Friday the 3rd of December is International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) – a day which aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions. 

“Today is a reminder for us to strive towards something more. We need representation to build a better future, we need to see disabled people in more leadership roles to drive change for the next generation… To change the world all you need to do today and any day is be an ally -support disabled people, sponsor them, speak up for them and stand with them,” Dr Dinesh Palipana, OAM (Jamieson Trauma Institute). 

IDPwD is an opportunity for us to make positive changes to the lives of the 4.4 million Australians with disability. The theme for IDPwD 2021 is ‘Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world’. People who live with disabilities are among the most affected populations amid the COVID pandemic, an increased risk of poor health outcomes have been magnified with the reduced access to routine healthcare and rehabilitation services, more pronounced social isolation, and a lack of emergency preparedness for people with special needs. 

I see staff across Metro North continuously striving to improve outcomes for Queenslanders living with a disability and hope we can collectively embrace the goals of International Day of People with Disability. This celebration acts as a reminder to reflect on how all of us are taking steps to make sure our workplace truly empowers people with disability to achieve their goals in health, work and life and learn from the experiences of people living with disability during this pandemic. 

For more details on celebrations and events in your local area see the IDPwD website. 

Regards,

Mark