Virtual+Legacy-John+Kemp

__**John D. Kemp**__
Mr. John D. Kemp is the president of the United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD). He has excellent knowledge about all areas of disabilities, rehabilitation, nonprofit organizations, and health care. Mr. Kemp is a graduate of Georgetown University and Washburn University school of law. Also, Kemp has been Chief Executive officer of United Cerebral Palsy Association.

//(above)John Kemp being presented with the 2006 Henry B. Bents award on March 8th at the AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington D.C.//

John was born in 1949 as a congenital quadruple amputee probably because his mom did drugs when she was pregnant with him. When John was 15 months old his mother died of cancer. When he was two he was got artificial arms then when he was three he got legs. Because of this, as long as he can remember, he was able to do everything the other kids were able too. Overall John had a rough childhood. Currently, John is a member of many nonprofit organizations as board of directors including: the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago; the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD),which he was co-founder of; The Abilities Fund; and the U.S. International Council on Disabilities; the National Rehabilitation Hospital of Washington, DC. also John served as president of the national council of disabilities for six years. John has also been a member of the Board of Directors of The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). John's experience with a disability of being born without legs below the knees or arms below the elbows, he has been recognized many times for his influence in the civil rights movement including recognition from Washburn University law school. As well as this he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. This organization honors the accomplishments of individuals on their achievements in the face of huge challenges of their own. "So, what's my message today? //This is a part of John's commencement speech that he made in 2003// (//from// [|http://www.disabilityworld.org/06-08_03/il/kemp.shtml)]
 * 1) You am responsible for what you do, just as I am.
 * 2) Your reputation is the most important asset you have. Protect it!
 * 3) When you commit to doing something, see it all the way through. Or don't commit to it all.
 * 4) It takes years to build up trust, and it takes only a minute's worth of stupidity to destroy it. Be wise.
 * 5) Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed. If you whine excessively about how unfair you think life is, people will stop listening.
 * 6) You cannot make someone love you; you should live like you have to earn it every day.
 * 7) Exceed people's expectations of you and for you and not by placing the threshold too conveniently low!
 * 8) My Dad's Rule of Equal Splitting Between Two People: One person divides "it" and the other has first choice!
 * 9) You are not your work. Maintain balance in your life. As my wife Sam shows me, laugh and smile and enjoy what you have today!
 * 10) Find happiness and contentment in your life, as I've been most fortunate to find with my wife, Sam. And, find fulfillment in your professional work as an advocate, wherever that may take you."

http://www.horatioalger.com/members/member_info.cfm?memberid=kem91 http://washburnlaw.edu/news/2006/2006-01kempbettsaward.php http://www.usicd.org/bios/JohnKemp.html http://www.prop.or.jp/cjf2006/shiryou.html http://www.aapd-dc.org/gala/gala06/gala06spot_kemp.htm
 * Bibliography:**

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