access to independence

Independent Living – Imported from China…

By Stacy Zwagers

On May 20th Access to Independence will be welcoming an intern who is coming to work at a2i for 3 months. Xu Zhang, from a small town in northern China, was a doctor working in a local hospital when he had a diving accident which left him a quad.

That was 10 years ago and for the past 10 years Xu has been living in the hospital where he once worked, with his mother and brother providing his attendant care.

Xu has been in a long distance learning program through San Diego State University’s Interwork Institute and will graduate with his Masters Degree 5 days after his arrival in San Diego!

Xu has been in steady communication with a2i’s Executive Director, Louis Frick, working out the many details of his 3 month stay in this country. Xu recently sent Louis an email, which in part read:

“Dear Louis,

With the day approaching, I feel more and more excited and also a bit nervous for my three-month life in A2I. As a quad of C-4 level, my life was always under others' eyes in the past ten years, and an independent life seems an unattainable dream for me. I'm so eager to be in that life, but also doubt if I could really make it with such a severe disability. I'm imagining what that life would be like...

Could you give me some advices regarding what preparation I should be made from here, both physically and psychologically?”

A2i is eagerly awaiting Xu’s arrival and the wonderful opportunity to assist Xu to realize his own potential in leading an independent life!

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Independent Living – Imported from China…