my way Jersey lay contentedly in the grass about 30 feet away. home, Gadget straining all the way. Gadget continued to hurl himself to the end of his lead, oblivious that parts of the leash — as well as of me — I have faith that Gadget will make an excellent assistance were trapped under the scooter. dog, once he is trained to get help in a crisis as opposed to causing the crisis in the first place. For the time being, Suavely I assessed the situation and decided on a plan. however, I have changed his rank from “assistance-dog- “Help!” I yelled, flailing in the dust. “Lilin?” I hoped my in-training” to “hindrance dog.” neighbor was making her way behind the barn to find the source of the ruckus. “Help! It’s Sharon!” Still, at the end of the day I’ll have the last laugh. Sure, I’ve got a few scratches and bruises, but after his trip to the vet, Then, both dogs, hearing their mistress in distress, continued Gadget will never have the balls to pull this stunt again. to ignore me. For any information on Sharon, visit: www.sharonwachsler.com A man is walking down the street when he meets a friend who happens to have only one arm. “What are you up to today?” he asks his friend. “I’m going to change a lightbulb.” “Won’t that be difficult with just one arm?” “Shouldn’t think so. I’ve got the receipt.”

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde 40 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Preeti Monga questions, “What do I do to look blind?” She wonders why disability must be synonymous with gloom? To help you change your perspective, she turns your concentration towards the sunny side of the so-called dark and challenged…

lthough I have been visually impaired for over 40 years “Oh! How am I to do that?” I asked, “How does one Anow, my mobility is not something that I can boast look blind? I can’t see at all. What more should I do to about. But anyhow, once upon a time, some years ago, the look blind ?” It is really interesting how the society responds need arose for me to travel alone to and from my office on to a person who cannot see. Due to my shortcoming of not a chartered bus. The arrangement was, the bus driver being able to “look blind”, I often have to face ordeals like would drop me at a spot opposite my office and someone people waving their fingers in front of my nose just to make from the office would come for me, as I could not have sure I am not lying! Then when my disability is found out, I negotiated the busy main road independently. am attacked from all directions. Oh no, they don’t hurt me! All that happens is that I have helping hands on all This arrangement went well for some time but, as time went parts of my body and clothes! Some even try to thrust on, the pick up team began to forget to be at the bus stop things into my hands, and the worst is into my mouth; they ever so often that I was forced to try and learn the art of shove food and water! There have been times volunteers using the white cane. I thus requested the in-house mobility have gone down on all fours to help me place one foot in instructor to give me lessons so I could cross the road on front of the other, i.e. they probably try to help me to walk! my own. I lost my dupatta once due to an extremely enthusiastic social worker trying to help me off the stage where I was With my instructor in the lead we went to the side of the compering a show! road in question and got down to business. Suddenly I heard her rolling with laughter and a short while later, when Over the years, persons with disabilities have been hidden she could speak through her peals of laughter, she said. away either due to shame or due to the misinformation and “People are reacting to you in the most extraordinary lack of awareness in the society. Like at my work place, I manner. They are waving, winking and smiling, and there is was bewildered when an optometrist announced to me one lot of young men who have stopped to watch you get that she would have to spend the rest of the evening shouting across the road as if you were shooting for a film. I think, at the top of her voice at the blind patients! I wondered if they are all thinking you are acting for a TV serial or the patients were deaf too but that was not the case. She something.” said, “If I don’t shout loudly they can’t hear ”! It is often thought that if a person happens to have a certain disability, I asked her if that is the reaction of people when she is out most of his/her other faculties are malfunctioning as well. training other visually impaired girls? “No”, she said grinning, It happens to me too, when people know I am blind, they “When I am with other blind people, the passersby respond also imagine that I can’t hear or that I am unable to to the white cane normally, which is, they slow down or comprehend what is being said or what is happening. I get even offer help, but this is really funny. I think it is all because a lot of information this way which actually is not meant for you don’t look blind!” me! The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat. Lily Tomlin 41 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Also, on the other hand, with more and more persons with disabilities edging their way into the mainstream, one gets to squeeze in a laugh or two at the sheer passion they encompass to become the hep hero around! For example, I was at a function and my companion was sighing with relief and muttering, “Thank goodness, you are not like them!” I nudged her to explain what she meant and here is what she let me on to… “There is this blind gentleman who looks as if he has just stepped out of the circus! He is wearing a bright blue trouser with a shocking pink shirt supporting a green jacket with yellow rimmed dark glasses and to top it all is in a pair of white sports shoes! Mind you all the stuff he has on must have cost him a packet as every thing is from a well known label, but he has taken great care that he should not displease any color by leaving it at home!”

Then there was a visually impaired lady who loved to powder her face for reasons better known to herself ! And then one fine rainy day, the lovely powdered face had dark brown polka dots all over it. The lady was the center of amusement till someone had the courage to point out the damage her make up had done to her. Well, I am sure you may have had many similarly entertaining experiences along the way, but you will agree that some remain with you for life!

And, for another thing, you may also have come across some very comical terms, which are used in the disability sector most comfortably. Words like “blind school, handicap concession, etc.” These are accepted without a bat of an eyelid! Is the school BLIND? And are the school buses plying for school for the blind BLIND too? There are concessions available for handicap persons, is the concession handicapped too!

As you see, not everything that is connected with the disabled is sad and traumatic! There always is the sunny side to it; we don’t even need to take the trouble to look for it. Have fun and keep smiling, we don’t need to fight for reservations and concessions for getting access to these!

The author is public relations head with Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital and director, Silver Linings. She can be reached at [email protected]

It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously Oscar Wilde 42 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Ifs and Buts Life after spinal cord injury is a series of Ifs and Buts

Life used to be a breeze with not a care in the world! Now, at every bend and turn, at every nook and corner, Life in our motherland India is a woeful cup brimmeth over.

The affliction is physical, Paraplegia; Paralysis waist down Absence of both sensation (feeling) and locomotion. Thus one needs a walker, Elbow crutches, Special calipers Diapers and bagful of drugs ...of course not to forget, ample doses of enthusiasm to face the Ifs and Buts.

