Comments on: those dammed boots

By: Kelsea

Kelsea — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:52:17 +0000

I just want to thank you for opening my eyes. Being Canadian, we don’t get the telethon here, but I have seen the commercials for it. I had never thought about it in the context of having a disability. My mother has a disability, so I know a little about people looking at you with pity. I guess I had never put the two together.

By: Andrea Shettle, MSW

Andrea Shettle, MSW — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:51:12 +0000

Hi -- I wanted to make sure you knew about the latest that is happening with Jerry and his, yes, humanitarian award: Jerry Lewis, the man who runs the annual Telethon to raise money for people with muscular dystrophy in the US is about to receive a humanitarian award. Many people in the disability community is protesting this award because they feel that Jerry perpetuates and entrenches negative, harmful stereotypes toward people with disabilities. More about the petition campaign at: http://www.petitiononline.com/jlno2009/petition.html There is also a Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40538392681

By: Penny

Penny — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:47:03 +0000

It’s a bit like beauty pageants constantly protesting, “But we’re a scholarship competition! We give so much money for young women to go to college!” Okaaaaaaay, but if they really cared about young women, they could do all that without the bikinis, the heels, the evening gowns….

If the MDA really cared about the lives of people with neuromuscular disease, they would surely end the pitython, dump JL, apologize for forty-two years of inflicting pain, and get on with doing whatever good they can do, led by the individuals and families affected.

By: mike reynolds

mike reynolds — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:30:34 +0000

As a friend to countless friends who have and have passed on from Duchenes MD, I am sorry mda employee, but no amount of money you raise by portraying people with neuromuscular disease as pathetic could ever justify the negative effects of the telethon. The last tie i watched the telethon was to see mattie stepanek, before that it was in 1993. The last conversation I had with my best friend he was upset because mda was refusing to pay for camp after age 21. mda employee, will you grant my website an interview? maybe you can tell me why i should watch a sexist homophobic and ableist washed up comedian whose ex-pr guy tried to sue me? and it is Very paternalistic to consider that Miss Lucas “doesn’t know” how to access MDA’s services. She probably has more education than you, actually, come to thi nk of it, i probably do as well.

By: mda employee

mda employee — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:28:33 +0000

also, Carrie Ann Lucas

if your family members have not had any thing given to them that is not provided by your insurance from MDA… be it leg braces, wheel chairs, repairs to equipment, rides to and from doctor’s visits and an opportunity to go to summer camp then your local MDA isn’t doing their job and you should contact the national office in Arizona and let them know. I work with our healthcare service coordinator and i have set up PO’s for all of the above and paid invoice’s for all of the above… put your foot down and say something… are your family members registered with us because we cant help if we don’t know who you are…

By: mda employee

mda employee — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:16:53 +0000

mda works hard all year long to raise money for the local families that need it. im sorry that you hate those boots but those boots are out there for good reason. everyday i help someone in our community and it makes me feel good. i don’t have pity for anyone i just want to help in any way i can. i spoke on the phone with a woman the other day who just found out that her 8 month old baby has spinal muscular atrophy type II I can’t imagine having a child and finding out 8 months later that something is wrong with it’s health. the woman was scared and i hoped i was helpful to her. im not trying to start anything i would just like you to explain to me why your blog is making me feel like i should not be proud of all of the hard work that i put in everyday to help others. once again im not doing this to brag “i work with the disabled” I have family members who are disabled and blind…I do this because i want to have some purpose in my life by helping others.
Thanks for your time.
MDA employee who loves their job very much.

By: Dread1myn

Dread1myn — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 03:05:41 +0000

Hi Carrie,

What a powerful post! I’m not sure if you remember me, but I used to live in Denver. I last saw you in Washington, DC, when I was living there. It was with Not Dead Yet at the Supreme Court, maybe a couple of years ago — my memory is not the best. You had Adrienne with you.

Now, I am in Rochester, NY, where I have been for almost a year. I just wanted to thank you for such a powerful post, and to say hi.

Anita