Meet Anne McDonald, a writer and activist for people with disabilities. As a recent guest columnist for the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer: June 15, 2007, in an article titled The other story from a ‘Pillow Angel’ Been there. Done that. Preferred to grow she wrote this astonishing statement:
"At the time of the initial publicity about growth attenuation, Ashley’s parents wrote on their blog: ‘In our opinion only parents of special needs children are in a position to fully relate to this topic. Unless you are living the experience, you are speculating and you have no clue what it is like to be the bedridden child or their caregivers.’
I did live the experience. I lived it not as a parent or caregiver but as a bed-ridden growth-attenuated child. My life story is the reverse of Ashley’s."
Read Anne McDonald’s stunning article in its entirety but before you do, are you sitting down? I sure would like to know what Ashley’s parents and doctors have to say in response to Anne’s very strong voice. (This article can also be found here, in case the Seattle Post version is archived.)
~ Connie
Other Links:
Growth Attenuation: Say It Ain’t So
The Ashley Treatment: Is It Just Me?
Two Must Reads on the "Ashley Treatment"
Planet of the Blind 