Friday bonus watch

This short film about living with a dad who has cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair, and communicates with a pointer and letterboard, is now available on YouTube. My Dad Matthew is seen through the eyes of Elijah, who was then 14, and considers his father Matthew “a pretty normal dad.”  Want to hear directly from Matthew, who's a professor in disability studies at Northern Arizona University? Read our interview with him. Happy Frida...

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How to keep in touch

Do you want to read and watch family stories about parenting children with disabilities? And hear about what it's like to work in children's rehab? Plus get links to mainstream disability news and opinion pieces?   In addition to checking the blog, you can follow BLOOM on Facebook. Sign up to receive our monthly e-letter in your inbox (includes shout-outs to people and groups making the world a more inclusive place and our book...

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'We Carry Kevan' aims to inspire a new model of inclusive travel

By Louise Kinross Kevan Chandler paid a visit to Holland Bloorview last week on a tour to promote his new book We Carry Kevan: Six friends. Three countries. No wheelchair. We’ve interviewed Kevan twice. Once about his 2016 trip to Europe with friends who carried him in a modified backpack, and once as he planned a similar trip last year to China, where he visited care centres that support orphans with disabilities. Kevan lives in Fort Wayne,...

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'I'm trans because that's who I am'

By Louise KinrossLogan Wong is known for his stylish bow ties. But in this photo, he's wearing a shirt with the colours of the transgender flag: blue and pink, the traditional colours for boys and girls, and white, representing people who are intersex, transitioning or a neutral or undefined gender. Logan is a transgender man who has cerebral palsy and grew up receiving services here. He's also the co-chair of Holland Bloorview’s youth...

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In nursing 'everything good comes from the heart'

By Louise Kinross Shevonne Thatham is a registered practical nurse at Holland Bloorview working with children who have complex disabilities and use ventilators to breathe. She just won the DAISY award, which recognizes a nurse that uses a strengths-based approach and combines top-notch clinical skills with deep connections with children and families. “Families like my realness,” Shevonne says. “A lot of people say I’m the Oprah on the unit,...

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Collective advocacy must replace mother-led campaigns

By Louise KinrossA decade of activism by British mothers of children with disabilities hasn’t produced positive change in the lives of disabled people, write two researchers in a fascinating article this month in Disability and Society. The authors—Katherine Runswick-Cole and Sara Ryan (photo above)—are disability studies scholars and parents to children with intellectual disability. “Despite the efforts of countless mothers of disabled children,...

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For many, Joanna is the face and voice of Holland Bloorview

By Louise KinrossJoanna Miedzik is an institution at Holland Bloorview. She’s the bright smile that greets you at reception, and the kind voice when you call in with a problem. Joanna has an encyclopedic knowledge of the hospital, its staff and programs. She grew up here as a child receiving services in our spina bifida clinic. Today, parents regularly turn to her for advice on raising their child with a disability. Joanna has worked at Holland...

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Bobbi finds her dream job in health records

By Louise KinrossBobbi Champagne is a self-described nerd who loves technology and medicine. She came to Holland Bloorview as a George Brown health information management student in 2015, and was hired after graduating. Since then she’s moved through a number of roles to health records analyst. Last year Bobbi applied for No Boundaries funding and ran a highly successful parenting workshop on video gaming and safety. “I love video games, and I...

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Payal sees children's rehab from a newcomer perspective

By Louise KinrossSeven years ago, Payal Khazanchi and her family immigrated to Canada from Oman. At age five, Payal’s daughter Aakanksha was diagnosed with global developmental delay. Payal assumed they’d be connected with rehab services, and be able to meet other families like theirs.But it didn’t happen. “Because education and health are government-supported, I presumed if there was an issue with my daughter, the system would tell me where to...

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