Celebrating leadership and participation of people with disabilities – UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 3rd, 2021
Today is United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme – Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world – calls to mind many MDI members. Today, we are putting a spotlight on Diana O’Donohue who is actively involved with the local community through her committee membership for Rush Tidy Towns. Recently, Diana managed a fantastic project to paint 18 murals depicting life in Rush. This involved rallying over 29 community groups, 31 artists and 25 scout members to help. She worked closely with each group, designing ideas and working out plans for preparing the walls so artists could paint their mural, and mentoring as many of the volunteers.
Diana comments: “It was rewarding to see the smiles that the murals put on everyone’s faces. Many people made going by the murals a new part of their routine walk and said that it was great for their mental health. It gives me great pride to know that, despite my muscular dystrophy and from my wheelchair, I could execute such a project. I am delighted that this project has such a positive impact on my community, especially during these unprecedented times in everyone’s lives, and that I was part of it”.
Diana has also organised a calendar to fundraise for the Tidy Towns and helped organise a ‘seed share’ day as part of the Rush sustainability initiative. She is currently project-managing another mural project for the local harbour toilets unit. She says the Tidy Towns have made her feel very welcomed and accommodated her in every way possible. Diana lives with limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD).
Categories: Uncategorized
