Symposium on Dis/Ability & Debility in Appalachia will be hosted at UK Saturday
A University of Kentucky graduate has used the challenges he’s endured to create a support network for not just other students but people across Appalachia.
Published: Sep. 26, 2024 at 3:41 PM EDT
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT)—A University of Kentucky graduate has used the challenges he’s endured to create a support network for not just other students but people across Appalachia.
Thanks to his hard work, the community will band together this weekend for a first-of-its-kind symposium.
“I was born with a genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and with that, it causes a lot of comorbid conditions,” said UK graduate student and Lexington native Mack Thompson.
Thompson faces neurodevelopmental disabilities and physical ailments such as struggling to walk without a cane and chronic pain. When he started classes at UK in 2020, things took a turn.
“I was disabled my whole life, but my condition worsened greatly,” said Thompson.
He was then diagnosed with POTS, a disorder of the nervous system.
“I was feeling very alone in my experiences trying to connect with people,” said Thompson.
That’s when he took it upon himself to make sure no one else on campus would ever feel that way.
“And I actually founded a disability student organization on campus to bring people together,” said Thompson.
Through the organization, he quickly realized the number of disabled people from Eastern Kentucky who struggle to access resources.
“Eastern Kentucky is part of what’s called a disability belt,” said Thompson. “So with my own personal experience and my friends and community, I just really wanted to bring all kinds of different people interested in disability in the Appalachian region together to talk about this further.”
This Saturday, the conversation continues with a symposium created by Mack, where researchers, doctors, self-advocates, and others will discuss what needs to be done to care for those with disabilities.
“I really want to make sure that all of our policies and all of our approaches across are the state and the nation are making sure that we’re properly providing for Appalachians with disabilities and allowing them to have a platform and voice,” said Thompson.
Above all else, there’s one message Thompson hopes everyone walks away with.
“There is a vast community of people with disabilities that are experiencing similar things as you,” said Thompson. “People are out there, and we do care about you, and you’re not alone.”
The symposium will be held from 8:30 to 5 Saturday at the Healthy Kentucky Research Building. It is free, and you can register online.
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