Lynell's Tribute ~ Disability Voice Chat

By Irene Vigo

Since the inception of The Americans with Disabilities Act, which became federal law in 1990, there has been some change in the mind set of how we view people with disabilities. When I was in college, the transformation was apparent in the language we used when we referred to persons with a disability. It was no longer politically correct or accurate to refer to someone with a disability in a derogatory manner.

I entered a program, which was initially a certificate program, and then became an associates degree program specifically designed to educate and positively project persons with disabilities. It was integral to the professor of the program and to the members of our organizational club to definitively provide education throughout the community as well as to our academic peers. It was no simple task as many people still had their misconceptions and dismal view of people who had either a physical or mental disability.

The question was consistently raised as to quality of life. In other words, what type of quality of life can an individual truly have if they have a disability? The word itself holds a somewhat negative connotation as does handicapped.

There is no question that there are at times diverse and extensive measures to which a person with a disability must extend themselves. What may be deemed as simple tasks such as getting up and getting dressed, making a meal or running errands is without question something that will require more time and planning. However, it should not imply that it could not be accomplished.

As to quality of life, I have met many people with varying degrees of disabilities whose overall perspective and outlook on life is more optimistic than my own and in all probability than many people we know. Quality of life is dependant upon one’s outlook and the goals and accomplishments a person has been successful in achieving. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to meet with two truly remarkable people who provide an extremely important service and voice to individuals who have a disability, are cancer patients and survivors.

Jay and Lynell operate the personal disability voice chat. There is no charge to join this group and potential members as well as advocates are urged to sign up. Anyone that does so can request a free personal disability voice chat tee shirt, which are very comfortable I might add.

They recently held their first annual awards ceremony to honor some of their members and advocates. The reception also paid tribute to Lynell who is the founder of the program in addition to their very generous sponsor Attorney Douglas G. Andrews, Sr. On October 23rd they will have a float in the Springfield parade and have tentative plans to have a booth to provide education and awareness to their organization and what they provide.

The on-line community offers a multitude of services ranging from member support should members need to talk, vent or share their own personal experiences and dilemmas. They offer computer education to assist and teach members how to better utilize their skills via the computer. Additionally they are seeking endowment grants, which would be used solely to further the organization, and it should be noted that their server allows a text to speech program affording members the chance to be involved should they have issues with speech. They are of course always looking for volunteers in various aspects of the program such as with public relations and additional advocates.

They currently need the services of several pastors so that their program can offer Sunday Services and Bible Studies for any member who is unable to attend church and several computer able individuals to assist with domains and web design needs.

Finally, they are in need of medical professionals who would be willing to write brief articles from time to time on topics related to their profession to guide and assist members. John and Lynell have been together for four years now and have been by each other’s side from the start. Lynell was born with cerebral palsy and has a twenty-year-old son who lives in South Carolina. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and has been cancer free now for twenty-nine months.

Jay was with her all the way and even shaved his head when she lost her hair to chemotherapy. Jay was born with spinabifida and osteomyelytis. He has a prosthetic leg and has had 66 major surgeries. When he was three and she was six they actually went to the same therapist. Lynell’s father was in the military and they settled in Savannah in 1984.

Her parents have been a strong support system for her in that they have always told her that she was an angel sent to them from heaven. She herself has had twenty-three surgeries. Lynell’s sister, Nita, opened a writing school for the blind in 1996 with the intention of providing children a better quality of life and a heightened awareness of their surrounding consequently building upon their own natural abilities. Unfortunately, she passed away in April 1998 and Lynell was devastated.

Nita is the driving force behind Lynells’s passion for this forum. Her vision was to be able to do something for people who have disabilities, to give them a voice. She is very pleased with the accomplishments of the community and realizes that it will take some time for it to blossom into what it should be. She says “God is going to give us plenty of time to do what we need to do.”