Invisible Disability Awareness Month

Green graphic with quote from Sammi Hampton that says, "I wish more people understood that you can’t tell just by looking at a person if they are disabled or not. I think we need to have less assumptions and more conversations.”

It’s Invisible Disability Awareness Month. Sammi Hampton, Independence Now’s COVID Outreach Assistant, shares their thoughts about IDAM.

“I am multiply-disabled, and I have both visible and invisible disabilities. My disabilities are dynamic (fluctuating) and I have learned that on my good days when I am not using a mobility aid, a lot of people don’t know I’m disabled. People often see I use a rollator and wheelchair and I explain I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. People will often easily accommodate my needs when they can see my disability. However, you can’t tell just by looking at me that I am neurodivergent or have a heart condition. People tend to just label me as awkward, forgetful, and lazy not realizing I suffer from invisible disabilities too. I wish more people understood that you can’t tell just by looking at a person if they are disabled or not. I think we need to have less assumptions and more conversations.”

Invisible Disability Awareness Month
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