BULLY PULPIT:
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 Gabrielle (Gabe) Ford, with support from her dog, Izzy, will speak at the IRA Annual Convention about overcoming the effects of bullying. |
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Ford hardly imagined this kind of career for herself. A gifted ballerina as a child, she was struck at age 12 by Friedreich’s Ataxia, a neuromuscular disease that affects balance, coordination, and speech. Her disease, coupled with a move to a new school, made her a natural target for students who viewed the new kid as “different.” The physical and emotional bullying reached such a level that, following high school graduation, Ford spent most of her time in her house, afraid to go outside for fear of running into those who had bullied her. She asked her mother for a dog to keep her company, and Izzy came into her life. When the coonhound was later diagnosed with a muscular disease that has similar symptoms to Ford’s, the bond between the two grew even deeper.Accompanying Izzy to vet visits gradually helped Ford get more comfortable going out into public. Then Animal Planet did a segment on Ford and Izzy that first aired in 2001 and had been rebroadcast dozens of times since. In that interview, Ford mentioned how hurt she had felt when kids made fun of her at school. That led to an invitation to visit a local classroom to talk about bullying. Word spread over time, and the woman who once got a waiver to drop speech class in high school now tours the United States speaking to thousands of students each year. Wherever she goes, Ford stresses that bullying is a choice. Students can “choose to make someone else miserable, or they can choose to brighten up someone’s day,” she said, noting that the effects of bullying can last for years. “The physical wounds heal, but the emotional wounds go on.” Ford will be a special featured speaker on Monday, February 23, during IRA’s 54th Annual Convention West in Phoenix. She said she will emphasize that teachers need to be proactive in dealing with bullying as soon as it starts. “If they see a problem, they need to help, even if the student hasn’t asked for help,” Ford said. Both parents and teachers need to help children learn to respect the differences of others. “Kids need to be taught to have more compassion and understanding,” Ford said. Ford credits Izzy for launching her new career. “Izzy helped me get over my fears,” Ford said. I give her all the credit for what I’m doing now. She helped me feel comfortable.” As a child, Ford dreamed of being a professional ballerina. Although her disease ended that dream, her mom points out that she is still dancing on stage—just in a different way. And her remarkable story has changed the lives of students throughout the United States. Soon that story will reach an even wider audience. A book about Ford’s life entitled Still Dancing, written with Donna Rhine, is scheduled for publication at the end of the year. Ford and Rhine also are working on a children’s storybook series that will deal with issues such as bullying and helping children relate to people with disabilities. Whereas once she was afraid to go out in public, Ford now looks forward to a bright future—a future she hopes to share with Izzy, who has already lived long beyond the expectations of the veterinarian. “She’s been called a miracle because she lived so long,” Ford said. “I believe she was meant to be in my life so that I could help her and she could help me. I believe that we’re supposed to be together.” |
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Reprinted with permission | ||
