Day 18 of 30 Days of MD: Duchenne and Traveling the World

Written by Ralph Yaniz |

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Day 18 of #30DaysofMD Duchenne and Traveling the World by Colin Werth Traveling is daunting task for many, but traveling with a disability makes it even more complicated. However, for me, the wonderful experiences of traveling around the world are far worth it despite the fact that I live with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. For many, the biggest fear is of flying and risking damage to your wheelchair. I do have a fancy Permobil power wheelchair, but forego traveling with it because it is too heavy to be lifted by hand. Instead I have purchased a smaller, portable power wheelchair that weighs an eighth of what my Permobilpower chair weighs. I’ve brought the chair with me on three trips so far and have had no issues at all. It is really great to have the independence of a power wheelchair while traveling. Anyway, the reason why I believe traveling is a great experience is because of all the wonderful people I’ve met and all of the different fascinating cultures I’ve learned about. I’ve seen everything from the great European cities of London and Paris to majestic sperm whales off the coast of New Zealand. As I’ve gotten weaker from my progressive condition it has made things more challenging, but there are plenty of destinations out there that are very accessible. In December I’m traveling to Barcelona which is supposedly one of the most accessible cities in the world. Other places I’ve been that were easy to roll around in my wheelchair I’d recommend to visit are Vancouver, Canada and Tokyo, Japan. There are plenty of resources. I am using the group @Disabled Accessible Travel to help plan our upcoming trip to Barcelona. Another great resource is the blog of fellow traveler Cory Lee who lives with SMA. Feel free to reach out to me for travel advice too; I’d be happy to help. The reason I chose the pictures above of me in Japan is because it is my favorite country I have visited. The people are so kind and helpful, especially to those with disabilities. It is fascinating to see the experiences of modern day and ancient history collide. Super-sleek bullet trains whisk you from city to city where ancient temples abound. Japan is truly a beautiful country!

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About the Author

Ralph Yaniz Ralph served as the executive director of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology Foundation in 2016, helping to establish the organization and begin serving the community. Prior to that he worked for AARP, where he was a regional vice president for a decade and, prior to that, the Illinois State Director for four years. In his capacity as the Illinois State Director, Ralph led AARP Illinois in major legislative victories between 2002 and 2006, including the Older Adult Services Act in 2004. Before going to AARP, Ralph was executive director of the Berwyn Cicero Council on Aging. The mission of the organization is to assist adults over 60 in maintaining their independent living with the highest quality of life. He holds BS and MA degrees in psychology from Loyola University of Chicago and worked as a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois for three decades. He also holds an MBA degree from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Ralph has served on numerous boards for nonprofit organizations and in 2018 founded the LGMD2L Foundation to help look for treatments and cures for his form of muscular dystrophy.

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