Wheelchair event at Missouri Western offers new perspective

Mar. 28—Advocates for disabled people encouraged on Thursday those not in need of a wheelchair to travel in one for a time and try to realize how difficult it can be.

Missouri Western State University relies on its expansive campus, scenic rolling hills and complex architecture as a selling point, but the International Wheelchair Day event showed how for some disabled people, these are also obstacles. Events were conducted by the university's Accessibility Resource Center and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion.

"When I was a student here, I wasn't even aware of what the Americans for Disabilities Act was, because I was still walking," said Kelly Narowski, a Missouri Western alumna who is a wheelchair user. "I didn't know anything about disability services at the time. What I see here now is accessibility everywhere, and what I see at this event, this is cool."

Narowski became partially paralyzed by a car accident at age 25, having previously graduated while she remained able-bodied. Now 50, she returned Thursday to encourage disability awareness, and to reflect on how the campus is a very different place for someone in a wheelchair.

"The fact that it's voluntary, this particular event, the fact that people want to come and learn is great," Narowski said. "So, I do think it changes, it helps, events like this ... I do a lot of disability awareness training myself and, I get a lot of positive feedback."

Jackie McGuire, who works as a counselor for students at Missouri Western, was one of the able-bodied people who got in a wheelchair during Thursday's events and attempted to navigate the campus unassisted. McGuire found the experience challenging, she said.

"You can empathize with someone, but actually putting yourself in their position lets you see it from their position," McGuire said.

Keynote speaker Kar Miller, who is a student at Missouri Western, said raising awareness is important. Miller has long relied on a powered wheelchair for mobility, and at times finds its mechanical functions and battery life unreliable.

Seldom at Missouri Western, Miller said, does someone offer to help when the device is moving slowly, or not at all. Most disabled people want to be as independent as they can, Miller said, but it never hurts to ask if they need help. Most people do not ask.

"It's worth being considerate, and at least checking, because it's a lot harder than you think," Miller said. "And, we're maybe used to it, but that doesn't make it easy."

Narowski said the ADA and its regulations establish some of the strongest protections worldwide for disabled people. Because of fines and scrutiny from the general public, inconsiderate actions like parking in a reserved space are less common than they used to be. However, people still do things like park in the access aisle, often denoted by diagonal lines, failing to realize those areas are just as essential.

One of her goals is to help correct that, she said.

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem

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