Disabled / Disability / Disabilities On Stamps

Touchy subject perhaps? But an interesting and educational one to collect none the less.

You sometimes think that you have it bad off but then, when you see someone in worse off straits than yourself and wonder how he does it, how does he keep going, because gosh, I don't know if I could do that, you realize that everybody has troubles and challenges.

I don't know how some people can get through it all myself, but then some have told me that they wonder how I get through my own bumps in the road, mental and physical. Well, you just do, that's all.

I was complaining to the doctor one day that I don't know how people do it, mainly feeling sorry for myself, and he said that he has had people come in to him and, after seeing a disabled person get around and doing the stuff he has to do just so he can do ordinary things, that they are inspired to get going themselves and do things like exercise more or eat better or look after themselves more than they have been.

The doc told me that every day you influence in some way some number (24?, I forget) of other people, just by being yourself and doing what you are doing. People see you or hear about you and they are influenced by what you are doing or saying. That's amazing really. No matter who you are and what hardships or handicaps you may have, you can be an influence in the world.

The United Nations declared 1981 to be the International Year of Disabled Persons. Thirty years ago. We have seen a lot of changes in the world since then.

Here is Spain's contribution in that year:

Here's a couple more, perhaps less obvious.
Diabetes. Invisible, on the rise and certainly controllable.




And one that's totally curable. Illiteracy. Ignorance.

The UN Souvenir Card that goes with that series of stamps:

Kuhli,
What a nice stamp! Thank you.

It is an obligatory tax stamp for "Week of the Invalids", Dec 6-12, 1992.

I always thought it was a big Bravo for the US with this one,
I once heard a woman give a talk on her trauma
of enduring her journey through junior school
suffering from epilepsy. It was awful.

Puzzler,

A very worthwhile topic. Here are a few more U.S. contributions.

Gatagara home for handicapped children, Rwanda.

and polio.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a war veteran amputee, designed and engraved by Jean de Vos, and issued by Belgium on October 11, 1969 to publicize their disabled veterans relief organizations Œuvre nationale des invalides de la guerre (O.N.I.G.) and N.W.O.I. Oorlogsoorden, Scott No. 727.

- nethryk

Here are some from my German album


From Heidelberg acancellation

The only charity stamp issued by GB SG970 from 1975

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a boy discarding crutches in celebration of the victory over poliomyelitis through vaccination, designed by André Spitz, engraved by Robert Cami, and issued by France on October 31, 1959, Scott No. 933, Y&T No. 1224.

- nethryk

Some great stamps. I'll see what I can find among my stamps.