3 December International Day of persons with disabilities
The focus of this year’s Day is ‘Not all disabilities are visible’: thinking of things like mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairment, diabetes, brain injuries, neurological disorders, learning differences and cognitive dysfunctions. According to the WHO 15% of the world’s population (or over 1 billion people) are affected by these disabilities. 450m have mental or neurological disabilities, and each year some 69m people suffer a traumatic brain injury. 1 in 160 children are on the autism spectrum. In so many parts of life we do not provide adequately for those with visible disabilities (doors, toilets, stairs/lifts/ramps). Most of the time we barely acknowledge, let alone allow for, invisible disabilities
Lord, help us to recognise disabilities, visible and invisible, and seek to respond to the needs of people who have them. Help us to let them feel they are fully valued and of equal worth
