The Laura and Wagner Foundation (LWF) is a non-profit NGO registered in Curaçao, and certified by the Belastingdienst  in the ANBI Registry in the Netherlands, that serves to raise awareness about, and advocate for, the rights of persons of all ages living with sensory, physical, or learning disabilities, as well as those 'socially disabled' because of poverty, domestic abuse or inaccessible education opportunities. Founded in February of 2008 by Laura de Haseth Meddens, herself, visually impaired, the LWF is working to 'DisAble The Dis' by changing attitudes about disability. Laura, and her guide dog Wagner from The Seeing Eye, have been 'opening eyes and opening doors' raising awareness about disability rights and issues, and obtaining access for persons with guide dogs to all the places normally sighted people go. The Foundation is now developing new options for learning, training, employment and improved daily living for persons with special needs through our ABLED® software application for the iPad, iPhone and other devices,and through the www.Abled.com global network of websites we are building.

LAURA'S TRIBUTE TO WAGNER

My dear Waggie,

You were my first wonderful guide dog. You were a real character, sometimes full of mischief, but you were always a trustworthy and loyal gentleman.

You helped me in very hard times, and saved my life on two occasions. 

I tried to help you as best as I could in fighting the cancer from 2010 onwards. But because you contracted tick fever in Texas, it became too much for your immune system over the past few weeks.

It is so very hard to say goodbye, but it was even harder to feel you getting so weak, despite what a brave, brave fight you were putting up.

Your legacy will live on in all the lives of everyone you've touched in Curaçao, the Netherlands, the United States and around the world and through the research knowledge that will be gained from your T-Cell treatments.

I want to thank everyone who contributed to our indiegogo campaign to be able to take Waggie to Texas, because your contribution continues to help build towards finding non-toxic cancer treatments for dogs and people with lymphoma and other cancers, especially children, because canine blood is so similar to children's blood composition.

The best I can close with for now, because the tears won't stop, is a favourite quote of mine from Linden: "Those with the brightest spirits are sometimes handed the darkest challenges to light the way for the rest of us".

I love you Waggie. I know your spirit will continue to guide me from heaven and you will live in my heart forever.

Laura

CLICK ON THE ICONS BELOW TO VISIT THE LAURA AND WAGNER FOUNDATION ONLINE COMMUNITIES

                                          