In the early rehab days, I had a wheelchair. More of heavy metal than chair. The edges were so sharp; that sometimes, I wondered whether the manufacturer was in cahoots with the hospital. Guaranteed cuts and bruises!

Then came the era of being hauled up and down— By kind-hearted (sometimes sweaty) souls. At various entrances and exits of buildings.

WHY? As these institutions did not think of having a railing or ramp fixed. If they thought (as most were updated on this aspect Through a live demonstration of a beautiful portly lady Being unceremoniously hauled by two men on either side with her hands around their shoulders) don’t sigh, at the end of it, they were left both sighing and panting!! Well, they misconstrued it as an opportunity of doing a good deed, out of self-pity. Once this was realized at places frequented, that it was a regular ritual; The expectations got translated from a good deed to green bucks.

More than the physical obstacles We, the physically challenged are marooned due to the negative mind sets and attitudes.

We, as kind citizens, will donate wheelchairs and tricycles, crutches and appliances. But, we will not make a few amendments in parks, theatres, commercial and residential complexes to allow us to ‘walk’ with our heads held high.

Ever wondered why we don’t see too many physically challenged citizens outdoors? It’s because we have been insensitive to their needs of accessible toilets, parking spaces near entrances, access in parks, places of employment and public places.

What irks me personally is the apathy! Why should we have to ask and fight for something which is our RIGHT?

IF ... we had an answer to this question, Life would no longer be a series of Ifs and Buts. -Ketna Mehta Email : [email protected] A sense of humour enables you to laugh when someone else takes your best joke-and improve on it. 43 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Humour from our lives has evaporated. We need to inculcate habits of happiness, fun and laughter into our everyday routine. The article explores how we can increase the performance levels and skills of individuals through some fun related activities in schools and at work places, while taking caution of not hurting the sentiments of others.

ost of us have experienced the effects of negative afterwards! So, an important motto of people who Mforms of humour where we have been laughed at experience a significant amount of frustration in life might rather than laughed with. When confronted, people who be, “Choose Laughter.” laugh at or make fun of others typically say they were “just joking.” Discriminatory ‘jokes’ about people with disabilities Humour may help a parent of a child with disability perceive are offensive to many people, and should be avoided. the positive aspects of their own and their child’s situation and future. It may also help with employment stability for The Need for Appropriate Humour those who work in the disability field. Several occupational From an historical perspective, people with disabilities have positions in special education and rehabilitation are prone been a source of amusement to their able-bodied to “burnout.” Some students and consumers, due to the counterparts. This has ranged from individuals who were nature of their developmental disabilities, require used as court jesters, exhibits of curiosity in carnivals and considerable attention, intervention and assistance, yet are side-shows, to cartoon characters who have various unable to reciprocate for those who provide them disabilities, especially speech problems. We have seen a educational, residential, habilitation or other services. large number of jokes told about the types of people with Humour in the work environment can do much to create whom we work: especially those with limited intellectual bonds between staff members and students or consumers abilities (moron jokes, ethnic jokes, blonde jokes, etc.) to create work that has multiple rewards.

Joel Goodman, director of The Humour Project has outlined Being happy does not have to be a struggle - there are several examples of the difference between constructive many little and big ways that people can learn to appreciate or positive humour and negative or destructive humour. life and what it can bring. Constructive humour creates positive environments where people support each other, promote self-esteem and create Humour in Special Education Settings mutually beneficial connections. Destructive humour does Teachers learn quickly that a key to motivation and interest the opposite. Destructive humour goes for the jugular vein is through engaging and positive learning experiences. while constructive humour goes for “the jocular vein.” Although these are frequently fun, they are not just for fun. In other words, the purpose of school is not to have Potential Benefits of Humour for People with children enjoy themselves; but to have them learn those Disabilities attitudes, skills and understandings that will allow them to Is humour the answer to the challenges that a disability become competent, productive, nurturing and fulfilled presents? No. But it is one of the many “answers” that can adults. Effective teachers can do both: they frequently help balance those things over which we have little or no devise instructional games and enjoyable learning activities control. For instance, a person with cerebral palsy may where children laugh and learn simultaneously. This is not have the level of control they might desire over their especially important if a goal of education is to create adults physical self or events in the environment. However, they who willingly and enthusiastically participate in lifelong can have control over their reactions, interpretations and learning. emotions regarding events that occur within themselves and in their milieu. There are two appropriate responses to Interestingly, most people can recognise the need for frustration, you can laugh or you can cry. I prefer laughter, motivating and fun learning experiences for young children it is better because there’s less mopping up to do However, as these same children move into the higher

