Alexis is a 12 year old girl and while she is a normal child like anyone else, she is a diabetic who needs to wear an insulin pump in order to remain healthy. The pump is designed to function in all of the ways that her pancreas cannot and it rests on the outside of her body. She needs to wear this pump to remain healthy and the device is not even all that noticeable.
When she wears clothing that provides courage for her midriff, the device cannot be seen. She visited an Ohio water park with her mother Beth and was clad in a two piece bathing suit. This made her pump visible to the naked eye and when she saw a cool water slide that she wanted to try out, she was given some bad news by a park attendant. As it turns out, she would not be allowed to use the water slide after all.
Beth has since claimed that the city discriminated against her daughter in an unlawful manner, citing the Americans With Disabilities Act. According to the American Diabetes Association, no public place can discriminate against someone because of their diabetes or the items that they need to remain healthy. They are supposed to receive access to all of the same services that those without disabilities are accustomed to.
Once the incident was investigated, the city determined that Alexis had been the victim of unfair discrimination and that she should have been allowed to ride the water slide. On top of this determination, they also thanked Alexis and her mother for taking the time to bring this important issue to light. While the lifeguard was probably just trying to be safe, it is safe to say that they went too far.
Now that Alexis and Beth have vocalized the concerns of various disabled citizens everywhere, those who have diabetes and other related disabilities will be able to wear the items that they need in order to survive without fear of being discriminated against. Stories like these provide us with a valuable reminder of all the bad experiences that those who are disabled are forced to endure.
Please take time out to spread the word about the plight of Alexis and all of the other children like her as soon as possible. Solving problems of this nature will take a group effort and we should all be willing to rally around this young lady during her hour of need.