The letter writer’s son Nikhil (right) at the Unicef #ThisAbility Makeathon event in 2017. With him are (from left) his friend Izdihar Janna and Unicef national ambassador Lisa Surihani. — Photo provided
MY son Nikhil is a 13-year-old with a physical disability. He has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. He is one of a set of triplets, with two sisters. In trying to give him a life that is as regular as the one his sisters experience, we have been met with many challenges and as a family, we work hard to fill the gaps that society and the system have inflicted on him. These have ranged from schools rejecting him because they are “not equipped for him” or “do not know what to do in case of a fire”, to a complete lack of wheelchair accessibility and accommodation wherever we go.
In this disability journey, we’ve had the honour and privilege to support a few advocacy groups. We know our efforts may not be reflected in our own child’s lifetime, but we at least create awareness and give hope to parents at the beginning of their disabled child’s journey.
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