A person undergoing treatment for stage 4 colon cancer reflects on how the experience has fundamentally shifted their understanding of vulnerability and disability.
Until recently, the author had no personal experience with the dependence that comes with serious illness. Now, battling cancer and chemotherapy, they find themselves relying entirely on others for basic needs, particularly during episodes of severe pain. Despite strong days marked by hope, weak days bring overwhelming fear as their body fails to respond to simple commands.
Yet amid this struggle, the author reports feeling empowered. After years documenting stories of families affected by disability, they now grasp directly what vulnerability means - no longer as an abstract concept but as lived reality. This firsthand experience has deepened their appreciation for the care provided at ADI, a disability rehabilitation, education and care organization in Israel, where they work. They credit the organization's staff and volunteers with providing personalized support that addresses fears, builds on strengths and enables forward movement.
The author acknowledges grappling with physical limitations, cognitive effects from chemotherapy and identity loss, yet describes gaining what they call "true perspective" From the ordeal. They urge readers to adopt several practices: treating vulnerable people with acceptance and respect; asking seniors if they need help; prioritizing accessibility for wheelchair and walker users; respecting designated spaces and parking; and working to make communities more accessible.
The author concludes that disability will touch everyone's life through birth, accident, disease or aging, and that honoring this shared humanity allows people to face their own challenges with grace and build a more compassionate world.