Maria Sutter

Hi, everybody. My name is Maria. I'm from the Northeast Ohio area. I am a woman with a spinal cord injury and a wheelchair user. I have had the fortune of having caregivers in my life for almost 20 years now, family care, care, caregivers, paid caregivers, volunteer caregivers. Um, you name it. I've been able to utilize them. They are uh the backbone of why I'm able to live in my own home. Have a job, um, drive a car, have a service dog, help take care of my family. Um, they are friends, they are people that I rely on. They are sources of information that I never would have known. Um, they are travel companions. They are people I've laughed with and cried with. Um, people I've sometimes yelled at and been yelled at to get back in my place as is needed. Um, without caregivers, my family wouldn't be who we are today. Um, I have learned more from them than I probably would have learned if my life had gone in a different direction. So for everybody who's in that room there today, look around, hug one of those caregivers high 51 of those caregivers and we really need to continue fighting for their recognition um for them to have more value uh within our society. So, thank you very much for listening. Um And I appreciate all the caregivers.