3.12 is the International Day for Equal Rights for People with Disabilities.

Does my illness make me different from other people?
Do I have special needs because of the disease?
Are my options limited because of it?

Tomorrow, December 3, marks the International Day for Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities.
All over the world, on this day, awareness is raised of the needs and struggles of everyone living with disabilities.
For me, this is an opportunity to talk about someone who lives with a chronic illness, or a "transparent disability," and whose disability is less obvious to everyone.
Because I am not "looked at," many times in order to receive my rights I will have to struggle or confront the environment.
And because there are many differences between chronic diseases, and we need relief in different things,
It may be more difficult to explain what and how we should help.

So we have an opportunity on this day to talk and explain to our environment what we are going through,
And how can we improve and help?
Beyond exercising rights vis-à-vis institutions (I may try to write about that another time),
Let's take this opportunity today and ask ourselves -
What limits me?
What are my needs?
And what can I do and promote to fulfill them, to overcome the limitations?
Is there a way I can help my environment?
Request or implement any change so that I can function more easily and freely?

According to the Law on Equal Rights for People with Disabilities, every person with a disability is entitled to "equal and active participation in society in all areas of life,"
and is entitled to receive "an appropriate response to his special needs in a manner that will enable him to live his life with maximum independence, privacy and dignity, while exercising his full potential."
This is our right!
In my opinion, it is our responsibility and duty to stand up for our rights,
To find and promote solutions for ourselves and for others like us.