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“ I have been hearing the word inclusion for decades , and hopefully now the world itself , and companies as well , are ready to be inclusive . Hopefully corporate America will start hiring more individuals with ability , and more people will stop seeing people ’ s disabilities .”
“ Access Israel helps individuals without disabilities through experiential learning and interaction how to better work with and understand what inclusion is all about . Whether it ’ s going into high schools , colleges or local religious communities of all ethnicities , the different programs that the organization runs change individual lives on both ends of the conversation .”
Alan believes as part of improving their quality of life , people with paralysis can learn to advocate for themselves to counter misconceptions . “ Most people with a disability have amazing ability , and that is what people need to see . People should not look at others for what they cannot do but for what they can do .” Alan illustrates what he ’ s learned over the years about the role of agency in improved quality of life : “ When one becomes paralyzed , they need to make sure that they advocate for themselves . One should always stand up for their rights , and not be afraid to reach out and ask for help .” Alan ’ s foremost advice ? “ Don ’ t focus on the negative ; focus on the positive .”
As a mentor and advocate , Alan wants to see change for people who are recently paralyzed : longer rehabilitation stays ; better insurance benefits to assist overburdened families ; and most important , coverage for proactive and preventive care to help individuals lead healthier lives .
As a man of action focused on the future , he ’ s ready to do more to help people with paralysis , and to build connection and community among them and people who want to help find a cure . “ I feel the next few years for the foundation and the paralysis community are very bright . There is some amazing research on the forefront right now .” He is enthusiastic about epidural stimulation , which is implanted , as well as transcutaneous stimulation that is delivered above the skin . “ I have seen the results first hand , and it is amazing to see the progress individuals are making .”
What is Alan most hopeful about ?
“ I feel that people with numerous disabilities are going to benefit in many ways from what is going on . As we say at the foundation , ‘ Go forward every day .’”