Month: November 2016

Andrea Luciani - picture of her smiling - "..I like to use the word ABLE when it comes to my progress."

Let’s Hear From: Andrea Luciani!

On By J.aysonIn Advocacy, Conductive Education®, Door To Door, People, ProgramsLeave a comment
Andrea Luciani - picture of her smiling - "..I like to use the word ABLE when it comes to my progress."
Written by Andrea Luciani

I was born with cerebral palsy and I assumed from a young age that my parents would always do everything for me. I never thought that someday I would grow up and live an independent life, despite my disability.

But, thanks to March of Dimes’ Conductive Education® (CE) Program (http://bit.ly/ModcCEP), I have been able to turn my disabilities into abilities! I’ve been a part of the CE® Program since I was 6 years old. I am now 23 years old and the climb  hasn’t been easy. Cerebral palsy has affected all aspects of my life, including my mobility, coordination, posture, and my ability to do daily living activities independently.

Today, I like to use the word ABLE when it comes to my progress. I am able to sit down and get up independently. I am able to walk using single point canes. I am able to get from room to room on my own in my house. Every day, I focus on what I am able to do!
The CE® Program has been instrumental in my life.

Andrea Luciani screenshot

March of Dimes Canada’s CE® Program is designed specifically for people with neurological motor disorders and offers an alternative group setting approach to rehabilitation. CE® didn’t just give me tools to help my mobility; it also provided me with a voice. Instead of my parents or others speaking on my behalf, I learned to advocate for my own needs. I may need special accommodations to aid in that process but I make sure I am heard!

Thank you! Because of your generosity, and my wonderful teachers at CE®, I have grit! I have learned to never give up, keep trying, keep learning new ways to do something, and always strive to conquer! If wonderful programs like CE® did not exist due to lack of funding, many of my accomplishments would not have been possible. You have literally changed my life! I hope that CE® can continue to have a profound and lasting effect on every participant’s life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

CE® is also one of our donor funded programs, partly funded by our Door-to-Door Program, which runs from November to late March. If you’re interested in volunteering as a canvasser for this year or the following, please email us at info@marchofdimes.ca with “Door-2-Door Volunteer” in the subject header!

Let’s Talk About: Larry Grovum!

On By J.aysonIn Door To Door, People, ProgramsLeave a comment

door-to-door-1200x630_larry-grovum_v02

Larry Grovum has been a Door-to-Door canvasser and Area Captain for five years now. In that time, he’s raised a remarkable $5,512.05 on his own. As Area Captain, Larry is also the driving force behind his entire zone – not only does he support his fellow canvassers, he also takes over many of the un-canvassed routes in his area.

As if that weren’t enough, Larry doesn’t wait for the weather to cooperate before he starts.

When you get out in bad weather, Larry explains in an email interview, ‘people read this as commitment and give more.’ But, he adds, you can’t take rejection personally. ‘Some will give, and some won’t. Thank people for their time and move on.’

Larry Govrum
Larry Grovum

Asked why he started canvassing in the first place, Larry replies: ‘I wanted to give a helping hand to people living with disabilities. I continue, because the need continues.’

In his half-decade of canvassing, Larry has enjoyed some memorable moments. One gentleman had been approached by four or five canvassers for other organizations that same day, but still gave Larry $20. Another refused to answer when Larry knocked on the door of his very expensive home. ‘But,’ as Larry observes, ‘it takes all kinds to make a world.’

The people who impress him most, he says, are the university students. ‘They’re generally poor, but they scurry around, searching for change, then apologize for not being able to give more.’

If you’re interested in volunteering as a canvasser, please email us at info@marchofdimes.ca with “Door-2-Door Volunteer” in the subject header!