If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried 44 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD grades and post-secondary experiences, we no longer feel expectations of their job. the need to make learning as enjoyable as we did when 4) Humour is one of many things that makes life worth they were young. I believe this is a mistake which may, in living. Haven’t we all met people who acted like they were part, account for some of the high dropout rates - especially walking around just to save funeral expenses? People who in students with learning and behavioural challenges. Think have a negativistic view of life are making a choice to live of yourself. Don’t you feel you learn more from a lecture and act on their perceptions of life. Unfortunately, some of or speech which is light-hearted and provides motivating those people try to get the rest of us to view life in the same and interesting anecdotes and examples than one which way they do. Just as they have the right to act on their conveys the same content, but in a pedantic or boring choice, we have the right to choose laughter - to see and manner? appreciate the rainbow - whether or not we ever get the pot of gold. We will be better off if we can remember that Special education settings almost always require humour. an optimist and pessimist are right about the same number As I frequent classes and various programmes, I often of times, but the optimist has more fun. encounter both teachers and students who need to learn to “lighten up.” Tena Garas, a humourist, suggests that we Adding Humour to Living and Working replace the “IEP” (Individualised Educational Programme Humour need not be reserved for special times and or Plan) with the “IFP” - the Individualised Fun Plan. places - it can be infused throughout the day, week, month, Because of the attributes of students, special education year, decade, century, millenium... settings do present unique challenges, can be turned into Do something different that will surprise (pleasantly) opportunities for growth, development and an appreciation co-workers or family members. of life. As a former elementary and junior high school Focus only on positive forms of humour. Sarcasm, ridicule teacher, she recalls great laughs at things the students would and negative forms of humour usually only serve to create say and do as well as some of her own mistakes. It helped ill feelings and resentment. her relax and helped them see that they weren’t the only Appreciate the naturally occurring humour at home and ones who made mistakes and that they could contribute to work. People do wacky, weird and funny things - the enjoyment of others. sometimes on purpose; often incidentally or by accident. Try to value those moments. Benefits of Humour Experiment with positive and appropriate jokes. Try 1) Humour serves as a reliever of stress. The physical acts them out with the family before telling them in the workplace. of smiling and laughing relax muscle groups, allow one’s Be aware of the sensitivities of colleagues and family mind to focus on things other than one’s troubles, laughing members about what is funny and what isn’t. Don’t allow leads to the production of endorphins, a biochemical something that is funny for you be turned into a bad substance that gives us a sense of well-being. experience for another person. 2) Humour can create connections between people. When “Lighten up.” Try to ignore or not get ‘stressed out’ by behaviours or events that aren’t very important. Try to select people laugh together, they create connections with each the important issues or rules to be firm about and hold a other. Humour also balances negative experiences of life. stand. In some sense, life leaves us all wounded forever. Laugh Try to separate your work or professional life from anyway. your personal life. Plan for fun and enjoyable activities with 3) Humour can do much to promote more productive work the family during your non-working hours. environments. An historic attitude has been that if people Recognise that one thing that is a constant in work are laughing or having fun on the job, they aren’t working. settings, families (and life) is change. Try to be as flexible First, these two behaviours are not mutually exclusive and, as you can so that you can change as the need arises. second, many jobs today have so much pressure and Examine stressful or negative situations to determine inherent stress, that workers need to laugh just to maintain those elements you have control over and those you do their sanity and carry out their duties. Rather people who not. work in environments where a light-hearted approach to Develop a plan of action to deal with those aspects work is allowed or encouraged, will typically put in more you can control and get help to deal with those things you than what is expected of them and feel good about it. can’t do on your own. Conversely, those work settings where people are Ignore and stop worrying about what others think. monitored closely, where “fun” is frowned upon and where the “bottom line” is the overriding value, create employees Contributed by Perala R. Chakrapani, EnABLErs who do what they have to but won’t go beyond the basic network group at IBM, IBM Pune. The kind of humour I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five seconds and think for ten minutes. William Davis

47 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Gauhati High Court Orders Job Quota For The Disabled Hearing a case filed by Commission (APSC) Arman Ali of Disability law examination, which was Unit-Northeast and challenged for ignoring the Prasanna Kumar Pincha of rights of disabled persons. Rehabilitation Society of the On August 18 last year, the Visually Impaired, Justice APSC came out with an Hawking Plans A Space Flight duo A.H. Saikia and advertisement for holding The acclaimed British H.N.Sarma ordered the the main examination for physicist professor Stephen state government in mid recruitment to different Hawking is planning a flight March to incorporate the categories of civil and police into space to mark his 65th three per cent quota for the services. While reservations birthday, as reported in early disabled people within four were made for OBC, January. This year he is weeks. They also set aside MOBC, SC, ST (plains) and planning a zero gravity flight an earlier interim order ST (hills) candidates, not and to go into space in 2009. staying the holding of the one post was reserved for A “zero-gravity flight” is one Assam Public Service persons with disabilities. in which an Airplane flies in such a way as to render its mission, waiving the Blind Aviator Has Miles To Go passengers temporarily estimated flight cost of Briton Miles Hilton-Barber, weightless, mimicking the £100,000. Hawking, who is 58, who has taken up the condition in space. the Lucasian professor of Herculean task of becoming Hawking’s trip outside the Mathematics at Cambridge the first blind man to fly earth’s atmosphere depends University – a post once halfway across the world, on the progress of British held by Sir