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About the Book

Public apathy and misconceptions about the disabled are robbing society of a valuable resource as millions of potentially productive Canadians are sidelined by disabilities that in no way reflect their intelligence, experience or ability to contribute to the community.

Accustomed to being treated with civility and respect, the author, who began her journey into disability at age 29, has been shocked to learn that much of society continues to view persons of disability as, at best, stupid and, at worst, "things" rather than human beings. Both personal experience and communication with other disabled persons have underscored the author's conviction that many otherwise considerate people tend to treat disabled persons with condescension, even hostility.

Wheelchair bound and experiencing progressive loss of mobility, speech, vision and hearing, the author has nonetheless retained her ability to think clearly and to express her vision of a society where disabled persons are seen as persons first and disabled second. Concerned that government policies and programs, no matter how well intentioned, are often misdirected, she calls for a two-pronged public education campaign aimed at teaching disabled persons to value themselves while encouraging society, including caregivers, the helping professions, government policy makers and the general public, to rethink attitudes toward those with visible disabilities.

About the Author

Dianne Mohan, a native of Saskatchewan who has spent much of her adult life in Alberta, lived her "first life" as a so-called normal person. Diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at age 29, this active business woman, co-owner and operator of two Red Deer restaurants, mother of four and energetic contributor to society, would find herself over the next three decades moving gradually into her "second life" - the world of the disabled.

Beyond the obvious challenges of learning to cope with her loss of mobility and communication skills (her ability to think and her sense of humour remain fully intact), Dianne faced her greatest shock when she began to sense that much of society still views persons of disability as "disabled" first and "persons" second. Dismayed to learn that millions of Canadians have been sidelined by physical or developmental limitations, she calls on government policy makers and the general public to rethink attitudes toward the disabled in order to benefit from what she sees as a largely untapped resource for society. She advocates a two-pronged education program designed to help disabled persons learn to value themselves and encourage the public to appreciate the abilities and potential contribution of those who have been largely ostracized from the mainstream.

Dianne currently resides in a seniors' complex in Legal, Alberta, where she remains in close contact with a large and supportive family, including her four adult children who live nearby.