10 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, September 7, 1994 Triumph. (continued from page 1) _ In January, 1987, she was transferred to McGee Rehabili- tation in Philadephia, where she stayed on a floor devoted to spinal cord injuries and re- ‘ceived therapy for the next four months. ~ “I had to learn balance, to sit up and to take care of myself -- getting dressed, combing n:y hair, brishing my teeth - all ‘over again,” she said. “I jot angry plenty of times.” - She beat her goal, tobe home in time for her mother’s April 17 birthday, by eight days. « Coming home was another challenge. Until special door handles and other modifications “were made to her parents’ house, Heidi fought an ongoing battle with standard doorknobs. . “I would get frustrated and shout, ‘Why didn't you leave me one good hand?” she said. . Although her employer, Red Rock Job Corps Center, had held her resident assistant’s job open for her, Heidi realized that it would be too difficult. “I had to learn fine motor skills so that I could leam to and to write again,” she said. Part of her therapy was removing pegs from a box and ‘picking beads from sand. “I called it beads and kitty litter,” she joked. Throughout her entire recov- “ery, her parents, John and An- ‘nabell Allen, told her that she ‘would have to prove to them .that she couldn't do something ‘before they would help her. “I owe a lot to them for that,” -she said. . Finding a job was another ‘hurdle. For six years she sent resu- mes to every business and or- ‘ganization in the valley. . “I was trained to be a com- ‘puter operator,” she said. “I am very qualified to work with .computers, but everyone told ‘me that I wasn't. I could see it Af I said that I wanted to be a ‘brain surgeon. I learned that if ‘someone tells me I'm not quali- fied, I'll ask them why.” Finally Ian Richardson at ‘Document Automation Corp. in Wilkes-Barre hired her, but Heidi still had to prove herself. Within several months she had worked her way up to a job in quality control, in which she checked other employees’ work for accuracy. When DAC folded in Febru- ary, 1993, Heidi resumed her job search. , The following September, after being interviewed at Sallie Mae for several different posi- tions, she landed a part-time job as a computer operator, working four or five hours ev- ery day. She learned telephone work and now has been given more responsibilities in her job, and has learned to drive a van equipped with a wheelchair lift and hand controls. “When I was still in the emer- gency room at the General, I told my mother that I would probably never drive again,” Heidi recalled. “She told me no way.” Although concerned about driving on ice and snow, the weather conditions which con- tributed toher accident in 1986, Heidi drives herselfto work and on errands. Her next van will have four- wheel drive, she said.. “I owe Ian Richardson the world for hiring me,” she said. “My job at DAC gave me the experience that I needed for a job at Sallie Mae.” Although she's the only per- son there in a wheelchair, she said her co-workers don’t no- tice it. They see her for who she is. EE a lil Ei Essa ld] “We have to be creative in order to survive, to think of ways to get around obstacles or handle Situations.” * Heidi Jo Allen Rehabilitation award recipient “We are capable of holding steady jobs and being produc- tive in the workforce,” Heidi said. “We have to be creative in order to survive, to think of ways to get around obstacles or handle situations.” Heidi Allen, Nancy Dukes will be honored Sept. 22 Allied Services, an area not-for-profit health care system serving the @ 4 physical and mental needs of the physically and mentally challenged, is the local and national sponsor of National Rehabilitation Week, observed September 18-24. . Aspartofthe week's observances, Allied will hold a special luncheon September 22 in Scranton to present awards to local individuals and organizations who have worked on behalf of people with disabilities or those who have made significant steps in overcoming them. Honorees are selected through nominations from the community, according to assistant vice-president in charge of corporate programs Alexandra Yantorn. Allied has participated regionally and nationally in National Reha- & 4 bilitation Week since 1976, Yantorn said. | Two regional honorees from the Back Mountain will receive plaques at the luncheon - Sweet Valley resident Heidi Jo Allen and Harveys Lake resident Nancy Dukes. National award honorees include actress Annette Funicello and Life Goes On star Chris Burke, honored in 1990, who will be this year’s featured speaker. : Co-sponsors are radio stations WARM and WMGS in Avoca. Allied Services operates seven satellite centers in the area, two hospitals (John Heinz Institute in Wilkes-Barre and Allied Services in Scranton), a home health care network, a medical equipment store and @® F housing for the physically challenged in 11 Northeastern Pennsylvania -counties. It also provides vocational training for the physically and mentally challenged, some of whom eventually are able to bring the skills they have learned to jobs outside the Allied system. The Allied system has 2,000 employees and services 3,000 clients a Heidi has addressed area or- ganizations on behalf of the physically challenged, believ- ing that “by telling my story, I might be able to educate the public. We're not handicapped - the handicap only exists in others’ mindsets. We're physi- cally challenged. For every step that you take, I might take two or three. Every day we fight accessibility problems - no wheelchair ramps and restau- rants with poorly designed doors, for example. Or our special parking spaces are abused by people who don't really need them.” Coping with people’s reac- tion to her disability can be as challenging as stairs and ob- Sweet Valley resident Heidi Jo Allen uses a lift to get into the specially-equipped van she drives to work in Wilkes-Barre. stacles, Heidi said. : “People don't know what to do, how to react,” she said. “Mothers sometimes tell their children not to look at us. Pos- sibly they're afraid of us or don’t understand us. Some of us actually have a sense of hu- mor.” Laughter, Heidi believes, is truly the best medicine. 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Member of UJB Financial Corp., a financial services organization with over $14 billion in assets. day. by Grace R. Dove arsenal of wisecracks for people Utley, Annette Funicello and who give her “nasty, evil stares.” J im Post.” she said. “I'm on the : She can tell the difference be- same page in the newspaper Q L Jee those and the curious, with them.” 5 5 .- v f , POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE give ess Sineswhichchildren " She said {hat during Posys Sometimes people talk ove g BLCepIed a2 men) h Fai peop r cal school, she prayed for him er, as if she’s not there. constantly. She wanted to see People in wheelchairs aren’t him succeed. her true physical condition from deaf and dumb,” she said. “I Through her visits to area her because they feared that can hear and speak as well as organizations, contact with the she would become suicidal, anyone.” — media and her daily activiites, Heidi fired back: ; Heidi was nominated for the Heidi wants to pave the way for How can I? | can't shoot National Rehabilitation Week others who are challenged by | myself or jump off a bridge. 1 award by her physical thera- lack of accessability or rejec- can't even overdose on medi- pist, Jeff Pace, and co-workers tion from others. cines because I can't open those at Sallie Mae. “It’s their mindset that we're childproof caps. There's no “What makes receiving this ‘different’ and should be treated | reason for me to attempt sui- award so nice is being recog- differently,” Heidi said. “We're cide. I have too much to offer.” nized with people like Governor not ‘different.’ We just do some She has also developed an Casey, football player Michael things differently.” 'S STILL TI THERE'S STILL TIME . . . oh Don't miss this last opportunity to sign up for fall semester classes at Luzerne County Community College. Still only $48 per credit hour! 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers