This summer I took a road trip to the USA. The main reason
was to attend a conference in Indianapolis for people living with osteogenesis
imperfecta (OI), or brittle bones. It was my third conference with the
Maryland-based Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.
My trip actually began in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where my
parents and I spent the night before going to Chicago, Illinois. The most
notable thing about Kalamazoo is that it is mentioned in a famous big band song
by Glenn Miller, called “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo.” Needless to say, I did
not get a gal in Kalamazoo. I did however have a good meal at Applebee’s and a restful
night’s sleep at the hotel we stayed at.
The following day we drove to the north side of Chicago for
a baseball game between the Cubs and the Colorado Rockies. The game was played
at the historic Wrigley Field. At 100 years old this year, Wrigley is one of
the last of the old ballparks still standing. I enjoyed the experience of being
at Wrigley Field. It was a dream come true for me to watch a game there, and
right at centre field. Wrigley is accessible as can be, despite the fact that
it is old and not designed for accessibility. All visitors with disabilities
require assistance getting on and off the lifts, because they cannot be
operated easily.
What I liked most about Wrigley Field, aside from seeing a
baseball game, was the friendly staff. They were eager to help anyone, and
didn’t hesitate to greet people with a wave and a smile. The Cubs won the game
4-2.
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| Donald inside Wrigley Field in Chicago |
Getting in and out of Chicago wasn't as fun due to bridge
congestion on the south side. It was worth seeing Chicago again for the second
time in my life. The long waits in and out of the city were worth it.
Late that night we arrived in Indiana. The conference began
the following day, a Friday. At the opening address, the guest speaker said Indianapolis
is one of the most accessible and disability-friendly cities in America. I put
that theory to the test throughout that weekend.
A few hours before the conference started, I went on one of
the city’s buses operated by the IndyGo transportation service. I wanted to
explore the city by venturing outside of the downtown area where our hotel was
located. IndyGo requires all wheelchair users to be tied down when boarding a
bus. That was the best part of going on one of their buses. The worst part of
the ride was making frequent stops on a ride that should have only been 20
minutes long. I decided instead to go back to the hotel. What I discovered,
however, was that some of the streets do not have sidewalks. This made crossing
the road dangerous and scary. Fortunately some kind residents guided me along
to the other side of the street. I arrived back to the hotel safely by bus.
I love going to OI Foundation conferences because it keeps
me updated on the latest research on OI, and also gives me a chance to
reconnect with other people who live with this condition. It also provides
opportunities to meet new people with OI and their families. It is estimated
that this year’s conference drew in 800 participants. Though most of them were
from the U.S, there were other people from Canada who attended. I also learned
there were visitors from England, Denmark and Norway, giving the conference some
international representation.
One of the highlights for me was meeting Robby Novak, better
known to the world as the Kid President. He’s a 10-year-old boy from Tennessee
who posts inspirational pep talks in a series of videos on YouTube and
Facebook. He is just as lively and energetic as he presents himself in his
videos. When I met him, I let him know I am a fan. (Robby, along with his
sister Lexi, has OI.)
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| Donald meets the Kid President |
In-between conference events I explored some of downtown
Indianapolis. This included a unique bike and pedestrian pathway at a park
across from the hotel. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is eight miles long, and
promotes accessibility to people with disabilities by including the wheelchair
symbol along its paths. The pathways opened to the public in May 2013.
One of
these paths leads into the White River State Park. This park includes several
attractions, one of which is the National College Athletic Association (NCAA)
Headquarters and Hall of Fame. We stopped in briefly to look around, but didn't
stay for any tours. It is an impressive-looking building I think most sports
fanatics will enjoy.
We took in a baseball game between the Indianapolis Indians
and the Toledo Mud Hens. The OI Foundation sponsored the game played at Victory
Field. A bonus that evening was getting to see the visiting San Diego Chicken,
the Padres’ mascot! This popular major league mascot visits several minor
league ballparks during the baseball season, with Victory Field being one of his
favourites. The game went into 10 innings. Fortunately the Indianapolis team
won 4-3!
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| Does this former Indy ballplayer wear his sunglasses at night? |
The conference concluded with an awards dinner and dance.
The foundation also announced that the next conference will take place in
Orlando in 2016. I hope I can make it to that one.
As for my informal assessment of Indianapolis as a
disability-friendly city, I believe it is a welcoming and inclusive city. The
people I met were all friendly and I sense that the city has applied the
Americans with Disabilities Act effectively, with more improvements to come.
Though it has some shortcomings, particularly with the absence of some
much-needed sidewalks, Indianapolis is impressive overall. I’m glad the OI
Foundation picked it as the site for its 2014 conference.
