ReAbility: A Brand New Disability Research Tool

Are you privileged to be living with someone with a disability? The same thing can be asked, just the other way around. Many people in today’s technological world are still confused on where to go for information to help them support and love their disabled friend/family member. Sometimes even getting a diagnosis is a struggle. This is where ReAbility comes in!

A Father, To Researcher, To Advocate.

Meet Chris Myers, a Father of Four, Writer, and Marketing Professor at the University of Memphis. Myers’ son Taylor lives with special needs, ever since he was born in 1992. Try to remember what it was like to live in 1992! Walkmans, Baggy Jeans and Grunge Music were all the rage. But the internet was fundamentally non-existent. Once Taylor was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and autism, he a least had a starting point. This was a huge undertaking for Myers. The library was any persons’ logical first step. Myers took to the book and tried to learn anything to help find an accessible life for his boy Taylor, and a more educated life their family. After a few years of raising Taylor, Myers’ wife encouraged him to be an advocate for people like Taylor, living with debilitating disabilities. What would follow for The new father would send him to help spread the word to committees and organizations.

A Light Bulb Goes Off!

In 2010, Chris Myers had the flash of an idea. He thought, “If only there were an internet search engine for parents of children with special needs!”. At that moment, ReAbility was born. Fast forward to the present year of 2020. Wouldn’t you think there is a resource tool for parents or family members to guide their loved one(s) through their life? Don’t go looking for a website, we’re sad to say there are none. Lifeplan was his first idea. He wanted it to be a place where people could come to find information to make it easier for parents, caregivers, etc. Myers conceived a place to easily find answers and information to make their lives and the lives of the special needs better. He started work in 2014, but was unimpressed with the lack of user-friendliness on the website presented to him.

Dreamscape, the Charity Hero.

Come 2019, the Father of Four stumble upons a 501c3 nonprofit based in Naples Florida. With similar mission statements, we easily and happily saw common ground. With the website launching on July 6th, 2020 we continue to grow our database and knowledge for this undertaking. Starting within the limits of Memphis, Tennessee (Myers’ Home Location), we hope to reach nationwide status in the near future! We reached out to Chris Myers for a status update:

Things have been going pretty well, I’ve had a few interviews so far and I’m actually having an article go live today with an online site that reaches over 15,000 people right in the Memphis area. I also have an upcoming interview with a technology company that wants to help promote and spread the word. The whole point of launching now is we are living in such uncertain times, having some light and good come out into the world is exactly what we need. Wherever you are, whatever you do, you probably have some connection with someone who has special needs. The only reason this exists is because of the help of Dreamscape and ISKPRO and our willingness to try and give us a chance.

If you’re located outside of the Memphis TN area, we understand! You can still test drive our website here. We will continue to better the website and improve upon the database of knowledge every single day!

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