World Spina Bifida Day

I don't write a lot about my disability because although it is a huge part of who I am, Spina Bifida is not all that I am. It is not something I intentionally avoid writing about; it's just that there's more to my life that I prefer to share. I've also always been a private person, so the challenges I face daily because of being born with Spina Bifida are mostly kept to myself or shared only with close family and friends. 

I believe in the importance of raising awareness, but there are many ways to do that. I do so by quietly living my life while still advocating for people with disabilities. I am always open to answering questions; you just won't see me outright posting about it too often. Don't get me wrong, though; when I see something isn't right or violates ADA, I speak up and advocate for change. We live in a world that isn't completely accessible for people with disabilities. One of the most effective ways to change that is to address it with the people who have the power to do something about it, not just post about it on social media (although, that can also be effective).

While every day is Spina Bifida Day for me, today I will take some extra time out to celebrate who I am and all that I can do. I'm wearing my teal and yellow (thankfully, they complement each other well!), as these are the most widely used colors to show support for people with Spina Bifida. The annual Walk-n-Roll for Spina Bifida is typically one mile long. Since we've gone virtual this year, I'll do this on my own. I had planned on walking half a mile, then rolling on my tabletop hand cycle for another half a mile. However, because of the rain, I'll do the entire mile on my hand cycle. I don't mind walking in the rain. In fact, I enjoy it. However, as you can see from the picture below, there are a lot of leaves on the ground. I'd rather not take the chance on slipping on them. Throughout the day, I'll also enjoy the discussions and activities online.

Happy World Spina Bifida Day!

From a rare afternoon walk on October 22, 2020