Isaac Newton- landed in Bhopal, India, on tycoon Sir Richard was diagnosed with the March 20 with his 100 HP Branson’s Virgin Galactic muscle-wasting condition Flexwing Pegasus Malnair space tourism programme, motor neurone disease at the GT 450 aircraft. Miles is on which aims to carry age of 22. He is in a a mission to raise $1 million his course through these passengers into low-earth wheelchair and speaks with to eradicate blindness from vocal signals. A motivational orbit from next year. British aid of a computer and voice the face of the earth through speaker, Miles has been tycoon Sir Richard Bransons synthesiser. his 13,500-mile aerial suffering from a kind of will sponsor Hawking’s journey from London to genetic blindness for several Sydney. While his co-pilot years now. “Your success Help For Kids With Genetic Disorder Richard Meredith-Hardy lies within a distance of Symptoms of Fragile X mental retardation. Among assists him with the global about five inches between syndrome are -learning girls, it could appear as positioning system (GPS) your ears,” Miles problems in children- subtle learning disability or and such things, Miles flies emphasises, adding, “It is not learning difficulties with a infertility in later life. the aircraft through a your circumstances but your normal IQ or mental The diagnosis for the specially created attitude that decides your impairment. Caused by a syndrome is done only at a computerised system. “I use future.” Mile’s flight is a defect in the X chromosome, handful of centres across a revolutionary speech- part of the Standard it is the most common cause India, including the National output technology to fly the Chartered Bank’s ‘Seeing is of mental retardation Institute for Research in aircraft,” he said, adding, “I Believing’ campaign -an worldwide. Reproductive Health at feed the bearing in a initiative to make a Arising out of a genetic Parel, Delhi University’s bluetooth device that difference to the lives of 10 abnormality, it roughly North Campus and the transmits them to a million blind people by raising affects one in 2,500 boys Centre for Cellular and computer, which in turn $10 million by the World and one in 5,000 girls. Molecular Biology in provides vocal signals to my Sight Day (October 10) in In boys, it may manifest as Hyderabad. headphone.” Miles charts 2010. Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go Oscar Wilde 48 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Clerics Hamper Pak’s Anti-polio Drive Health Ministry Offers Hope For The parents of 24,000 North-West Frontier Hearing-impaired children in northern Pakistan Province, where 60 percent refused to allow health of the refusals were Hearing impairment affects department will also be workers to administer polio attributed to “religious one out of every 12 Indians started in every district vaccinations in January, reasons”. The scare- but has been long ignored. hospital coming under the mostly due to rumours that mongering and appeals to The Union Health ministry pilot phase. Over 40 doctors the harmless vaccine was Islam echoed a similar decided to address the from primary district health an American plot to sterilise campaign in the Nigerian menace of deafness. India, centres will also be taught innocent Muslim children. state of Kano in 2003, where where 25,000 children are to identify, treat and refer The disinformation- spread the disease then spread to born deaf every year, patients with sings of by extremist clerics using 12 polio-free countries over launched its first national progressive deafness. mosque loudspeakers and the following 18 months. programme for prevention Experts say if diagnosed on illegal radio stations, and by Pakistan is one of the just and control of the ailment. time, 50% of the deafness word of mouth- had caused four countries where polio With nearly 6.3% of the cases can be prevented. a sharp jump in polio cases remains endemic. Refusals population suffering from The pilot phase will be in Pakistan and hit global were highest in areas where progressive and acute implemented by the efforts to eradicate the conservative clerics and hearing loss, the year-long Rehabilitation Council of debilitating disease. The self-styled “Pakistani pilot phase of the national India which aims to train World Health Organisation Taliban” fighters hold sway, programme was launched in over one lakh healthcare (WHO) recorded 39 cases flouting government January, in 25 districts personnel from the district of polio in Pakistan in 2006, authority and making their across 12 states. The to grassroots level about up from 28 in 2005. The own strict laws. ministry plans to train one prevention, promotion, early disease is concentrated in ENT surgeon, audiologist identification and and two doctors in a public rehabilitation of all types of Stricter Laws To Curb ‘Magic Cure’ Ads and private hospital of each ear diseases leading to Union health ministry Ramodoss, “Till now, only district under the deafness. decided in January, to advertising of medicines programme. An ENT amend Drugs and Magic was not allowed. After the Remedies (Objectionable amendment comes out, Advertisement) Act, 1954, advertisement of false The Ancient Priestess With A and ban all advertisement of treatment modules will also claims to treating incurable be banned. People have Golden Eye or complicated health started to openly advertise ailments. Punishment is cures for untreatable According to a report of of she could check her startling being enhanced for diseases. The ministry does Febuary, the body of appearance. Italian and advertising magic cures- not want citizens to be taken strikingly tall 5,000-year old Iranian archaeologists made such quacks or doctors may for a ride by such quacks. women with an artificial the discovery at an ancient well land behind bars. The The amendments should be golden eye has been necropolis at Shahr-i-Sokhta penalty as of now is a paltry through in the next six discovered in Iran. in the Sistan desert on the Rs. 500/- Now all advert- months.” The Act presently Archaeologists said the Iranian-Afghan border. ising media- Internet, TV defines “magic remedy” as women was a female “The golden eyeball is and print-are being brought that which includes a soothsayer or priestess and engraved with lines coming under the ambit of the Act talisman, and any other so- would have transfixed those out of a central circle like which at present governs called charms which around her with her eyeball, rays of light. It is a half- only print. The ministry also allegedly possess making them believe she had sphere with a diameter of plans to monitor all Indian miraculous powers of occult powers and could see just over an inch and made advertisements selling diagnosis, cure, mitigation, into the future. The 25-30 from lightweight material medical solutions abroad. treatment or prevention of year-old Persian woman thought to be derived from According to Health any disease in human beings was also buried with an bitumen paste, which is Minister Anumani or animals. ornate bronze hand mirror so painted gold.

Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length. Robert Frost 49 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Surgery ends child’s laughing seizures Clear Delhi’s streets of beggars, Doctors of New Hyde retardation, but doctors Park, New York probed announced on May 3, that says court deep into the centre of a 3- surgery to remove a tumour The Delhi High Court on to spruce up the city ahead year old girl’s brain to save causing hypothalamic February 8, asked the Delhi of 2010 Commonwealth her from her own laughter hamartoma, a condition government and the police Games. Anastasia Lagalla’s leading to ‘gelastic seizures’ to clear the Capital’s streets “The issue involves uncontrollable laughter and that produce uncontrollable of beggars. The Social sociological, human and legal seizures were part of an laughter followed by crying, welfare Department (SWD) perspectives but, at the extremely rare condition that kicking and screaming, had has also been asked to same time, the menace has could have led to mental been successful. ascertain whether an to be firmly dealt with. The organised mafia, which Social Welfare Department UPSC turning a blind eye to maimed children and old and the police have also to visually impaired people after kidnapping ascertain whether many of Even as the disabled whom reached the them, was perpetuating the the beggars had lost their fraternity rejoiced that 18 of interview stage of the civil menace. limbs on account of genetic their kind have been services examination, were The directions come at a disability or handicaps selected in the 2006 civil in deep despair after hearing time when the Delhi caused by maiming or services batch—the highest the results. “This is gross government is chalking out amputation,” the Bench said number in any one batch— injustice to us. How come a strategy to tackle the in the order. there was no cause for all of us who did well enough problem as part of its efforts cheer for the visually in our written examination to impaired. A report of mid- qualify for the interview did Parents jailed for torturing disabled girl May suggests that they so miserably at the have been cheated of the interview that none of us Child protection charities on faeces. quota Parliament promised qualified?” asked one of February 8 called for a The girl had been removed them in the Disability Act them. public inquiry into how a from her natural parents 1995. The 3% quota for the Apparently, in the disabled four-year old was amid concerns that their disabled is supposed, under advertisement for the 2006 returned to her natural relationship was violent. But the Act to be equally shared civil services examination parents who went on to in January 2005 it was between three categories of there was no vacancy subject her to a sustained decided that it was safe for disability—1% each for advertised for the visually campaign of torture that her to go back home. The those visually impaired, impaired at all. This, despite could have killed her. systematic abuse took place hearing impaired and the fact that five services The girl’s parents, Kimberly within weeks of her return. orthopaedically impaired. By have been identified for this Harte, 23, and Samuel Harte was jailed for 11-and- law, therefore, there ought category—IAS, Indian Duncan, 27, were jailed for a-half years and her partner to have been at least 4-5 Railway Personnel Service, 22 years on 8th February by for 10-and-a-half years. visually-impaired persons in Indian Postal Service, Indian a judge who expressed She was in almost constant the selected list of 474 Ordinance Service and concern over social agony until her grandmother candidates. Instead, there is Delhi Andaman and Nicobar workers’ handling of the began to suspect what was just one. Visually-impaired Civil Service (DANICS). case. going on and called in social candidates, at least five of Harte and Duncan had services. A recovering move becoming hard poured boiling water on their They, together with police, There are many patients patients out of the house in daughter’s hands, tore arrived just in time. She had who are confined to their the evening on a wheelchair clumps of hair from her head suffered such horrific homes because of the can do a lot for their fast and kicked her repeatedly in injuries that she would absence of a wheelchair in recovery. A wheelchair the groin. Causing almost certainly have died their lives. Those with hip helps in taking patients to the horrendous bruises and liver without treatment and was and leg fractures, severe hospital or for physiotherapy damage. The girl, who has in such pain she had to be cases of arthritis, paraplegia, but in most of the cases one cerebral palsy, was also examined under general etc find it difficult to move avoids buying wheelchair forced to sleep naked in a anesthetic. about without the help of a because it is needed for a dark toilet and eat her own wheelchair. Taking these few days only. Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. 50 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Wow, India’s disability act walks Father Against Polio Drops, The government on April disabled people. But it is the Child Infected 27opened the bureaucratic third relaxation that holds In Ghaziabad, a 2-yr-old Nepal, Bangladesh and knots that had tied down a the potential for opening its child, Uzefa has been Africa after viruses of a decade old disability law to doors to the disabled persons infected with the Polio virus similar genetic strain to give disabled candidates really wide. Vacancies that type 3, as reported in May. those in India were found to appearing in the elite civil are not filled due to the He was never administered be the causes of infections services examinations a “fair absence of suitable a polio drop, thanks to his in those countries. chance”. candidates would not lapse father Rayees Qureshi, who This made the global As part of this reformist but would accumulate that repeatedly refused polio advisory committee on polio measures, disabled could be filled at a later date. drops. recommend treating P1 candidates appearing for the There were nearly 200 Intervention and subsequent virus as a priority. The India Civil Services Examinations posts in the civil service that coaxing by local Muslim Expert Advisory Group on will get seven rather than the should have been filled by leaders also could not Polio Eradication (IEAF) convince Qureshi. also supported the strategy existing four attempts and disabled candidates but were The virus sample has now because of which most not. The backlog clause candidates who clear the been sent to the Entero immunization rounds in 2006 examination on merit will not implies that the government Research Centre, Mumbai, and 2007 targeted the P1 be counted under the three will have to start filling them to ascertain the genetic tree virus with the Monovalent per cent quota for the up. of the virus and where it Polio Vaccine 1, three times came from. more effective than the Bus Stop Or Death Trap For State health officials now previously used Trivalent plan to scan the entire vaccine. Pedestrians? locality to check if there are A health ministry official Walking in Delhi is a risky then a grafting done for the any other children under five said: “We haven’t really affair. In 2006, over 1,000 left one. She will have to use years of age carrying the concentrated on the P3 pedestrians died and 4,000 an artificial limb once she virus and whether they have virus. This has caused a rise were injured in road recovers. been vaccinated against it. in cases infected by the P3 accidents in the Capital After she underwent three According to experts, India virus which isn’t matter of according to Delhi Police. surgeries, Rajiv Saikia, her is actually the worst worry. It’s a very slow Saikia, a senior employee younger brother, shifted her affected by the P1 virus— moving virus with low with a news portal, lost her to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the most virulent strain. virulence. A few rounds with Most of the outbreaks over MOPV 3 vaccine will wipe right leg on March 12 this where she is under the past six years have been it out. year while trying to catch a observation. caused by the P1 virus A special MOPV 3 round bus. “A medico-legal case has which causes paralysis in was held in nine districts of Saikia was on her way to the been filed and FIR lodged one out of every 200 western Uttar Pradesh in Anand Vihar bus stop to at the Anand Vihar police children, compared to P3 December 2006, including board a bus for her office, station. However, the driver, which causes paralysis in areas like Aligarh, Etah, when a heavily crowded bus who was arrested by the one out of every 1,000 Hathras, Bareilly, Buland- suddenly hit her from behind constable on duty, has been infections. P1 also travels shahar, Moradabad, J P and crushed her legs. released on bail. But we faster and has caused all Nagar and Rampur. In cases of polio due to March, another MOPV 3 Her legs were under the left would demand a big importation in nations. In round was held in Badaun, front wheel for about 20 compensation for the September 2006, WHO Moradabad, Bareilly and JP minutes and the damage physical and mental agony accused India of actively Nagar.” was so severe that the right that my sister is exporting P1 polio virus to leg had to be amputated and undergoing,” said Rajiv. This rescue costs him dear A tree surgeon rescued by helicopter after he broke his leg extra cuts and bruises after he was swung into a second in a 130 ft tree, suffered further injuries when he was swung tree while being lifted out of the first. High winds and into another tree. Gavin Finch, 31, of Marlborough, New surrounding trees and power lines meant it had not been an Zealand, was near the top of the tree when the initial accident easy rescue, Greenberg said. Finch reached a stable happened. Rescuers decided to airlift him. Westpac rescue condition in Wairau Hospital, Blenheim, in February. helicopter spokesman Dave Greenberg said Finch suffered The trouble with doing something right the first time is that no body appreciates how difficult it was. 51 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

