Mama and Dad

Next Wednesday is International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

We're marking the occasion with an interview with Pia Pearce, mom to Kevin Pearce (above), an American snowboarder who was expected to win gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Then a crash head-first into ice almost killed him.

Some of you may have seen The Crash Reel, a raw, exuberant film that follows Kevin's wild success, devastating accident, and hospitalization for a life-changing brain injury. The film takes us into the world of Kevin's close-knit family, which includes four brothers, and the gruelling rehab that follows.

Pia talks about how her experience raising one son with Down syndrome and two sons with dyslexia influenced her reaction to Kevin's traumatic brain injury.

This interview is not to be missed. Louise

(Learn more about Kevin's foundation Love Your Brain, which raises funds to improve quality of life for people with brain injury.

As our lead up to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities Dec. 3, we continue to ask how we can pull disability issues into the mainstream. Here we speak with Shelby Nurse, a Florida college student and advocate for people with disabilities who spoke yesterday with her dad Thomas at the Bloorview Research Institute Symposium. Shelby is on her way to becoming a child life specialist to ensure that hospitalized kids "remain kids." In a strange twist, her aunt is a dear friend of one of our BLOOM readers in Switzerland. It was an honour to meet Shelby and hear her ideas.

Change your Facebook profile picture for the day December 3 to support the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Use your own social network to raise awareness!

How?

1. Visit the Holland Bloorview fan page.
2. Right click on our profile picture and select "save target as" in the drop menu.
3. Save the image on your desk top.
4. Go to your Facebook page and change your picture.

Ask your friends to do the same!