This is the last of my guest post on TheGivingHands.Org.

I offered to guest blog here because I noticed the lack of response the bloggers who take part in the Blogathon face. I try not to sound obnoxious (LOL, I am famous for that, BTW), but I realise that my blog has a wider traffic and I THOUGHT I could help by generating more awareness on this event. Since I have more readers and higher traffic, I really THOUGHT that that would mean more support and sponsors to this honorable and wonderful event.

But I am afraid that in reality, many people only hear what they want to hear and read only what they want to read. If I tell people that such and such program can help them earn money, they will rush to join. And I THOUGHT that if I tell them as bloggers, they can give back a little from what they earned, to a charitable cause, they will do it. Unfortunately, no. Nobody even thought of blogging about it to inform their readers.

Anyway, I am very happy to at least take part, albeit in a small way this year. There are many nice folks who stayed up to cheer the bloggers on. There are many sponsors too. Plus the few bloggers who chip in with their voluntary guest posts on other blogs. To them, I salute you. I am not qualified to say ‘Thank you’ but I am sure those parties who receive your goodwill will appreciate these little kindness.

To all those bloggers who still have a long way to go, I say BRAVO! Keep going!

- Lilian -

A quadriplegic man was abandoned while the able-bodied passengers were evacuated during the train breakdown on the Sydney Harbour Bridge recently and he was told that he would be evacuated “in two or three days”. Wheelchair user, Mark McCauley suffered the humiliation of eventually being removed by construction workers using a forklift during the first Harbour Bridge train fiasco.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Quadriplegic and paraplegic advocates blasted CityRail for the shameful - and potentially life-threatening - treatment of Mr McCauley, a senior lecturer at the College of Law in St Leonards.

An internal investigation report, revealed by The Daily Telegraph yesterday, found CityRail has absolutely no procedures for the care of disabled passengers in emergencies. All other passengers in the March 14 incident were evacuated three hours earlier, leaving Mr McCauley alone without any advice about when he would be rescued.

“I started to get agitated because no one seemed to know I was stuck on the train and it was getting towards the time when I need my medication,” Mr McCauley told The Saturday Daily Telegraph. “I rang CityRail and told the lady I was stuck . . . and at the end of the conversation she said “That’s fine sir, somebody will get back to you in two or three days.”

“I said “Don’t bother I’ll be dead by then.” It was like she was a robot.” Mr McCauley then called triple-0 and asked police to intervene. They arranged to have another CityRail manager call him back just before 8pm.

“She said we can’t get you off the train until we restore power - it could be in the early hours of the morning. I said to her “I’m a quadriplegic do you know what that means?” She said yes but she clearly didn’t.”

It took construction workers at North Sydney station to volunteer to use a forklift to take Mr McCauley off the train just before 10pm - more than four hours after he boarded for the 15 minute journey to the city. Mr McCauley said four letters to Premier Morris Iemma and Transport Minister John Watkins went unanswered. CityRail posted him two one-day free rail passes, which he described as a slap in the face.

Reeling from a week of rail shame, a contrite Mr Watkins last night said CityRail’s treatment of Mr McCauley was “completely unacceptable”.

“I’m disappointed we have not responded more formally to him and I will certainly write to him detailing the outcomes in the final report and the steps the Government is taking to prevent it happening again,” he said.

The Quadriplegic and Paraplegic Association of NSW last night demanded CityRail develop protocols to rescue people with mobility aids and other disabilities.

“What would they do in the event of a terrorist attack?,” ParaQuad chief executive Max Bosotti said last night.

Can you imagine leaving a quadriplegic person in the train all by himself when all other able-bodied persons were being evacuated instantly? Can you imagine being in Mr McCauley’s position and being told that “they” would return to get you in 2 or 3 days? And for all these anxiety, all CityRail could do was to post Mr McCaulet 2 one-day FREE rail passes??!!

Shouldn’t the rescuers be more sensitive towards the needs of the disabled and help them out first instead? Perhaps it’s time to learn to prioritize.

Susan shared with her readers a post about the wonderful parade that she had recently attended. It wasn’t a normal parade — in fact, it was a parade by people with disabilities.

It was a wonderful parade - the best ever. But I am disappointed.

I have no idea how many people were in the parade - countless. People in chairs, scooters, on crutches, with dogs, on bikes, sitting on floats, and walking. Everyone is happy! People are excited to meet friends they know from far away - or close by. New people hook up with like-minded agendas.

I was impressed with the float ahead of us. It was a group of people with various Hispanic ties - most, but far from all had developmental disabilities. Latin music was played full blast which gave everyone the inspiration to dance. Everyone held flags - many from the country of their origin. Somebody gave Teddy a flag - which interestedly enough just happened to be from Puerto Rico where his birth grandparents were born.

This year I noted two things - Justin Dart was brought up many times (well-deservedly so) and appears to have clearly taken the role of the creator of the current flavor of disability pride. And Not Dead Yet has taken over as the most popular self-identifying slogan. As a self-identifier it seems to represent the idea if that we do not want to live in institutions like nursing homes - that is where people go to die and we are not ready to be dead yet, nor are we dead yet - so support us living in the community.

The most impressive part though was the entertainment. I can’t say I liked all of it, but there were some really stellar performances. A dance troupe that was people of mixed abilities, including 2 wheelchair users was stunning. There was a discernible change in the crowd when these women danced. No one could keep their eyes off their fluid graceful movements. There was a group that sings using sign language. It was beautiful to watch and makes me regret not keeping up with or improving my signing. Even without understanding the signs, you understood the intent of the music.

All in all it was as is always a wonderful, energizing place to be. It still does not have the feel of a national parade like I wish it would - more and more people and organizations are coming from afar, but not enough to make it feel like we have come along way to travel 240 miles.

Have you ever attended a parade by people with disabilities? If you have, would you please share with us some of you pictures? :)