Developing respect for the disabled

Jamie Ann Stevenson broke two bones in her right foot playing tennis four years ago.

Little did she know her injury would develop into a rare nerve disorder known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. RSDS has caused her lower right leg and foot to become swollen and purplish-blue in color.

She suffers from chronic pain and extreme sensitivity to touch. Because of that sensitivity, she cannot cover her leg with clothing, even in the winter. If her leg is bumped, it could become infected and lead to amputation.

Nevertheless, the fourth-year student navigates the campus using her car and crutches to get to and from class. “My education is so important to me that I want to take the risk,” she says.

Stevenson’s perseverance is inspirational. Yet her experience is not without its difficulties, and it serves to highlight the challenges disabled students can face while pursuing a college degree.

Many of the difficulties Stevenson encounters, she says, come from indifference or insensitivity from those around her. From time to time, she finds handicapped parking spaces occupied by vehicles without appropriate permits. That forces her to park farther away and prevents her from getting to class.

In addition, she often has trouble using elevators in between classes. Because her leg cannot be bumped, she cannot use a crowded elevator — which can cause her to be late to or miss a class.

“People’s actions are not just an inconvenience, but can actually be a barrier to my education,” she says.

She encourages fellow students, professors and others to ask her about her condition, rather than stare or ignore her. If they want to help, she adds, they should first ask how they can be of assistance.

“Be politely curious,” she says with a smile.

That’s good advice, say UW–Madison officials who work with disabled students.

“The most efficient and respectful way is to merely ask someone with a disability if they need help and never jump to conclusions about what someone might need,” says J. Trey Duffy, director of the McBurney Disability Resource Center.

The McBurney Center provides services for disabled students to ensure they have equal access to education opportunities. Students must identify themselves as disabled to receive services. McBurney serves about 1,500 students a year, including prospective students.

Being mindful of others is part of the message new Dean of Students Alicia Fedelina Chávez is seeking to convey to the student body. Overall, she is encouraging students to seek more balance in their lives physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

“One of the things that has created an environment where we are insensitive to each other is busyness,” says Chávez. “We don’t take the time to notice people around us. Yet we need to take time to do things more reflectively.”

She urges those in the campus community to consider life from other people’s points of view. That, she says, leads to empathy and compassion.

“Imagine you are that person struggling down the sidewalk,” she says.

Stevenson, Duffy and Chávez acknowledge that many disabled people pride themselves on their independence and refuse assistance when offered. But that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t try to help, they say.

“The things that have helped me the most are the people who have taken the time and have gotten involved,” Stevenson says.