The Ongoing Saga of Two Survivors The Fight To Save Laura's Vision and The Fight To Save Wagner Since late 2010, Laura's faithful guide dog, Wagner, has been battling Stage 3 canine lymphoma form of cancer. His diagnosis came as Laura faced the worst possible news: the impaired vision in her remaining eye that she fought so hard to have restored was finally lost because of the physical consequences of domestic violence. After being hit and kicked in the face in several assaults by her, now, ex-husband, as documented by the Police, the physical trauma caused an immediate and ongoing loss of eye pressure, requiring painful injections of an artificial substance every six weeks to try to save her eye, which also suffered a detached retina because of the blunt-force trauma and the scar tissue it created. Continued bullying and financial abuse during the divorce process made it impossible for Laura to pay for Waggie's ongoing chemotherapy, let alone have enough food in the house for her and her children on numerous occasions. She was forced to borrow money from family and friends as she does not draw a salary from The Laura And Wagner Foundation, and social service agencies wouldn't help because they said it was her husband's responsibility. Laura didn't make this public before because of the shame and embarrassment that most victims of domestic abuse experience, and because of further cowardly threats of violence if she did. Laura never wanted to be portrayed as a "poor me", or to draw attention away from the work of her Foundation, but she felt it was important to finally take a stand to tell other women & men in abusive relationships to come forward to stop the violence and intimidation, because abusers lose their power when exposed. It was time to turn the shame in the other direction. Persons with disabilities face a much higher risk of abuse  as detailed in our Special Report on Abuse of the Disabled. Laura also wants social service agencies to improve their responses to families in crisis when faced with this abuse. Despite all this, Laura persevered and put her focus on her children and Wagner, helping her devoted guide through his treatment regimens. Thanks to the initial efforts of Dr. Erik Teske & his team at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and the team at the Medisch Centrum voor Dieren in Amsterdam, Wagner went into remission. As predicted, however, a year later, the tumors eventually returned and the chemotherapy treatments were taking a very heavy toll on his bone marrow. At that point, the veterinarians recommended putting him to sleep, because further chemotherapy treatments would be out of the question. Waggie again rallied after immediately being put on a raw food diet and eventually became strong enough for more chemotherapy and Asparaginase enzyme treatments. Then, he was been accepted into a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas and Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in College Station, Texas which would re-infuse Waggie's expanded T-cells into his own blood to fight the cancer. Because canine blood is very close in composition to human blood, particularly in children, it's hoped new treatment protocols will be developed for persons battling Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. You can read more about the world-wide effort to help at our Abled website. In the meantime, Laura was on a standby list for a cornea transplant, and in late November 2012 during an almost 3 hour operation, Prof. Dr. Peter Walter at the Augenklink at the Universitatsklinikum in Aachen, Germany, attached the donor cornea after performing other reparative procedures in an effort to stabilize her eye pressure. Laura wishes to thank the anonymous donor, as well as Prof. Dr. Walter, his assistant Sotiria Manetta and all the interns and nursing staff at the Universitatsklinikum in Aachen for this new chance at possibly getting some vision restored, as well as thanking Dr. J.D. Ferwerda, her eye specialist in Curaçao and Dr. Mauk Tilanus at St. Radboud in Nijmegen for their efforts to sustain the pressure in her eye to help keep it "alive" for the eventual transplant procedure. Then, Laura and her eye just needed time to heal, which would usually take 3 to 6 months, and she thanks everyone for their kind words of support. Unfortunately, the damage from the domestic abuse was too great, and Laura now faces a future without her sight. Then, in May 2013, the toll from the cancer and tick disease contracted in Texas despite preventative medication proved to be too much for Wagner's immune system and he was put to rest at home. Despite the personal challenges that have faced our namesakes, The Laura And Wagner Foundation continues the development of our Abled® software application for the iPhone and iPad and eventually, Android devices, that will create new learning, training and job opportunities for persons with disabilities who will then provide Abled® content, products and services for disabled and non-disabled users alike across our Abled.com network of websites which will build-out throughout 2014. Our thanks this year to iCars, Europcar Aruba, Europcar Curaçao, Carensol, and The Genuine Curaçao of Curaçao Liqueur for their financial support, and Mr. Niels Verheij of Damasco Resort for the donation of Internet access. As a non-profit NGO , we rely on donations such as these, as well as from individuals like you to make this happen. Please help us take the 'Dis' out of 'Disabled' by clicking on the banner below to help us build an Abled® future. Thank you and our very best wishes to you for a healthy and happy 2014!

Mr. Lachu Boolchand of Boolchand's presents Laura Meddens, Founder and Chairman of The Laura And Wagner Foundation with the donation of an Apple® iPad as a contribution toward the Foundation's Abled application for disabled users that is being developed for the iPad, iPhone and desktop computers.



Acupuncture specialist Shik-Tong Chan presents Laura Meddens, Founder and Chairman of The Laura And Wagner Foundation with the donation of a Blue-THX Digital microphone as a contribution toward the Foundation's Abled application and suite of assistive software for the disabled. Shik-Tong also donated treatment to help raise Laura's eye pressure as part of the battle to try and save her remaining sight, and for this, he is one of our heroes.

ABLED INITIATIVE   New Assistive Technology   Our system of software and digital   devices to help take the 'Dis' out of   Disabled via more independence   _____________________________   New learning/training opportunities   An easier system for using the 'Net'   A new form of independent mobility

ALERTS   Massive Salmonella Alert   Contaminated flavor enhancer starts   a flood of voluntary recalls of many   food products - We have the list   _____________________________   Baby carrier recall in N.A. & Europe   Tylenol products recall is expanded   Soda fountains squirt fecal bacteria

ARTICLES  The Seeing Eye & Beyond  A series of articles providing insight  into living with a disability - starting  with our Founder - Laura Meddens  _____________________________   Mobility training with a metal 'dog'   Echolocation: Seeing without eyes   Hearing restored -the challenges

