It will air monthly with topics and information that is important to our participants.
ZOOM LIVE is right for us because:
A disability is a natural part of the human condition, a state we can move in and out of as our life progresses. Disability is something people experience, not something they are. People experience disability on a continuum, from mild and temporary, to severe and lifelong. Many people who experience disability might not consider themselves ‘disabled.’ For these reasons, we describe disability as a functional limitation, rather than a specific diagnosis. One in four Michigan residents has such limitations. There is currently a disparity, or inequality, in health status between people who have disabilities, and people who don’t.
For example:
These disparities exist in part because there are barriers for people with disabilities in obtaining the information, activities and services that are necessary to achieve and maintain good health.
(Michigan Dept of Human Services (MDHS)- Strategic Plan2016-2018)
FwD will provide a resource base that will create an atmosphere where everyone will feel comfortable and cared for. The overall goal is to provide an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to live a gainful life while struggling through daily challenges.
Goals:
1. If you are in need of food and delivery please call: Loaves & Fishes
(269) 343-3663
2. Kalamazoo Mental Health Assistance (medicaid and/or Medicare)
(269) 373-6000
3. Walmart.com (Now accepts EBT)
For Food pick-up & delivery 1-800-925-6278
We believe that all people should enjoy certain rights. Because people with disabilities have consistently been denied the right to fully participate in society as free and equal members, it is important to state an affirm these rights. All people should be able to enjoy these rights, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, religion, or disability.
I am hoping that you and your loved ones had a safe and joyful holiday and looking forward to what 2022 will look like. Friends with Disabilities is moving forward by shifting our focus from activities and events to impacting our participants.
The year 2021 allowed us to see how great the needs are of people with disabilities, especially those who are black and brown.
As an organization we must react to external & internal factors and begin to focus on capacity development and managing our growth.
We are so thankful for all of our supporters who help and assist us change lives and staying true to our mission.
Whether you are a donor, volunteer, driver, or sponsor, you are changing lives!
Recently, FWD hosted a Gala Dinner, to spotlight individuals with physical disabilities as VIP’s. We believe that showing the public that building connections and promoting inclusion, will serve as a model for other communities to enact .
Our plans for FWD this year are bold! We hope to be able to increase our numbers, ( depends on COVID) add new board members and train new volunteers.
Sharmese D. Anderson
President and CEO
What is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a condition of the nervous system. TS causes people to have “tics”.
Tics are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. People who have tics cannot stop their body from doing these things. For example, a person might keep blinking over and over. Or a person might make a grunting sound unwillingly.
Having tics is a little bit like having hiccups. Even though you might not want to hiccup, your body does it anyway. Sometimes people can stop themselves from doing a certain tic for a while, but it’s hard. Eventually the person has to do the tic.
Types of Tics- There are two types of tics—motor and vocal:
Motor Tics
Motor tics are movements of the body. Examples of motor tics include blinking, shrugging the shoulders, or jerking an arm.
Vocal Tics
Vocal tics are sounds that a person makes with his or her voice. Examples of vocal tics include humming, clearing the throat, or yelling out a word or phrase.
Tics can be either simple or complex:
Simple Tics
Simple tics involve just a few parts of the body. Examples of simple tics include squinting the eyes or sniffing.
Complex Tics
Complex tics usually involve several different parts of the body and can have a pattern. An example of a complex tic is bobbing the head while jerking an arm, and then jumping up.
Symptoms of Tourette syndrome
The main symptoms of TS are tics. Symptoms usually begin when a child is 5 to 10 years of age. The first symptoms often are motor tics that occur in the head and neck area. Tics usually are worse during times that are stressful or exciting. They tend to improve when a person is calm or focused on an activity.
The types of tics and how often a person has tics changes a lot over time. Even though the symptoms might appear, disappear, and reappear, these conditions are considered chronic.
In most cases, tics decrease during adolescence and early adulthood, and sometimes disappear entirely. However, many people with TS experience tics into adulthood and, in some cases, tics can become worse during adulthood.
Although the media often portray people with TS as involuntarily shouting out swear words (called coprolalia) or constantly repeating the words of other people (called echolalia), these symptoms are rare, and are not required for a diagnosis of TS.
Diagnosing Tourette syndrome
There is no single test, like a blood test, to diagnose TS. Health professionals look at the person’s symptoms to diagnose TS and other tic disorders. The tic disorders differ from each other in terms of the type of tic present (motor or vocal, or combination of both), and how long the symptoms have lasted. TS can be diagnosed if a person has both motor and vocal tics and has had tic symptoms for at least a year.
Treatment for Tourette syndrome
Although there is no cure for TS, there are treatments available to help manage the tics. Many people with TS have tics that do not get in the way of their daily life and, therefore, do not need any treatment. However, medication and behavioral treatments are available if tics cause pain or injury; interfere with school, work, or social life; or cause stress.
info@friendswithdisabilities.org
www.friendswithdisabilities.org
5047 West Main Street #110
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009