Sunday, February 9, 2025
39.3 F
Roseville

Ken Howell, advocate for disabilities

Ken Howell of Eugene, Oregon, has been a volunteer advocate for people with disabilities for decades.

“My first child had spinal muscular atrophy,” said 55-year-old Howell in a telephone interview. “They said Elisabeth wouldn’t live until two, but she lived to be 20. Having her introduced me to the disabled community.”

He helped people get over the stigma of having a disability, he said. He worked with families making home adaptations, encouraged people with disabilities to use computers, and advocated with insurance companies and school districts unwilling to follow laws affecting people with disabilities.

“Then my wife received a call from a family that didn’t want their newborn child with spina bifida,” he said. Spina bifida is a spinal birth defect often resulting in paralysis that makes the child non-ambulatory.

“Her parents didn’t want anything to do with her because of it,” he said. “My wife and I tried talking them into keeping her.” The mother would have aborted the child, he said, but her physician had failed to administer a test that could have revealed the spina bifida. The Howells adopted Anna. Today, she is 18, very articulate, uses a wheelchair, and has a paying job.

All that, and now Howell has a disability.

“I’ve been diabetic for 22 years,” he said. “Three years ago, my doctor told me about a new type of laser surgery so a diabetic will never go blind when they get older. He encouraged me to have the surgery when I was young. He said my eyesight was on a slippery slope walking on banana peels.”

About six weeks after surgery, Howell’s vision began blurring. He went to another eye doctor for a second opinion, and that doctor said, “Didn’t (the other doctor) tell you that three percent of people who have this surgery go blind and we don’t know why?”

His new doctor said Howell could be totally blind in six months. If his old doctor had mentioned the risk of blindness, Howell wouldn’t have had the surgery.

“So I became legally blind,” he said. Yet three years in, he still sees well enough to walk in well-lighted places and reads with magnifying equipment. But he no longer can work at his son’s computer repair business.

His advice: “God has a plan for each of us. With being blind, even though your life is drastically different, it’s not over.”



Brighter Side

Trending

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

The Crepe Stop in Roseville

The Crepe Stop in Roseville. Savory & Sweet. Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Gelato, Boba Tea.

Topics

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

The Crepe Stop in Roseville

The Crepe Stop in Roseville. Savory & Sweet. Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Gelato, Boba Tea.

Roseville Today Super Bowl party picks for Eagles and Chiefs game

Roseville, Calif.- This Sunday at the Superdome in New Orleans, the Philadelphia take on the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. A super-sized rematch and unofficial national holiday of $8 million dollar commercials, food and drink and a little football.

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin, Calif.

All American Sweeping Co. in Roseville

All American Sweeping's objective is to provide personalized customer service with an emphasis on professionalism, communication, responsiveness and quality at a fair price

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Mobley Pest Services in Roseville serving the community and region for over 20 years

Roseville, Calif.- Fully licensed and bonded, Mobley Pest Services in Roseville has been providing reliable pest control services for well over 20 years. Serving residents and businesses in the greater Placer and Sacramento region, Mobley Pest Services is locally owned and operated in Roseville.

Making a Splash in Roseville at Steve Wallen Swim School

Roseville, Calif. - Steve Wallen Swim School in Roseville teaches swim lessons and water safety for infants, kids, and adults of all skill levels.

California Fence and Patio serving Placer County for over 30 years

Loomis, Calif. - California Fence & Patio is proud of their reputation as the premier fencing and patio cover contractor in the Roseville,, Sacramento and Placer County region.