Profile
of Success - Graham Clarke
Graham Clarke's original profile was posted in December, 2000. The content in the following article serves as an "update" to Graham's original Profile. Graham continues to be a successful communicator and, as you will see, is feeling more empowered than ever.
The last couple of months saw me experiencing the most empowering period of my life. This eventually culminated in a most successful trip to Denmark. I was off to attend a biennial conference of the International Society for Alternative and Augmentative Communicators (ISAAC) Denmark. The society makes limited funds available to those that apply for them and are selected from emerging countries as well as those that use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). I was extremely fortunate and privileged to receive some funding. So much so, that monies were made available to me, which put a stamp of approval on the whole trip and set me in motion.
I said that it was an empowering experience for me because, bar arranging the flights and the funding, I basically organised the whole trip myself. Obviously, I wouldn't have left Cape Town, South Africa were it not for all the generous donations I received. It's greatly appreciated and hopefully I was/am a "good horse to back." Thanks so much to all those concerned -- you know who you are. While we are on the subject of donations, it also wouldn't have been possible were it not for a little cream-coloured wire that runs along the floor of most of our homes. This little wire has empowered me tremendously over the last four years and hopefully made me an independent member of society. I would like to thank Telkom (a South African telephone company) for their generous donation that goes toward my yearly telephone account. The telephone line has brought the world right into my room. Thanks very much guys, you've empowered me greatly. You'll never realise how much.
I had asked Russel, the care attendant that accompanied me to a conference in America some years back, to keep the beginning of August open as I would probably need him to accompany me to Denmark to attend a conference. I was just going on faith, nothing concrete had been arranged then but I believed that this trip would come to be realised. I also began putting little feelers out at this time and started reading the conference web site for more information. After reading everything, I was confident that my dreams were certainly attainable. I decided to keep things mostly to myself, gathering enough information as the months went by so I could put everything on the table and show that it was possible and that I had done my homework. This was the empowering part I had tried to cover all my bases.
I was extremely overwhelmed by the spirit that exists among/between all those
that are involved in AAC in someway. This certainly made a great impression
on me. I loved meeting everybody and being part of ISAAC 2002. Everything that
I experienced was equally as important.
I feel we South Africans, and those that were present from all the emerging
countries, benefited from the conference greatly especially after our respective
meetings. New directions were mapped out, spirits built up, rekindled and planted.
Attending some lectures and going around the exhibition hall were great experiences.
I was thrilled to see that my communication device and those that had been manufactured by the Prentke Romich Company, were in the majority again. I know I have the best communication device and method of word retrieval.
Anyway, the whole experience was AWESOME!! Thanks to everybody concerned. Bless you all. Graham
ISAAC 2002 highlights: http://www.isaac2002.dk/