BREAKTHROUGHS   Vegetative Patients 'Speak'   Brain scans show response when   questions are asked-Ethics impact   _____________________________   Paralysis Healed? Dr. Rewires Nerves   Retinal implant trial successful   New treatment for brain injury

EDUCATION   Opening Eyes & Doors   Laura & Wagner raise awareness   about disabilities and guide dogs   _____________________________   ISC students learn about disabilities   Opening eyes at the Marnix School   Teaching executives about access

EVENTS  ABLED Fundraising Event  Our sincere thanks to all participants  attendees, sponsors or contributors  _____________________________   1Domains Online Benefit Auction   Autism Awareness month   international day of the guide dog

INSPIRATION   Melody Gardot's Survival   Music therapy helps launch a major    career after being hit by a car   _____________________________   Mike May: Adapting to seeing again   Adapting to hearing for the 1st time   Quotes of inspiration for motivation

ISSUES   Poverty & The Disabled   An average 75% jobless rate leaves   many disabled persons behind           _____________________________   Shelters Illegally Bar Service Dogs   Making culture accessible for all   Autism Comfort Dogs vs Schools

MEDIA  Finding His Voice Again  Technology gives Roger Ebert back  the voice that cancer stole from him  _____________________________   Oprah's 'No Phone Zone' campaign   Oscar provides hope for Prudence   Avatar's hero inspires paraplegics

NETWORKING   Contacts-Links-Resources   Our selection of Blogs, Foundations,    Links and Retailers of interest   _____________________________   Media Dis-n-dat Blog Link   Independent Living Aids Store   UN eNable Promotes Disabled Rights

NEWS   The Heart Loves Chocolate   New long-term study shows dark   chocolate is good for your heart   _____________________________   Blind driver sets world speed record   Stem cells may reverse deafness   When a sore throat turns deadly

RESEARCH  Prostate Cancer Reduced  Drug for BPH effecting in reducing  the development of prostate cancer  _____________________________   Chemical link to breast cancer   Overactive thyroid stroke risk   How to be part of a clinical trial

SPECIAL REPORTS   Abuse Of The Disabled   Pope under fire for ignoring abuse at   Catholic institutions for the disabled   _____________________________   Disabled Attitudes: Speaking Up   Haiti/Chile Quakes impact disabled   Health Care Reform for the disabled

VIDEO   Not Defined By Disability   Our series on Disabled Attitudes and   other videos help disable the 'dis'        _____________________________   'Opening Eyes & Opening Doors'   'The Specials'-online video series   The Voices of Autism @ NYT.com

WELLNESS  Live Well Despite Disability  Conditions, treatments, recipes &  more for better wellbeing choices  _____________________________   Fitness is key for the disabled   Comparing natural painkillers   Mike May on regaining vision

A Section For Your Wellbeing

Studies have shown that it's very important for persons with disabilities or chronic health conditions to try to maintain a good diet, exercise, if possible in ways that are relevant to their condition, and to maintain a positive spirit. We've developed a new resource section of our website to help everyone, whether disabled or not, to learn more about recipes, natural supplements, exercise regimens from various sources to help you make informed choices about your health and wellbeing.

This content is for information purposes only and is not meant to replace proper diagnosis and treatment by your health professionals. We hope you find the information useful and if you have any comments or questions, please write to us at info@LauraAndWager.com.

In our Spirit video section, you'll find Laura's interview with Mike May, an assistive technology pioneer who also participated in the 'Disabled Attitudes' discussion in our Special Reports section. Mike talks about some of the challenges in having partial vision restored after 43 years via stem cell surgery. It's not quite as easy as you think. Since the interview was done via Skype, the video connection quality wasn't as good as we'd like it to be, but we feel what Mike had to say was very important and should supercede any technical concerns. You can watch the video below & read more about Mike here.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS - Watch The Video Below

   

       

Paraplegics Cheer Disabled 'Avatar' Hero     James Cameron's 3-D blockbuster has been wowing audiences all  over the world, but it is especially inspiring for many persons with  disabilities because its lead character overcomes his paralysis.  Read more at ABC News>>