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| BREAKING NEWS ON DISABILITY & HEALTH ISSUES |
> Chronic back pain and genetic lung disease may have taken their toll on the King of Pop
> Did operating room anesthetic kill Michael Jackson? And how was he able to get it?
> Few survive cardiac arrest, even if CPR is administered at the scene
> Michael Jackson planned to include disabled performers in the London O2 concerts
> Spotlight on painkillers: FDA advisers seek new dosage limits for acetaminophen
> ALERT: H1N1 FLU MORE DANGEROUS THAN FIRST THOUGHT - Greater risk of pneumonia
> World Health Organization Warning: Global spread of H1N1 now considered 'UNSTOPPABLE'
> More cases in Curaçao: Results pending from lab tests at Erasmus University in Rotterdam
> State of Emergency declared in Buenos Aires: Only Mexico and USA have higher death toll
> Doctors warn against 'Swine Flu Parties' as a way to build immunity to H1N1
> Insulin medication stolen in U.S. and resurfaces in other states: Warning from manufacturer
CLICK HERE FOR MORE IN THE BREAKING NEWS ARCHIVE LOCATED IN OUR NEWS SECTION
 | *Obama: New Hope For The Disabled US President Barack Obama nominates internationally recognized disability-rights leader Kathy Martinez for Asst. Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Martinez, blind since birth, brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record. Ongoing coverage here. |
 | *Obama: New Hope From Stem Cells There is Breaking News on US President Obama reversing the Stem Cell policy of the Bush administration as well as about results achieved through stem cell implant operations on two boys who've regained vision, plus advances in other conditions. You can find ongoing coverage here. |
 | *PETA vs Guide Dogs: Ignorant Activist 'Truth-Bombed' PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) receives a torrent of criticism after one of its VP's supports guide dogs for the deaf but not for the blind or visually impaired. Daphna Nachminovitch makes many ill-informed and ignorant comments. The full story here. |
 | *An Eye For An Eye: Woman Blinded by Acid Wants Justice An Iranian woman demands the ancient Islamic punishment of "an eye for an eye" for the man who blinded her, to prevent it from happening to someone else. Read more on the story and related coverage on domestic violence against disabled women in our Issues section here. |
 | *Disabled Humor: Satire vs Scorn - Who Draws The Line? Persons with disabilities have a sense of humor like anyone else, but do recent examples of President Obama, 'Saturday Night Live' and even 'The Apprentice' make it painfully clear that we've got some sensitivity training to do. Read more on this debate in our Issues section here. |
 | *Remembering Ben: The Blind Boy Who Could 'See' Ben Underwood's story has been featured on our website for some time and it's with great sadness we report on his passing. Ben's journey inspired people around the world, from the cancer that robbed him of his eyes as a toddler, to his self-discovery of 'echolocation'. Read our tribute here. |
| The Laura And Wagner Foundation prepares a global project to make it easier for persons with vision and/or physical impairments to navigate, communicate and transact via the Internet & numerous digital devices. More >> | Stevie Wonder and visually-impaired tech pioneer Mike May call on all 'gadget designers' to quit leaving all blind and low vision consumers out of the mix with touchscreen phones and other touch-enabled devices. More >> | Deaf & hearing impaired consumers will soon have their own gadget that will translate text into sign language. The pocket 'Sign Language Translator by Krown' will be available sometime early this year priced around $200. More >> |
| People paralyzed from the waist down may soon be able to trade their wheelchair for the 'ReWalk' from an Israel-based high-tech firm. More trials are planned for the U.S. and Europe. When will it go on sale? More >> | Two U.S. pediatric surgeons label a stem cell treatment in China for kids with eye nerve disease a hoax and a '21st century snake oil scam'. Yet one U.S. boy's sight continues to improve following the cord stem cell infusion. More >> | A man left completely blind by multiple strokes is shown on video navigating a small obstacle course. This isn't the first instance of a phenomenon called 'blindsight' in which some blind people sense things they cannot see. More>> |
| Many societies have shuttered their disabled citizens from public view, especially those with mental illness. Yet such people in Eastern Europe live in a virtual Dark Age with few rights or protectors. This in 2009. More >> | Meet Katy Newitt, (L in photo) a UK mother of three who is the first blind person to run in the Dubai Marathon. Retinitis pigmentosa stole her sight over time, but not her vision that, in time, you can focus on 'possibilities'. More >> | A store in Texas designed to teach senior citizens to become more tech savvy discovers benefits for disabled clients as well. Owner David Vaughan even wears a blindfold to learn from one of his blind employees. More>> |
Service Dog's Generous Nature Inspires Boy To Help Others
 | When Kiki entered the life of Adam Wolf, 10, a boy with cerebral palsy
who spends much of his time in a wheelchair, it was a great moment. The
boy and his dog would hang out together, grow up side by side, share
the special kind of communication that happens only between kids and
their dogs. Bred for intelligence and sensitivity, trained to be responsive and helpful, Kiki, a jet-black Labrador retriever/golden retriever mix, quickly settled into the role of Adam's constant companion. She sleeps with him; picks up pencils and remote controls when he drops them; accompanies him everywhere but school; sticks like glue to his side, giving comfort, when Adam's dealing with one of his many medical procedures; and stays with him in the bathroom, leaving only when ordered to get Ali because he's finished in there. Read the full story @ USAToday.com |
Sign The Petition for Access Your signature can help make adifference in achieving Access Legislation that will allow people who can't see, hear or walk as well as the rest of us to enter all the places we do with their guide and assistance dogs. | Sponsor Campaign Efforts Your Company or Organization can help The Laura And Wagner Foundation achieve its goals of ending the social isolation of disabled people in Curaçao and the Netherlands Antilles through guide dogs and other resources. | Donate Funds|Talents|Time Individually, you can help make a difference through the donation of your money, talents and / or time. Collectively, like students at the International School of Curaçao, you can help support the efforts of the LWF and have fun doing it. |
Help Us To End The Social Isolation of The Disabled
Welcome to our redesigned website which we hope will make it easier for you to explore the world of Laura and Wagner as this dynamic duo campaigns to end the social isolation of disabled people in Curaçao and the Netherlands Antilles by helping them obtain guide/assistance dogs and other resources that can help them achieve more freedom of mobility and self-reliance.
Through The Laura And Wagner Foundation, they are also campaigning to achieve access legislation for guide/assistance dogs to allow people who rely on these service animals for their mobility to be able to go everywhere non-disabled people go without discrimination.
Through The Laura And Wagner Foundation, they are also campaigning to achieve access legislation for guide/assistance dogs to allow people who rely on these service animals for their mobility to be able to go everywhere non-disabled people go without discrimination.
You can help by signing the online petition here .
They are also advocating for a 555 quick-transfer service to 911 to enable faster emergency dialing for people who don't see as well. The '5' button on every telephone has a raised dot that makes it easier for blind or visually impaired to navigate the dialpad.
You can learn more about the Foundation and how you can help or get involved to make a difference here.
Please take your time exploring our site and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions. Visit often and help spread the word about Laura and Wagner's efforts to 'Open Eyes & Open Doors'!
They are also advocating for a 555 quick-transfer service to 911 to enable faster emergency dialing for people who don't see as well. The '5' button on every telephone has a raised dot that makes it easier for blind or visually impaired to navigate the dialpad.
You can learn more about the Foundation and how you can help or get involved to make a difference here.
Please take your time exploring our site and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions. Visit often and help spread the word about Laura and Wagner's efforts to 'Open Eyes & Open Doors'!
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