disabled child

In 1974, when my sister, Tanya, who has Down Syndrome was born they called her a Mongoloid. Institutions were still closing around Australia and a lot of the general public were afraid of people with intellectual disabilities because they were simply not seen. Not on the streets, not in schools, there was obviously no internet back in the day and people who didn’t fit the social norm were certainly not on TV.

So it was no wonder that my father was afraid to take Tanya home from the hospital, in fact the delivering doctor offered to murder Tanya, thinking this would be the right thing for my parents. And many others were of the opinion that Tanya belonged in an institution or asylum.

But none of these people knew the strength of Adriana Quattrocchi, my mum. From the moment Tanya was brought home, Adriana worked day and night to give Tanya every opportunity in this world just like any other child. She had to battle doctors, relatives, friends and schools to give Tanya the life that she deserved.

47 years later, Adriana is telling her story of the ups and downs of raising Tanya in Shepparton, the heartbreak of her moving out of home in her late 20s and the on-going health issues that Tanya faces to this day.

So far, Tanya has had an extraordinary life and it’s all thanks to her tiger mum and her saint, Adriana. 

 Education, Support & Services

Down Syndrome Australia
Disability Australia Hub
Disability Services Australia
National Disability Services   

The Evolution and Devolution of Mental Health Services in Australia - Inquiries Journal
Mental Health Facilities Guide | NSW State Archives
AUSTRALIAN ASYLUMS - Australia's Dark Heart
The Evolution and Devolution of Mental Health Services in Australia - Inquiries JournalPsychiatric Institutions of the Past 

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A kind listener wanted some tips on dos and don'ts when you have a disabled child in your family. I was more than happy to oblige.

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Welcome to the "Adapted Life Podcast"

A place for everyone.  Designed to be a community of people who have been faced with such extreme adversity that it caused them to change everything in their life, unexpectedly, and the fascinating process of we adapted and build resilience, even when at first everything seems so hopeless.    I am SO excited to finally launch myself into vulnerability.    Im adapting as a person just by stepping out on faith, with you.

The place in between normal and not normal.
In Episode two, I discuss the early years with my special needs son and how I literally tossed the "baby book"  into the trash can.  I found that I was going through parenting in a strange lonely place in between parenting a normal healthy 2 year old daughter and then the unchartered territories of a son with a rare brain deformation.

Adapting and learning.  I have been doing this for 23 years now, as we have re engineered our life around taking care of this special young man, Daniel, while also embracing all of the care and love for our family as a whole.   

I felt very early on, that something was growing and developing within me.  And I truly expect that great things are going to happen.

You can watch all of us Hasselbergers on:

 YouTube Channel, "Julie Hasselberger" and here is the link :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/jhasselberger/

Daniel's Special Art shop on Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg

The title of Mary De Caires' website is fitting: "breast cancer now what" 

For many, a diagnosis of cancer may seem like a life sentence. Not for Mary. She took about a day to let the news sink in and then quickly remembered how she handled other horrible circumstances. Mary is very special. Since these very difficult times might have caused others to crumble, she stayed positive and maintained a healthy view of life. 

In the interview, you will hear about her most trying moment in her life--it wasn't going through breast cancer. And, when the scary breast cancer diagnosis was announced, Mary reverted back to the way she knew how to handle a difficult challenge: to hit it head-on with all of the positivity and gratitude she could muster. 

Listeners will be inspired by her attitude of life and how her cheery manner can only make you want to face your own problems head-on---with a smile. There is no such thing as a 'life sentence' in Mary De Caires' opinion. You will enjoy this delightful woman's take on life and what she does to stay happy and positive even in the bleakest of moments. 

Connect with Mary:

Access her free book on her website. 

Connect with Lynanne:

Lynanne's website

Triumph After Trauma fb group

Buy the book with 25 Tools for Happiness on Amazon 

“Respite is for the parents and for the kids. It’s for the whole family to really have an opportunity to just come to a church and know that the church genuinely wants them to be there.”
-Gina Spivey, Disability Ministry Leader

Families or caregivers who have children with disabilities are often isolated, exhausted, and grieving. It's so invaluable when there is a place for kids to just be themselves, for caregivers to have a break, and for the church to serve well. Listen as Crystal Keating talks with ministry leaders Gina Spivey and Bret Welshymer about how they use respite events as an opportunity to minister to families impacted by disability in their church. They share the importance of respite and practical encouragement and advice for how you can put on a respite event. No matter how large or small, your church can provide this time of refreshment as a way to welcome and embrace families impacted by disability.

For more practical advice and tools to execute a successful respite event, download the free eBook, We’ve Got This! at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast

Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.

www.joniandfriends.org

When Shauna arrived at the doctor’s office for her four-month ultrasound, the question on her mind was what color to paint the nursery. But after an unexpected diagnosis of Down syndrome, she and her husband left with more questions than answers.

“I pinched myself. I literally pinched myself. The one and only time I’ve done that in my life. Because it was so surreal. This is not supposed to be happening to me. This is not supposed to be happening to my baby.”

Where do we turn when it seems that God has given us more than we can handle? Today on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Crystal is celebrating World Down Syndrome Day with Shauna Amick, the mother of a now teenage daughter with Down Syndrome. Listen as Shauna shares her heartaches, joys, and why today she can genuinely celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.

Download the free booklet From Fear to Hope at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast

Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.

www.joniandfriends.org