Consumer Profiles
- Michael Armstrong, Nova Scotia
- Lucie Lemieux-Brassard, Quebec
- Sharron Garrah, Ontario
- Debbie Guertin, Ontario
- Joe Hearn, Manitoba
- Deborah Kennard, Quebec
- Gabrielle Lightfoot, British Columbia
- Denis Lévesque, Quebec
- Kelly Nadeau, Alberta
- Wendy Pederson, Alberta
- André Robichaud, New Brunswick
- Lise Valiére, Ontario
Michael Armstrong
Nova Scotia
Roses, man, he says as he organizes a dozen of them in a bucket. They keep me going.
So says Michael Armstrong or Twelve as he prefers to be known. The name Twelve comes from the 12 stories he fell from a quarry when out for a routine run. He broke most bones in his body, fractured his skull and spent three months in a coma. Twelve then spent over a year and a half in hospital, going from a wheelchair to using a cane, against all expectations of survival or recovering.
After rehabilitation in his native Halifax, Twelve decided to sell roses rather than go on social assistance. In his words, I'm doing my best to live and survive. Indeed his fierce determination to live life to the fullest on his own terms is an example of someone living the IL philosophy.
Even though he has faced difficult realities in life, his eyes light up when he talks about roses. They bring him joy, inner peace and a purpose in life. For Twelve, roses give him the motivation to keep going every day.
In 1991, after an accident, Lucie Lemieux-Brassards life took a sharp turn. She became a wheelchair user, and had to quit her job because there was no elevator available to her second story office. Despite the challenges, Lucie didn't give up. Instead, she battled with her depression, and rose to new heights as a committed defender of the rights of persons with disabilities.
Lucie lives in Montreal with her husband and son. Since her accident, many doctors have told her that she faces too many challenges to appropriately raise a family. She consistently proves them wrong, demonstrating that people with disabilities can be full and active members of the community.
Lucie's belief in the full citizenship of people with disabilities led her to enroll in law school. She has committed to use her skills as a lawyer to advance the rights of Canadians with disabilities. In particular, Lucie has become very active in numerous provincial and national disability organizations.
Sharron Garrah lives the Independent Living (IL) philosophy in every aspect of her life. In 1983 she began work for the IL Centre of Waterloo Region, Ontario as an attendant in a Supportive Housing Project. As her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) progressed, she switched to a supervisory position and later resigned to become a consumer of attendant services herself. She has also remained active with her community.
Her activities include: joining the Centres Board of Directors and becoming President in 1999; participating in the Kids on the Block Speakers Bureau, joining the planning committee for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities; becoming a Board Member for the local MS Chapter and being a resource to others with MS; being active with her church; being a member of the Regions Specialized Transit Services Advisory Committee; and recently she joined a gliding program for persons with disabilities. That is only a short list of her accomplishments.
Sharron's experiences have deepened her appreciation of the Independent Living philosophy. In her own words, I do what I can, when I can, and I don't stress about what I can't do anymore... We are just average people living average lives... I view my circumstances in terms of two choices: I can sit back and wallow, or I can get on with life. And getting on with life is the choice I make. Independent Living is about creating a life for yourself.
Debbie Guertin joined the professional services firm of Ernst & Young LLP in October 1972 in the Central Typing Pool and worked as a dicta typist and then as a mag card operator. Those were the days when Financial Statements were prepared without the benefit of a computer. Prior to this she also worked for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
She is now a key member of the Greater Toronto Area Mail Centre for Ernst & Young, and plays a major role in assisting with all the firm's distributions. Debbie is an active member of the Health & Safety and Recognition & Reward Nomination Committees for her firm.
In her leisure time, Debbie has been the President of the Glenvale Players, a theatre group in Toronto for people who are visually impaired or blind. Debbie has produced and acted in several plays and enthusiastically promotes upcoming events of the group. She has also done the Terry Fox run for several years and raises money for the guide dog school in Oakville.
All of Debbie's colleagues at Ernst & Young are very proud of her accomplishments over the past thirty years. For members of the disabled community, Debbie's achievements are also an example of someone who lives life fully and independently, which is consistent with the Independent Living philosophy was celebrated nationally on December 3rd, 2002.
A few years ago, the Winnipeg Centre called Joe Hearn to ask him whether he would be interested in volunteering for the front desk reception area. And the story just improves from hereon in. Joe had been out of the workforce for fifteen years and he had always believed that he should be able to manage without home supports. The job offer gave him a perspective that allowed him to see that asking for help at home was all right. And so he became the welcoming voice for the Winnipeg Centre. And his life improved in a myriad of ways.
Joe soon became part of the Self Managed Employment Training program in order to apply for the receptionist position and in 1999 he attained his goal. Working has been not only validating for Joe but also empowering. His voice and opinion count for something. He describes the experience of working as euphoria that does not wear off. He tackles more now, being the part time Information and Referral Consultant and those he meets receive counselling and information that come from a person steeped and wise in the ways of Independent Living. Today, Joe is a happy man, a contributing person who values the life he now lives and he passes on to others what it means to be fully rooted in IL philosophy.
In 2002, Deborah Kennard received the Consumer Award of the year from the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres. The award recognizes an individual who has overcome the odds in deciding upon and taking a course of action that fulfills a career or personal goal.
