The Laura and Wagner Foundation (LWF) is a non-profit NGO registered in Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles, and now certified by the Belastingdienst  in the ANBI Registry in the Netherlands, that serves to raise awareness about, and advocate for, the rights of persons of all ages living with sensory, physical, or learning disabilities, as well as those 'socially disabled' and disadvantaged because of poverty or an incomplete education. Founded in February of 2008 by Laura Meddens, herself visually impaired as the result of medical negligence in Curaçao and the Netherlands, the LWF is working to 'DisAble The Dis' by changing attitudes about disability. Laura, and her guide dog Wagner from The Seeing Eye, have been 'opening eyes and opening doors' raising awareness about disability rights and issues, & obtaining access for persons with guide dogs to all the places normally sighted people go. The Foundation is now developing new options for learning, training and jobs for the disabled through its ABLED system of software and assistive digital devices.

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2011- A Year Of Darkness And Light This has been a year of challenges for many disabled persons around the world, whether health-related, money-related due to cutbacks in support programs, or related to rising hate crimes and abuse. It has been no different for Laura and Wagner. Laura de Haseth Meddens became totally blind as a result of domestic abuse, and almost died from E. coli blood-poisoning in the Spring. Wagner faced a battle with Stage 3 canine cancer (lymphoma). Despite the valiant efforts of Prof.Dr. Peter Walter at the Augenklink at the Universitatsklinikum in Aachen, Germany, and Dr. J. D. Ferwerda, Laura's eye specialist in Curaçao, Laura lost the 30% vision that she fought so hard to have restored following her original complete loss of vision to medical negligence in Curaçao in 1993. It had been an ongoing battle since 2007 to save her falling eye pressure that was triggered by a hit and kicks to her face as a result of multiple episodes of domestic violence. Laura had not gone public with this before because of the embarrassment and shame that most victims of domestic abuse experience. Persons with disabilities face a much higher risk of abuse from domestic partners or professional care-givers, and social violence against the disabled has also risen, as covered in our Special Report on Abuse of the Disabled. In the UK alone, disability-related hate crimes have increased by 75% as campaigners blame Britain's tabloid newspapers for stirring up hatred against disabled persons because of the way the tabloids vilify people on welfare or social service supplements. Then, as Laura initiated divorce proceedings after attempts at mediation failed, and as she was left totally blind, she learned that Wagner, her beloved guide dog of almost five years, had been diagnosed with Stage 3 canine lymphoma, just at the time she would need him the most. But never one to feel sorry for herself, Laura persevered and put her focus on Wagner, helping her devoted helper through his chemotherapy and homeopathic regimens, even though the bullying and financial abuse she endured at home forced her to have to borrow money from family and friends for Wagner's treatment. In the middle of all this, in March, Laura was rushed to the hospital and had to undergo emergency surgery for E. coli blood poisoning after nearly lapsing into a fatal coma under suspicious circumstances. Both Laura and Wagner faced their mutual recovery together. Thanks to the initial efforts of Dr. Erik Teske and his team at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and the team at the Medisch Centrum voor Dieren in Amsterdam (not to mentioned the homeopathic efforts of Hella Hofman), Wagner went into remission and the tumors were all gone. However, as of November, the tumors had returned and 'Waggie' is back on the chemotherapy, but not doing very well. If you'd like to make a contribution to help cover his treatment costs, please visit our Donation Center. Despite the personal challenges that face our namesakes, The Laura And Wagner Foundation is progressing with the development of our ABLED system of software and assistive digital devices that will create new learning, training and job opportunities for persons with disabilities who will then provide Abled content and services for disabled and non-disabled users to help them achieve a better quality of life, and more independent mobility. Behind the scenes, we are building our main Abled website, as well as developing an application to make the Abled services available on smartphones and tablets. And, as you can see on the left, we are introducing our new Abled logo. Our thanks this year to iCars and Panaderia Isa for their financial support; Mr. Niels Verheij of Damasco Resort for the donation of Internet access; Mr. Lachu Boolchand and the Boolchand's team for their donation of an Apple iPad; Mr. Shik-Tong Chan for his donation of a USB microphone; all in support of our Abled Initiative. As a non-profit NGO , we rely on donations such as these, as well as from individuals like you to make this happen. Please help us take the 'Dis' out of 'Disabled' by clicking on the banner below to help us build an Abled future. Thank you!

Mr. Lachu Boolchand of Boolchand's presents Laura Meddens, Founder and Chairman of The Laura And Wagner Foundation with the donation of an Apple® iPad as a contribution toward the Foundation's Abled application for disabled users that is being developed for the iPad, iPhone and desktop computers.



Acupuncture specialist Shik-Tong Chan presents Laura Meddens, Founder and Chairman of The Laura And Wagner Foundation with the donation of a Blue-THX Digital microphone as a contribution toward the Foundation's Abled application and suite of assistive software for the disabled. Shik-Tong also donated treatment to help raise Laura's eye pressure as part of the battle to try and save her remaining sight, and for this, he is one of our heroes.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

An Abled Inspiration For Persons With Disabilities

All of us at The Laura And Wagner Foundation are saddened by the passing of Steve Jobs and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.

