The Invisibles…Extraordinary People in Extraordinary Bodies
Despite amazing physical challenges, Diane DeVries received a Master’s Degree in Social Work and spends her time in service for others. She was born without arms or legs in 1950, during an era when disability rights and “accessibility” were unheard of. Rather than choosing to languish in a convalescent home or become an exhibit in a circus, she steadfastly pursued an education that allowed her to live independently outside the “system.” She and others with similar stories are an inspiration to us all.
The Forgotten Epidemic
Fifty years ago, our nation was ravaged by a mysterious virus known as polio. Survivors of this dreaded disease are our second largest “disabilities” group, yet many young people today know nothing about polio or its history. This April, 2005, will herald the 50 year anniversary of the Salk Vaccine, whose administration on a nationwide scale stamped out “wild polio” in the U.S. This film examines the quality of life experienced by polio survivors, and also explores the changes we’ve seen in the disabilities movement in the last half-century. We are reminded and inspired by a time in America’s history when we rallied for a cause and eventually won out against a mysterious and decimating disease. The results of the epidemic’s devastation radically impacted our understanding then, and now, of medical science, and our awareness as a culture has been raised by the special needs of the survivors. Remembering and comprehending what we’ve been through in our recent past allows us to put our current experiences into a more balanced perspective.