Deb was born into a supportive family of two sisters and one brother. At the age of twelve, the family settled down in an English-speaking section of Montreal. In her early-twenties, Deb lived in a hospital for a number of years. Later, she was moved to an all French-speaking Rehabilitation Centre. Deb rose to the challenge and learned the new language, developed her own set of Independent Living skills, and eventually enrolled at McGill University, where she studied psychology.
Most recently, Deborah was a founding member of the city's first Independent Living Resource Centre. Her fluency in both French and English was critical for the development of the ILRC, and her leadership has been pivotal in its development.
Gabrielle Lightfoot
British Columbia
Gabrielle Lightfoot was born with a congenital hip problem but she hasn't allowed this disability to interfere with leading a very creative life, instilling in her arts a sense of hope and continuity, as well as aspirations and goals and encouraging others to go after them as she has done. A resident of Richmond since 1971, she is now an entrepreneur with her own art and design business called Earth Angel Creations.
Gabrielle's first contact with the Richmond Centre came about because she needed a scooter. The Centre managed to get someone to donate one and since that time Gabrielle has become more and more involved with the work the Centre does. Working with the Centre, she is in the process of creating her own web space to sell her arts and crafts. Gabrielle is fifty-one. Her creative streak came to her about a decade ago. She believes profoundly in the IL philosophy and is proof that within every individual can be found the seeds for a rich and contributing and fulfilling life. She is in every sense an ambassador for IL.
Denis Levesque was born with Spinabifida, and although he has faced many barriers to full inclusion, he has always challenged the system and won.
Denis lives in Trois-Pistoles, Quebec, and works at the Independent Living Resource Centre in that community. The determination of his parents meant that Denis attended regular public school alongside his non-disabled peers. Later, Denis went to technical school and graduated with a Social Services diploma. Denis now uses his personal and professional commitment to Independent Living to help others in his community.
Like many of us, Denis plans to continue working to support and raise his family. In his future, Denis would like to travel to the Isle of Basques and learn to ride an adapted bicycle.
Maybe it was the inspiration of miners from the gold rush of 98 that gave Kelly Nadeau, born in Dawson City, Yukon the determination to overcome barriers and to go for the gold.
Kelly has always had poor vision. He worked in the oil and gas industry and in auto retail. In 1994 when he became legally blind, Kelly decided to change course. He sought support from Vernon Disability Resource Centre, BC to explore his options. While he earned a diploma in business administration, he worked part-time at the Centre. Since 1999 Kelly has coordinated Navigating the Waters in Vernon, an IL Canada national program that supports persons with disabilities to pursue their employment goals.
In his leisure time Kelly enjoys sports. Once a skier, Kelly now embraces snowboarding. In 2002 he joined Lucas Grossi (Gimps on the Glacier) and his team to compete at the United States Adaptive Snowboarding Association (USASA) finals in Mammoth, California to win gold in two events. Kelly's story is featured in the Winter 2002 edition of Abilities Magazine. With a little help from his friends and the IL philosophy, Kelly also encourages job seekers with disabilities to follow their dreams and to go for the gold.
Its Black & White: Wendy Pederson is full of colour! Although this grandmother of two suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that causes her to deal with severe bouts of depression, as well as, diabetes that has started to affect her vision, she is in the process of starting her own company (Crafty Cougar Designs). She is also building her own website around her original creations artwork that has been sold in places such as Australia, United States and, of course, Canada.
This lovely and vivacious woman is the caretaker of the building where she resides and is currently attending Bow Valley College part-time to gain her degree in Interior Decorating. She is also preparing her masterpieces in Western & Native leatherwork for five craft sales coming up in November.
Wendy has always been an active person. Over the years she has volunteered with Self Help as a receptionist, at the Calgary Urban Project Society teaching native art and has helped in fundraising.
The untold story in Canada is black & white. The ability of persons with disabilities to participate and contribute is untapped, untold, unlimited and Wendy says, Life is not all black & white, but one must make ones own colours. She may have been untapped and untold but she is definitely unlimited!
Although André was born with renal disease and undergoes dialysis during the night, that hasn't stopped him from pursuing his goals.
André is determined to remain independent and active in spite of the hurdles in his way. Even while in dialysis, he kept on studying and finished high school. Thanks to a first successful kidney transplant, he experienced what it was like to be full of energy for the first time in his life. He was able to complete his post-secondary studies and then found a full-time job in a Community Access Centre.
Two years ago, André's health once again began to deteriorate and his system rejected his transplanted kidney. He had no other choice but to start night dialysis once again. This hasn't stopped him from wanting to work, and today, he is still employed at the same Community Access Centre.
What are his plans for the future? André wants to study computer science and build a career for himself in that field. André says the services and support he received from the IL Centre in Shippagan really enabled him to sustain his desire to remain independent.
Lise is a sensitive person, with a sense of humour that is so discreet; there are times she does not even realize just how funny she is. Everyone who comes into contact with her loves her.
For the past eight years Lise has been working part-time at the disABILITY Resource Centre for Independent Living in Kapuskasing. She has a knack for making people feel comfortable and not loosing sight of one of the most important beliefs in life & to believe in themselves. On her days off she gives support to others by providing respite to parents of young adults with disabilities.
What is remarkable about her story is that Lise has wrestled with the demons of depression, panic attacks and low self-esteem since childhood. With the support of the Centre in Kapuskasing and a good psychiatrist, she was able to build her self-esteem and self-confidence to the point where she can give back to others and lead an independent life. There had been days when I wondered if I would still be here on this Earth. There were times in my life when I wanted the sadness to end says Lise. The Centre has given me my life back.