In reading the many tributes, online, to his genius and and life's work, it is astounding how far and wide his vision and resulting products and services have reached and touched many lives.

What isn't as apparent in the many headlines, is the impact Steve Jobs has made on the lives of millions of people with disabilities around the world. Apple's inclusion of 'Voiceover' and its newly unveiled 'Siri' personal voice-activated assistant have helped to narrow the digital divide. These assistive technologies have made the iPhone®, the iPad®, and the iPodTouch® 'abled' for blind and low-vision users, while also accommodating the development of assistive applications for deaf and physically disabled users.

That inclusive thinking continues to make life-changing differences around the world.

As Evonne Barry originally wrote in the Herald Sun this past June and as reported by AppleNewsDaily:

"A 9-year-old girl with sight problems has swapped out magnifying glasses and other clunky equipment for  an iPad.

Holly Bligh, of Melbourne Australia, has albinism, which affects her vision. To read, teachers had to make photocopies with enlarged text for her or she had to use a magnifying glass or other devices to read.

Photo: Ben Swinnerton-Herald Sun

Thanks to an iPad she now can zoom in and enlarge the text with the touch of a finger. Bligh can also read about twice as long as she could with regular printed material.

Bligh’s mother wrote Steve Jobs a letter thanking him for “completely changing” her daughter’s life.

“All the other kids think it’s awesome that she gets an iPad!” Fiona Bligh wrote to Jobs. “Sometimes in the past Holly has found her extra equipment embarrassing … But the iPad has a coolness factor!”

Jobs reportedly wrote back:

“Thanks for sharing your experience with me. Do you mind if I read your email to a group of our top 100 leaders at Apple?” Jobs signed off with “Thanks, Steve” and asked for a photo of Holly with her iPad.

Hailed as a “magical device,” the iPad has proved to be a valid learning tool and assistive technology for people with disabilities. The preliminary results of one small study at a school of students with a range of physical and mental challenges, including autism and deaf-blindness, show an average of 20 percent improvement in communication abilities from using the devices, according to researchers.

And an earlier summary of how the iPad is providing improved technology access for disabled users can be found here.

Perhaps one of the most moving personal testaments of how Steve Jobs and his colleagues at Apple opened new possibilities for persons with disabilities comes from Wired Magazine's technology and media writer Tim Carmody.

As he writes:

"When I heard that Steve Jobs had passed away, I was boarding a train from New York to Philadelphia to visit my son. A friend phoned and then text-messaged me the news before I could read it on Twitter. It felt, I said later, as if someone had torn the hair out of my head.

When I did tweet, the first semi-coherent thought I was able to write about Jobs was also about my son:

I’m on my way to PHL to see my son, who uses a device Steve Jobs invented to help him talk. He will never know. He will never know.

My son is on the autism spectrum and has a severe receptive and expressive language delay. He’s 4 years old, and can read and spell words, and sing entire songs, but is more like an 18-month- or 2-year-old in normal conversation. He cannot use a telephone and has a hard time sitting still for video telephony. He has a thoroughly well-loved iPod Touch, filled with videos and apps that have helped him learn to speak and augment his ability to communicate.

My tweet about my son was retweeted almost 500 times, more than anything else I’ve ever written in 140 characters, and put me in touch with other parents of children with special needs — strangers — some seeking information, some wanting to share their stories."

Tim's most moving passage reads:

"Apple never had a perfect record when it came to user accessibility. No technology company does. But I bought my first iPhone when I broke my arm, because it let me use a computer with one hand. And on Tuesday, when I saw Apple’s demo video for Siri, its new voice-command AI assistant — which ends with a blind woman using Siri to send and receive text messages — knowing that blindness has been the disability least well-served by the touchscreen revolution — I wept. I’m weeping again now.

These frail and fragile bodies don’t always work the way we want them to. Steve Jobs understood that. Steve Jobs succumbed to that. But he also left us things that make that easier, that let us touch people we might not otherwise. That will always touch me."

You can read Tim's full article and some equally moving reader comments @Wired.com.

At The Laura And Wagner Foundation, we wanted to pay this small tribute to the impact Steve Jobs and his team are having on technology that is inclusive because we are building our Abled system to work first on Apple devices and we are using Apple equipment to develop it. His vision is helping to bring a new kind of 'vision' to those who have physically lost theirs.

And as a result of his inspiration, we hope to broaden that vision around the world.

