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Cabrini High School Holds Respect for Life Rally
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Hi. For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Jane Carriere, and I am a junior. I was born with a birth defect called Spina Bifida, which affects my spinal cord and the strength of my legs. My parents found out about my disability when my mom was four months pregnant. She received an ultrasound that highlighted my defect. A doctor, who was not used to dealing with “high risk” pregnancies, was troubled by the results of the ultrasound. He told my parents that I would have serious problems. By age five, I was supposed to be completely unresponsive; he went so far as to refer to me as a “vegetable.” According to his predictions, I would never walk or talk. He encouraged my mom to have an abortion. To that doctor, my life was not worth living, because I would be disabled. I am here to tell you that this doctor was WRONG. I was talking before I was a year old. I have always walked with the assistance of walkers, and more recently, crutches. I have never taken any form of special education, other than an adaptive P.E. class when I was in preschool. Above all, that doctor was wrong when he implied that my life was not worth living. My life is great! I have a wonderfully supportive family, amazing friends, and many, many interests and abilities. I have a strong mind, a deceptively strong body, and most importantly, a strong spirit. I am capable of more than anyone could have predicted! However, living with a disability has not been without challenges. I have to deal with limited mobility every day and moderate to severe pain much of the time. I have been bullied in the past and have dealt with low self-esteem. These challenges used to frustrate me so much! If you had asked me a few years ago whether I would want to get rid of my disability, I would have said “Yes” in a heartbeat. Today, however, my answer is different. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten stronger; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I have learned to meet my challenges head on. I am proud of who I am and proud of the way God made me. I was made this way for a reason! Because of my disability, I have met many people that I would never have met otherwise. I met some of my best friends at camps for kids with disabilities. I met others at Cabrini. Today I see that my disability is a blessing, not a curse. It has taught me patience and has helped me come up with creative ways to be as independent as possible. I would not trade these experiences for ANYTHING. I am so glad that I was given the chance to live! If you walk away from this gym remembering only a few things from my speech, I hope this is what you remember: that all life is precious and every baby deserves the chance to live. No matter what challenges that baby will face, that baby deserves the chance to meet and overcome those challenges. Above all, that baby deserves the chance to excel and prove doctors and any other naysayers wrong. Thank you for giving me your attention! |
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