The other day I was dreaming about having a conversation with President Bush before he took to the air for his State of the Union message. In my dream, he had gotten wind from one of his staff members that there was this lone voice in Chicago who had dreamt up this extraordinary idea for a health promotion plan ? that?s health promotion, mind you, not health care ? that would meet the needs of all Americans, including people with disabilities.

I would begin by telling the President that the nation is in a "deep freeze" regarding innovative ideas and strategies for helping people connect to the extraordinary physical, and more importantly, psychological benefits that can be attained by practicing good health promotion, which of course includes lots of opportunities to participate in indoor and outdoor physical activity. People with and without disabilities alike would meet in neighborhood parks, community centers, malls, gyms, etc., to engage in one of the most important and essential aspects of human existence - movement.

Read the entire column at http://www.ncpad.org/186/1365/2004-02~Issue~~A~Universal~Health~Promotion~Plan~for~All~
Americans~~My~Chat~with~the~President