ABLED INITIATIVE   New Assistive Technology   Our system of software and digital   devices to help take the 'Dis' out of   Disabled via more independence   _____________________________   New learning/training opportunities   An easier system for using the 'Net'   A new form of independent mobility

ALERTS   Massive Salmonella Alert   Contaminated flavor enhancer starts   a flood of voluntary recalls of many   food products - We have the list   _____________________________   Baby carrier recall in N.A. & Europe   Tylenol products recall is expanded   Soda fountains squirt fecal bacteria

ARTICLES  The Seeing Eye & Beyond  A series of articles providing insight  into living with a disability - starting  with our Founder - Laura Meddens  _____________________________   Mobility training with a metal 'dog'   Echolocation: Seeing without eyes   Hearing restored -the challenges

BREAKTHROUGHS   Vegetative Patients 'Speak'   Brain scans show response when   questions are asked-Ethics impact   _____________________________   Paralysis Healed? Dr. Rewires Nerves   Retinal implant trial successful   New treatment for brain injury

EDUCATION   Opening Eyes & Doors   Laura & Wagner raise awareness   about disabilities and guide dogs   _____________________________   ISC students learn about disabilities   Opening eyes at the Marnix School   Teaching executives about access

EVENTS  ABLED Fundraising Event  Our sincere thanks to all participants  attendees, sponsors or contributors  _____________________________   1Domains Online Benefit Auction   Autism Awareness month   international day of the guide dog

INSPIRATION   Melody Gardot's Survival   Music therapy helps launch a major    career after being hit by a car   _____________________________   Mike May: Adapting to seeing again   Adapting to hearing for the 1st time   Quotes of inspiration for motivation

ISSUES   Poverty & The Disabled   An average 75% jobless rate leaves   many disabled persons behind           _____________________________   Shelters Illegally Bar Service Dogs   Making culture accessible for all   Autism Comfort Dogs vs Schools

MEDIA  Finding His Voice Again  Technology gives Roger Ebert back  the voice that cancer stole from him  _____________________________   Oprah's 'No Phone Zone' campaign   Oscar provides hope for Prudence   Avatar's hero inspires paraplegics

NETWORKING   Contacts-Links-Resources   Our selection of Blogs, Foundations,    Links and Retailers of interest   _____________________________   Media Dis-n-dat Blog Link   Independent Living Aids Store   UN eNable Promotes Disabled Rights

NEWS   The Heart Loves Chocolate   New long-term study shows dark   chocolate is good for your heart   _____________________________   Blind driver sets world speed record   Stem cells may reverse deafness   When a sore throat turns deadly

RESEARCH  Prostate Cancer Reduced  Drug for BPH effecting in reducing  the development of prostate cancer  _____________________________   Chemical link to breast cancer   Overactive thyroid stroke risk   How to be part of a clinical trial

SPECIAL REPORTS   Abuse Of The Disabled   Pope under fire for ignoring abuse at   Catholic institutions for the disabled   _____________________________   Disabled Attitudes: Speaking Up   Haiti/Chile Quakes impact disabled   Health Care Reform for the disabled

VIDEO   Not Defined By Disability   Our series on Disabled Attitudes and   other videos help disable the 'dis'        _____________________________   'Opening Eyes & Opening Doors'   'The Specials'-online video series   The Voices of Autism @ NYT.com

WELLNESS  Live Well Despite Disability  Conditions, treatments, recipes &  more for better wellbeing choices  _____________________________   Fitness is key for the disabled   Comparing natural painkillers   Mike May on regaining vision

A Section For Your Wellbeing

Studies have shown that it's very important for persons with disabilities or chronic health conditions to try to maintain a good diet, exercise, if possible in ways that are relevant to their condition, and to maintain a positive spirit. We've developed a new resource section of our website to help everyone, whether disabled or not, to learn more about recipes, natural supplements, exercise regimens from various sources to help you make informed choices about your health and wellbeing.

This content is for information purposes only and is not meant to replace proper diagnosis and treatment by your health professionals. We hope you find the information useful and if you have any comments or questions, please write to us at info@LauraAndWager.com.

In our Spirit video section, you'll find Laura's interview with Mike May, an assistive technology pioneer who also participated in the 'Disabled Attitudes' discussion in our Special Reports section. Mike talks about some of the challenges in having partial vision restored after 43 years via stem cell surgery. It's not quite as easy as you think. Since the interview was done via Skype, the video connection quality wasn't as good as we'd like it to be, but we feel what Mike had to say was very important and should supercede any technical concerns. You can watch the video below & read more about Mike here.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS - Watch The Video Below

Diabetes Drugs Discredited   Blood pressure & cholesterol drugs   deemed more harmful than helpful

Massive Salmonella Alert  Contaminated flavor enhancer starts  a flood of voluntary recalls

Soda Fountain Warning  Study finds most drink dispensers  Squirting fecal bacteria

LEAD-POISONING ALERT: New study suggests risk could lurk in kitchen spice racks

CELLPHONE RADIATION ALERT: Is your cellphone safe? Check the radiation report card

ARTIFICIAL HIP WITHDRAWN: A Johnson & Johnson unit cites high early failure rate

   

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Paraplegics Cheer Disabled 'Avatar' Hero     James Cameron's 3-D blockbuster has been wowing audiences all  over the world, but it is especially inspiring for many persons with  disabilities because its lead character overcomes his paralysis.  Read more at ABC News>>