Making a special day meaningful

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), which fell on December 3, was marked with a number of interesting events that took place not only in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor but throughout the nation.

And although I was not able to be present for all of them, I was, nonetheless, filled in on what transpired in the activities from my disabled chums who attended them.

Here are highlights of some of the best of them – plus points for further improvement to consider when organising follow up programmes.

A local hospital in KL held a two-day IDPD event which included a forum, exhibition and activities. This was good because IDPD occasions often gave hope for persons who became permanently paralysed from accidents, illnesses and old age.

I was sure that patients in the hospital who were still struggling in accepting their new life of disability would have found it a little more convincing that life in a wheelchair was not the end of the road for them.

Furthermore, witnessing former patients getting on with their lives at home and interacting with them in the event would have made a world of difference to them. These things always do, although the results were often not immediately felt.

Having said that though, perhaps the organisers might want to consider moving away from a hospital setting next year and have their IDPD in a more “normal” setting?

How about having the event in a popular shopping complex, watching the premier of a blockbuster movie, visiting a park or even the zoo?

Although it should not, but hospitals still spook many people. Nobody wants to be branded as a “patient” forever. Exposures to the above venues can be followed up by getting the patient to talk about their feelings and experience.

It would also be an eye opening opportunity for the medical doctors and staff to be able to interact with their patients in a non-medical environment.

I hate to see handicapped people portrayed in a negative light which our local television tends to do a lot. The saddest of tunes are aired when there is a person in a wheelchair.

The worst scene is when a doctor tells a distraught family waiting to hear the condition of their child that although he will survive, he was going to be paralysed for the rest of his life.

The doctor was implying that it would be better for the child to have died than to live life as a person with a disability.

I was glad to see Astro's Tamil channel Vaanavil move away from such negative perceptions when they invited a disabled guest to speak live on IDPD.

The handicapped gentleman, who was paralysed from the neck down, told his story of how he struggled with his disability after a head on collision of his car with an oncoming lorry.

He confessed live on air on how he attempted to take his life several times but was fortunately unsuccessful at it. It was not until he met other disabled people like him that challenged him to pick up his life again.

Today, he runs a self-help centre that is dedicated to helping other people like him. It is these kinds of stories which our Malaysian society needs to hear when it comes to people with disabilities.

And broadcasters can play a pivotal role in helping to change the negative perceptions that some people currently have about disability.

Finally, the Welfare Department (JKM) held its IDPD celebrations at the Putra World Trade Centre in KL. As usual, awards were given out to disabled persons for their personal achievements.

Although recognition like this for disabled Malaysians is most commendable, JKM should cast a wider net in future occasions to include ordinary people as well instead of only academics or highly talented persons.

I am talking about simple disabled Malaysians who lead extraordinary lives by being the breadwinner in their families. I am thinking about a disabled woman hawker I met who runs her own humble food stall in Petaling Jaya.

Because of the location of her stall, she had to leave her parents in KL and rent a room nearby from where she wheels herself to work every day, come rain or shine.

Although she did not have a chance to go to school, JKM should create a category for people like these who are doing their darndest to eke out a living against the odds.

Quite a few of the disabled guests at JKM's event complained that the food was not served on time, causing them upset stomachs because of their medication.

JKM should consider serving food promptly. There were also no able-bodied volunteers to welcome them and assist them into their wheelchairs.

The ones who faced the most difficulty were those who were directed to the underground parking which was deserted.

JKM, please consider hiring volunteers if you were understaffed.

After all, this was their special day. – December 7, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.