John Rynn
Born with non-verbal quadriplegic cerebral palsy in Bowen, Queensland, John Rynn recently completed his Diploma of Community Services at the North Brisbane Institute of TAFE, adding to a long line of adult education achievements completed precisely because people predicted he couldn’t. Recently he was made a life member of the Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland for his “outstanding contribution to Queenslanders with cerebral palsy” and is an active member of ISAAC and AGOSCI both peak international and national bodies devoted to research into severe communication impairment. Using a speech device, he has travelled within Australia and overseas delivering motivational talks and papers about overcoming and dealing with the effects of disability. His advocacy can be summed up in ‘choosability’ – a word he coined to promote an active, positive lifestyle for people with disabilities. As a painter, he regularly sells his work to raise money for charity. He has published two books of poems, Stop and Think (1969) and Mind Over Body (1989) and had his poetry published in anthologies, other author’s books including Leaves of Life by Australian gardener, Ester Deans, and in newspapers and periodicals. You Only Want Me for My Mind is his first memoir.
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You Only Want Me for My Mind and other bedtime stories
$16.00 (GST-inc)You Only Want Me for My Mind reveals a quirky boy born not only with cerebral palsy but with an uncanny ability to overcome obstacles and mobilise people. In a world reminiscent of My Left Foot and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, we watch him laugh off the verdicts of the experts as he grows towards a life of his choosing – as an independent artist, writer and mentor for young people.