Man On Wheelchair Gets A Push Children run Pulse Polio booths

From Truck At 80 Kph Making a mockery of the engaged for the three-day A man was taken on the much-publicised, nationwide exercise and were promised wildest ride of his life when Pulse Polio campaign, a Rs. 25 a day by their his wheelchair became couple of booths in supervisor Harvinder lodged in the grill of a truck Gurgaon’s Palam Vihar Kumar. At Booth No. 45 and accidentally pushed Colony were left under the near Chancellor Club also down a motorway at 80 kph, command of 12-13-year-old three class VII students of Ben Carpenter, who was children, on May 20. The the Government High when his wheelchair strapped in his wheelchair, children studying in Class School in Gurgaon village became lodged in the truck’s was pushed for 6 km before XI/VII were administering were running the show on grille. “He’s so low that the police managed to alert the the polio vaccine to infants, their own. truck driver couldn’t see disbelieving driver. while the adult volunteers The apathetic attitude of the him, and the truck headed Amazingly he was not hurt responsible for manning the authorities, was evident out,” his father Donald in high high-speed booths did not even bother even in the state of the Carpenter said. The bizarre adventure. Carpenter, had to leave their telephone booths. There were no sight caught the attention of started to cross at an numbers behind. tables and chairs. The motorists, many of whom intersection in Paw Paw, The children said that iceboxes carrying the called authorities on their Michigan, where the truck volunteers would visit the vaccines were lying on the cell phones. But Carpenter, had stopped for a red light. booth once or twice during dusty ground. The children who escaped injury, was The light changed to green the day just to inspect the said about the work, “We apparently unfazed by the and Ben, who has muscular development.Three children have administered vaccine incident. “It was quite a dystrophy, was shocked aged around 12-13 years at to 109 children since ride,” he told. Booth No. 46 near Mother morning.” Dairy in Palam Vihar were No charge for special services: HC The Delhi High Court on week on efforts made to March 16, forbade the make airports more Airports Authority of India accessible to the disabled. (AAI) and the airlines from The Bench warned it would charging any fee for summon the managing providing special services to directors and chairpersons if disabled persons. its directions were not A division Bench comprising complied with. Justice Swatanter Kumar The court has also directed Disabled-friendly hostel in IP and Justice Hima Kohli for setting up ramps for the passed the order, after it was physically challenged as College soon informed that the airline provided under the PWD The Indraprastha College residents. companies, instead of Act, 1995, which mandates for Women, New Delhi, is The college has built ramps making services disabled- the Union government and all set to have a new all over the premises to friendly, were charging for the state governments to disabled-friendly hostel from facilitate movement of the their special services such provide the facility for them. this academic year, equipped physically disabled students as ambulifts and wheelchair It further instructed AAI to with amphitheatre, bank and from class rooms to library facilities. replace outdated buses used a studio for mass to canteen. They have The Bench also directed the to ferry passengers to the communication. The new recently developed a section airlines to refund the fee aircraft with new ones hostel will have 140 rooms of dictionaries and books in charged for services with- which were more disabled- with 200 seats and will have Braille for the visually a special accommodation impaired. in a month and asked them friendly. facility for the guests of to file a status report in a Earth is the insane asylum of the Universe. Public Notice Career Opportunities in the Special Education & Disability Rehabilitation, at our recognized Institutions

