Anyone who’s ever been in a wheelchair or knows someone who has, knows the frustration of “you can’t get there from here.” All you want to do is live your life, but the environment keeps throwing up unnecessary roadblocks. Literally. And sometimes no one seems to care enough about those roadblocks to fix the problem.
That’s why I love this story about Claire Taggart, an athlete and college student who also has dystonia, which makes her muscles contract uncontrollably.
All amazingly-awesome Claire (she plays wheelchair rugby for an Irish team called the Ulster BARBARIANS, people!) wanted to do was go to class. But the lifts (elevators to you Yanks) weren’t working and she had to be rescued by the fire department. How embarrassing and frustrating is that?!
Now Claire, 20, is planning on competing in boccia (a precision form of bocce ball) at the Paralympics in Rio. She’s obviously not a person who gives up easily. She had managed workarounds to similar obstacles on campus in the past, but this was the last straw—and she wanted to make sure other people with disabilities didn’t find themselves in the same predicament on her college’s campus.
So, she took her case to higher authorities. With the help of the Equality Commission, an independent public body, which oversees equality and discrimination law in Northern Ireland, the school has made things right.
Way to inspire and be the change you want to see, Claire!
