Ji Won

Jiwon and her family become Canadian citizens

David recently wrote to me to say that Jiwon, he and their mother Jackie have become Canadian citizens. Of course I was delighted, and asked for some photos from the January 25 ceremony. Here they are:

 

A new Tyee article about Ji Won

The Tyee has published my article Ji Won Park: An Eloquence Beyond Words. Excerpt:

Ji Won looked great -- a big grin, a flawless complexion, and a twinkle in her eye. While she can't speak, she understands everything and takes an active part in the conversation. "Yes" is a smile; "no" is closed eyes. Her hands remain clenched into fists, but she has more control over her left arm, and used it to rub her forehead.

The family has seen some successes this year. David is now working as an accountant in Coquitlam. He has an apartment there and comes home on weekends -- usually on Saturday evening, his mother told me, after spending the day studying for his CGA. 

Jackie herself won a prize as best student in her VCC ESL class, and her English is very good. "But my English writing is not good," she told me.

Brain Injury Fundraiser

Karen Choi has invited friends of Jiwon to a Brain Injury Fundraiser.

The purpose of this fundraiser is to raise money for people in British Columbia living with a brain injury. The money raised will aid in their recovery through innovative therapy treatments.  It will also be used to help people with brain injuries to re-establish their friendships and re-build their social independence.

The event is at The Mill Bistro, at the bottom of Bute in Coal Harbour, from 7:00-10:00 pm on Wednesday, January 27.

More video of Ji Won walking

David has posted some video  on Facebook | Jiwon Park, showing how much better she's walking. Very exciting, but also a lot of hard work.

Ji Won Stands and Walks

I visited Ji Won and her family the other day, and The Tyee has now published Ji Won Stands and Walks, based on my visit. It's still a hard life for her and her family, but she's making progress.

Ji Won is on Facebook...and walking!

Ji Won has her own Facebook page now. And on it you can see a video of her taking her first real steps in seven years. Very exciting! I hope you'll become a Facebook friend of Ji Won.

Another article in The Tyee

The Tyee has published my article Ji Won Park May Yet Speak. Here are some photos taken during my last visit to see her.

Jiwon in the Sun Run

Thanks to David for sending me some great photos of Jiwon's Sun Run. Here are some of them:

News about Jiwon

I have some new photos of Jiwon from David. She's tried out a new "running" wheelchair:

And here's a picture of her at English Bay:

I've been invited to join Jiwon's Joyful Journey Society on Facebook, and of course I agreed. She's planning to join the Sun Run on April 20—I hope you'll join too.

Another Article in The Tyee

The Tyee has published my article The Unspoken Message of Ji Won Park. And CTV News has interviewed David for a report on how Ji Won is doing.

Ji Won is in the news!

Last week Ji Won and her family were the subject of a news story on CityTV, Channel 13. The story showed her doing speech therapy and drawing. And today, Sunday, the Vancouver Province has a story about her also: Art therapy eases road to recovery. It includes a photo of Ji Won and another photo of one of her drawings.

A New Article in The Tyee

The Tyee has published my new article The Visions of Ji Won Park. It describes the progress Ji Won has made in recent months. It includes a gallery of some of her new artwork.

Ji Won Makes Progress

David sent me some new photos of Ji Won with her physiotherapists. She's managing to sit upright and balanced—very good to see. Congratulations, Ji Won!

Some New Photos—and Some New Art

Thanks to David for sending me some new photos of Ji Won with her friends and family. She is also experimenting with art, and I hope to learn more about this when I visit her next time.

Ji Won 'Takes Back the Night'

An article in The Tyee describes how "Take Back the Night" Takes Back the Park. Stanley Park was chosen because of what happened to Ji Won, and she was an active participant in the event. The story includes a photo gallery with a picture of Ji Won.

A Morning in Coal Harbour

I visited Ji Won and her family again this morning. It was very enjoyable, though David had severe allergies. We talked about all kinds of things: travel, books, politics. I learned that Ji Won loves Sherlock Holmes stories!

They had some good news: A new van, equipped to handle Ji Won's wheelchair, will soon arrive. The family hopes to visit Seattle later in the summer, and we discussed the possibility of traveling by train instead of having to drive. And I took some photos of Jackie and Ji Won.

Ji Won's Progress

My new article Ji Won's Progress is now online at The Tyee.

Another Visit With Ji Won

I had a long visit this morning with Ji Won, Jacki, and David. The purpose was to interview them for an article I'm writing for The Tyee. I learned a lot, and the first draft of the article is already finished. When it's published, I'll create a link to it from here.

In the meantime, here are a couple of photos I took.

Summer Barbecue

David has sent me some more photos. These are from a barbecue last summer, with MLA Lorne Mayencourt. I've also put some photos at the end of the "Letter to Dr. Swingle."

Nanaimo, June 2004

David sent me these photos from a trip to Nanaimo last summer with Ji Won's aunt. Every one tells a story, and I especially like the one with Ji Won in those cool sunglasses!