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Rehabilitation Council of India (A Statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) B-22, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110016 Ph.: 91-011-26856892, 26534287, 26532408, 26532816 Fax: 91-011-26534291 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], website:http//rehabcouncil.nic.in 53 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD 4,000 NGO funds files missing 40-yr-old lives after cooker Preliminary estimates have database is around 10,000 handle pierces brain established that around 762 but the manual database voluntary organisation owe records only 6,000. Forty-year-old Tarabai when she reached the Rs. 21.1 crore to CAPART. Moreover a physical Thengil of Pune, had a hospital. A group of These estimates are based verification of available files, miraculous escape on surgeons undertook a five- on details known from just carried out in March 2007, February 19 after the lid of hour-long surgery to save 301 missing files. The total showed there were only cooker’s pierced through the lady. number of missing files is around 4,000 files in all. her right eye, up through the Astonishingly, Tarabai has feared to be over 4,000. CAPART is working to brain. Referred to Jehangir not only survived, but is Minister Raghuvansh Pd. understand the discrepancy hospital, Tarabai was recuperating and is able to Singh says CAPART has in numbers. been ‘soiled in mud from the In March after a first round barely alive, with the handle move her limbs and obey very beginning.’ of inquiry, CAPART listed lodged firmly in her head commands to yawn. Around 4,000 files related to details of 81 missing files unaccounted funds and sent them to the CBI for Blueline-hit doc gets Rs. 36 lakh disbursed to voluntary a probe. And on May 30, a A doctor who suffered in his right leg. organisations are feared second list of 200 files was partial disability in one of his “It is well established that sent. missing from the office of legs after being hit by a Prasun Ghosh (the doctor) the Council for Plans for a major internal recklessly-driven Blue-line sustained injuries on Advancement of People’s restructuring of CAPART Action and Rural were disussed at a meeting bus nine years ago, has been account of negligent driving Technology (CAPART). As convened by the Prime awarded compensation of by the driver of the bus,” CAPART works on a major Minister’s principal Rs. 36 lakh by a Motor said additional sessions internal inquiry, details are secretary T.K.A. Nair on Accident Claim Tribunal. judge Gurdeep Singh in a emerging that could add up June 8. Prasun Ghosh, a surgeon, order in February: to a massive financial Voluntary organisation was riding his scooter on In a petition through counsel scandal involving public (VOs) will soon have to November 19, 1997, when Yoginder Vasisht had money. comply with provisions of he was hit by a bus coming contended before the CAPART functions under the RTI Act that require on the wrong side of the Tribunal that he had to the ministry of rural “proactive disclosures” of road near Mota Singh undergo surgeries for a long development. It is the only assets and expenditures. Marg, New Delhi. He government organisation in The feasibility of a central time because of the the world that directly funds law for registration of non- suffered multiple fractures accident. non-governmental governmental organisations organisations (NGOs). (NGOs) is also being Her skull got separated from spine The recoverable amount, examined. The move follows Shannon Malloy was difficulty swallowing. She details of which may have numerous complaints critically injured on January was not paralysed. been lost for ever, could run regarding the outdated ways 25 when a car crash Dr. Gary Ghiselli, an into hundreds of crores.The of funding schemes, slammed her into the orthopadic spine surgeon at total number of “active files” arbitrary procedures and the dashboard. Her skull got the Denver Spine Centre, in CAPART’s electronic misuse of funds by NGOs. separated from her spine, said a will to survive kept Suicide by mother and although her skin, spinal cord Malloy, 30, alive long and other internal organs enough for surgeons to mentally retarded children remained intact. insert screws in her head A car accident at Paud near challenged children. Neha The rare condition, clinically and neck and attach a halo Pune on January 3, in which Manoj Khatan (36), wife of known as internal to minimise movement—no an Opel Corsa fell into a a small-scale industrialist, decapitation, left her with no easy task. deep valley has turned out ended herself and her two control over her head. Doctors eventually stabilised to be a heart-wrenching mentally-challenged Her injuries left Malloy with her head and strengthened case of suicide by a young children, Chahat (12) and nerve damage that made her neck. The halo has since mother and her two mentally Nipun (2). her eyes cross, and she has been removed. He who does not get fun and enjoyment out of every day... needs to reorganise his life. George M Adams 54 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD Adventure beat paralysis, wins polar race A decade ago Christopher committed to reducing the In Budget speech, in February, Railway Minister Lalu Mike faced possible incidence of testicular and Prasad said the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala would paralysis from serious back prostate cancers. The event roll out special coaches for the disabled, to be attached to major trains “in a phased manner.” In air-conditioned injuries, so winning a is described as world’s coaches, 24 seats will be reserved for such passengers and grueling two-week race toughest polar race but there will be specially designed toilets. The Rail Coach across the Arctic, in May, Mike said, “I was in a lot Factory is in the process of rolling out 1,250 such coaches, after a year’s training was of pain and this led to he said. a major personal triumph. depression but I resolved to Mike, 48, and two fight it and opted for The Bombay high court has awarded Rs 4-lakh colleagues in team bearing chiropractic rather then compensation to a visually-impaired man, in March, who 360 North beat seven other conventional medicine and lost both his legs after falling off a train. The high court also trios to win annual Polar I have made a pretty much criticised the railways’ appeal against the Railway Claims Challenge, a 350 mile race full recovery. So for me, at Tribunal (RCT) order. Vijay Patil (26), a toy seller from through freezing condition a purely selfish level, this Satara, was awarded the compensation by the RCT after he fell from a train in Dadar on July 6, 2003. The accident to the north pole, and was about me conquering resulted in amputation of both his legs. raised over $100,000 for that. It has meant great deal Orchid, a charity to me.” Fourteen people reportedly underwent surgery at the eye camp in Bhabanipatna District Headquarter Hospital Blade runner on January 22. All of them were above 60. A few days later, People need to seriously World Championships. In 11 of the patients returned to the hospital, complaining of rethink the question of who 2006, he not only beat severe pain in their eyes. It was found that their eyes had is actually eligible to take single leg amputees in the been infected. These patients were operated on again. But part in the Olympics. 200 meters final, but his that did not save 10 of them from going completely blind. Answer is, those who made timing of 21.66 seconds minimum qualifying was faster then the 1920 requirements and those regular Olympic games who don’t do steroids. So record of 22 seconds for what about an athlete who men. The current record is is physically disabled? Such 19.79 seconds.Yet Oscar, a person is Oscar Pistorius, who now wants to compete the 20-year-old south in next year’s Olympics, African sprinter, who’s has run into formidable known as “The fastest things bureaucratic hurdles. on no legs” because he was Officials from the Shooting star born without shin bones International Association Of and had his legs amputated Athletics Federation Naresh Sharma contracted Badorb, Germany, in May, below the knees as a child. (IAAF) met in Monaco in polio when he was six to clinch gold. This is five Later, fitted with carbon- March, to wonder whether months old. Even with 86 points better than the best fibre limb extension blades his “feet” should be percent of disability he has score by any Indian in the and a whole lot of regarded as the equivalent managed to score 594/600 three World Cups this year determination, he has of running shoes or illicit shots in the rifle prone in prone category. The regularly given jaw- performance enhancers. category at the Shooting performance in Europe is dropping performances at Only if they approve will he Grandprix in the 13th just a start for the 35-year- the Paralympic Games and make it to Beijing. Hessian Grand Prix in old Delhiite. News compiled by Sandeep Singh and Yogesh Kumar The trouble with being punctual is that nobody’s there to appreciate it.

57 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

With malice towards none

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. 58 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD DISABLED FRIENDLY TOURIST GUIDE FOR DELHI (2006) Published by : The Office of Chief Commissioner- Early Management Disabilities, of Cerebral Palsy Based on Authors: S .V. Bole & V. S. Bole Survey & Publisher: Jaypee Brothers Evaluation Medical Publishers (P) Ltd., B-3 by Poorna Emca House, 23/23-B Ansari Samadhan Road, Daryaganj, Delhi Pages: 27 Price: Rs.125/- Pages: 92 The concept of tourism for the people with reduced mobility The original booklet entitled Early is relatively new in India. Perhaps no one thought or Management of Cerebral Palsy was published after the advocated, not even disabled people themselves that they workshop on the same subject which was financed by the have equal rights to live their lives to the fullest regardless UNICEF, in 1983. Since then and until now, many new of their disabilities and the society must change their attitude treatment techniques, and management theories have and infrastructure until the focus world over shifted from evolved. And with the advancement of Occupational the Medical Model of Disability to the Social Model of Therapy approaches to the problem of developmental Disability. With the thrust on the disability as a rights disabilities, it was necessary that the original book be movement and increased awareness, the disabled people reviewed and revised using the latest methods of early in India have started advocating for their rights but a cursory intervention for the prevention of disabilities in children. look at the pubic infrastructure would reveal how many places are accessible to them. The extra chapter on the history of Occupational Therapy in India has been added. The material published is the In this backdrop, the first initiative of Poorna Samadhan, original experience of the authors in the Kalawati Saran an NGO is commendable. Equally appreciable is the Children Hospital and the All India Institute of Medical healthy spirit of the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Sciences (both in New Delhi) and their private practice in Persons with Disabilities to have come forward and publish the community as consultants. this brief survey on certain areas of tourist attraction with an angle of access for disabled people under the name of When the natural interplay between mother and child does Disabled Friendly Tourist Guide for Delhi. not take place because of the developmental delay in the child or due to the fact that the child is probably having However, the information presented in the Guide under cerebral palsy, this leads to a lot of frustration. With early review is not exhaustive enough and does not provide the intervention and proper handling, such problem can be clear picture of accessibility of the area. Which means it alleviated and disabilities prevented. does not provide the user – an informed choice about a place to be visited. Many places that do not provide We have tried to share our experiences, giving practical independent access have been shown to be accessible. It guidelines and suggestions for therapy. And making special covers only few select places from tourist’s attraction point equipments using inexpensive material. A number of of view. But it does not cater to resident population with diagrams and pictures have been used to make it clear for disabilities as it is not everyday they visit the tourist places the reader to understand and follow the book. If timely in the course of their daily lives. care is given and proper referrals are made a lot of child hood disabilities can be prevented. Svayam – an initiative of Sminu Jindal Charitable Trust,

