Jane Thomas: Businesswoman and Community Leader
Jane Thomas is a mother, a civic leader, and the
owner of Apple Specialty Advertising. She also happens to use a
wheelchair as the result of a spinal cord injury at the age of 16.
Understandably, as a young girl, Jane found it
difficult to accept her paralysis and the prospect of never walking
again. However, Jane's mother encouraged her to move forward with her
life despite her need for a wheelchair. Her mother helped Jane realize
that she did not have to give up on her dreams for the future.
Jane took her mother's advice to heart. In 1988,
while in her early 20s, Jane moved from southern England to the United
States with her own young family. In addition to her responsibilities at
home, Jane attended school full-time at the University of Texas at San
Antonio and worked full-time, eventually becoming the manager at a
medical staffing firm.
In February 2000, Jane decided to start Apple, a
one-stop promotional products company. As the company's owner, she wears
many hats. These include salesperson, graphic designer, and office
manager.
Three years later, just as her business was coming
into its own, Jane received the bad news that she had very aggressive
Stage III breast cancer. The remainder of the year was grueling.
Although she underwent surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, she missed
only two days of work. At year's end, not only had Jane managed to keep
Apple afloat, but she had also succeeded in growing her business by 10%.
In every aspect of her life, both personal and
professional, Jane has not allowed herself to be defined by her
disability. She is guided by a firm belief that it is necessary to “live
each day with as much passion and joy as possible.” Jane's
determination has led to her success, which, in turn, has convinced her
of the need to share her message of understanding and acceptance with
others.
Jane does this informally on a daily basis through
her interactions with clients. Her customers know her first and
foremost as a talented and capable businesswoman. In other settings,
Jane makes formal presentations in which she helps professionals in
business and healthcare understand that, at a very basic level, we are
all the same. She reminds her audience that our similarities outweigh
our differences, no matter the type of disability.
When speaking to nursing and medical students at
the University of Texas Health Science Center, which Jane has done
regularly for several years, she especially emphasizes the importance of
focusing on the individual rather than the disease. Based on her
experiences, Jane appreciates that respect for human dignity requires
patients to be involved in making treatment decisions whenever possible.
Indeed, the patient has a unique understanding of his or her existing
disability and the potential for a new diagnosis to affect quality of
life. According to Jane, “It is important to have a life of honor.” For
her, this means the right to self-determination.
As a further expression of Jane's desire to be a
positive force in the community, she has been involved with numerous
civic organizations. Most notably, she has served as chairperson for the
City of San Antonio Disability Access Advisory Committee and the South
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of the board of
directors for Project MEND, an organization that provides medical
equipment and assistive technology for low-income people in San Antonio.
In honor of her accomplishments, Jane received the Texas Governor's
Committee for People with Disabilities Entrepreneur Award.
Despite the things that happened in her life that
were outside her control – a childhood injury and subsequent diagnosis
of cancer – Jane has decided to live her life with great enthusiasm. In
so doing, she has inspired countless people with disabilities to strive
to achieve what may have once appeared to be unattainable goals – using
public transportation, walking across the room, driving a car, holding a
job. Though the goals will differ according to each person’s situation
and desires, Jane is an example for anyone who faces the challenges
presented by a disability. Moreover, she has been instrumental in
breaking down barriers between people with and without disabilities by
emphasizing the critical importance of respect for one another based on
our shared humanity.
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