There are some things so serious you have to laugh at them. Niels Bohr 59 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD New Delhi- has done an exhaustive survey on the Delhi Heather Mills on Access Guide for not only the tourists but also for the local Dancing with the Stars user groups who wish to visit different places in the city ranging from hotel to zoo, from shopping malls to markets and tourists’ attractions as well. The whole information is available in form of “Delhi Access Guide” on www.svayam.com

-Subhash Chandra Vashishth Developmental Therapist & Advocate, Programme Coordinator, Svayam – an initiative of Sminu Jindal Charitable Trust, New Delhi, India Email : [email protected]

HANSI KA KHAZANA Heather Mills stepped up and showed she can dance on a Author: Jitender Pal prosthetic leg. Gracefully. Singh alias ‘Jolly Uncle’ Mill’s appearance on Dancing with the Stars in the night Publisher: on 19 March had been eagerly awaited, amid public Imagine International, speculation that she might experience trouble. 15-16/5 Naraina, The ABC dancing contest, returning for its fourth season, Phase—1 (Near PVR was a big hit in the past. But adding a new level of interest cinemas) Community was the presence of the 39-year-old activist and estranged Centre, New Delhi- wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney as one of the 11 110028 celebrity contestants. Tel:65453115, Mills was kept until next to last on the live, two-hour 9810064112 broadcast. She proved graceful in a foxtrot with her partner Fax: 45418073 Jonathan Roberts. The routine even included a kick with her artificial left leg. Mills told viewers she hoped her E-mail: [email protected] appearance would inspire others with a disability: “A little Pages: 144, Price: Rs. 60/- kid sitting there who’s just lost a limb—I hope they’re gonna go, ‘Oh, I can” Mills lost the lower part of her left leg in a Haansi ka Khazana is a cocktail of jokes comprising traffic accident 14 years ago. variety of subjects. Author J.P Singh Jolly who prefers being called Jolly Uncle has compartmentalised his book into ten Dhruv Lip-Syncs His way to Box Office success different segments like—politics, medicine, friends, law, In a forthcoming Kanada movie, Snehanjali, 25-year-old criminal and police, etc. The book written in simple Hindi Dhruv, congenitally impaired of speech and hearing abilities, contains over 600 short and crisp jokes for all occasions has pulled off the unimaginable feat of acting in a lead role. and age groups. Dhruv has lip-synced dialogues and songs with such ease and dexterity that viewers fail to realise that he has never Jolly Uncle has dedicated HKK to severely disabled and spoken or heard a sound in his entire life. terminally sick people who are confined to their bed or Dhruv has also played cricket and represented India in the immediate environment. He was inspired to write this book Deaf Cricket World Cup in 2005. He grew interested in after his younger brother became bed ridden following a acting a year ago when he accompanied his father to a spinal injury. HKK is a good companion both in the time dubbing studio. He was awe struck by the fact that voices of distress and joy and deserves to be kept handy in every actually have to be dubbed for the screen and are not family. recorded at the place of shooting. His sense of timing with Major Dharam Chand (Retd.) regard to dialogue-delivery is admirable.

Success is a lousy teacher. It reduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose. Bill Gates 60 Jan-June 2007 The VOICE of FOD

at the main happenings in the past six-months at Family Of Disabled.

13 persons with 31 individuals (25 male and 6 female) were assisted in different disabilities their socio-economic rehabilitation through Apna Rozgaar were provided with Scheme of FOD so that they can sustain themselves as necessary aids & well as their families. With this FOD has expanded ARS to appliances for different parts of Haryana enabling 10 individuals to self- smooth functioning employ themselves. The total number of people who have of their activities of availed Apna Rozgaar facility so far has reached 312. daily living and to aid their mobility Momin Musfira, a child with cerebral palsy, seems pleased to receive junior wheel chair in the month of January.

A group of 14 disabled people and their families (total 24) residing in different parts of Delhi were taken on a Vikas, who has polio in his left lower limb, was visit to holy city Haridwar from June 9 to 11. FOD initiated into a trade of fruit selling in February, sponsored the transportation. under Apna Rozgaar Scheme FOD conducted surveys in selected JJ colonies of FOD participated in Abilities Mela organised by west Delhi to identify people with disabilities and their Business & Community Foundation and Blind Relief specific needs and help them accordingly, if possible. The Association on February 10 and 11. A variety of products surveys sponsored by RC Malhotra Foundation Trust, were made by disabled artists/artisans, especially paintings in a conducted in the month of May and June. Few of the variety of sizes were displayed and retailed to showcase identified individuals have already been enrolled in ARS their skills. and/or provided the aid/ appliance as per the need.

DECLARATION Statement About Ownership and Other Particulars About the Newsletter The Voice of FOD on Form IV (see Rule 8) 1. Place of Publication : New Delhi 2. Periodicity of Publication : Six Monthly (bi-annual) 3. Printer’s Name : Rajinder Johar. Whether citizen of India : Yes, Address : B-1/500, Janakpuri, New Delhi-58 4. Publisher’s Name : Rajinder Johar. Whether citizen of India : Yes, Address : B-1/500, Janakpuri, New Delhi-58 5. Editor’s Name : Rajinder Johar. Whether citizen of India : Yes, Address : B-1/500, Janakpuri, New Delhi-58 6. Name and address of individuals who own the newsletter, and partners or shareholders holding more than one percent of the total capital : Family Of Disabled, B-1/500, Janakpuri, New Delhi-58 I, Rajinder Johar, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to best of my knowledge and belief. Rajinder Johar

Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation Oscar Wilde