Penn State Health celebrates Disability Pride Month

Penn State Health celebrates Disability Pride Month in July, a time to recognize the history, experiences, achievements and challenges of people in the disability community. During the month, employees have the opportunity to learn from these experiences and work toward creating a more inclusive and civil workplace and health care environment.
For Alyssa Marie Sardino, a medical assistant at Penn State Health Medical Group – Camp Hill, this month has new meaning. Last fall, she was diagnosed with progressive, profound hearing loss in both ears.
“It very much rocked my world, and it made me very depressed, as I was having trouble understanding my friends, my family and the world around me,” she says.
Sardino now wears hearing aids. She credits managers Kathy Clark and Leanna Baker for supporting her as she navigates new hurdles with hearing loss. They helped her obtain a special stethoscope that amplifies blood pressures to a volume she can hear. They make sure she is comfortable and has the tools she needs to succeed.
“They make eye contact with me, pronounce things clearly and are super patient if I need something repeated or I didn’t catch what they say the first time around,” Sardino says. “I am very fortunate to be able to work with people who care so deeply and treat me as an equal.”
Some people tell Sardino they would never have guessed she had hearing loss because her speech isn’t hard to understand. Those comments strike a nerve, reminding her how important it is to raise awareness of disabilities.
“I really want to impress upon others that you don’t have to sound a certain way or come across a certain way to be disabled,” she says. “We come into contact with people every day who have disabilities that aren’t obvious.”
Disability Pride Month marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was passed in July 1990, revolutionizing rights and accessibility for millions of Americans. Up to 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. live with a visible or invisible disability and may face various forms of discrimination.
Whether you identify as a person with a disability or want to serve as an ally, there are opportunities to get involved and show your support.
Disability Pride Month virtual background
You can show your support for Disability Pride Month by downloading and using the featured virtual background for your Teams and Zoom meetings.
To add and set a new background in Microsoft Teams:
- Download the background here.
- Open Teams and click “Calendar” in the left sidebar.
- Click “Meet now” at the top right of the window and then “Start meeting.” This will take you into a meeting by yourself.
- Click “Join now.”
- Click “…More” in the top menu bar and then “Video effects.”
- In the right pane, select “Add new” and choose the background image from your files.
- Click “Open.”
- Scroll to the bottom of the background thumbnails to select your newly added image.
- Click “Apply.”
advocate for disability rights
Penn State Health’s Disabilities Business Employee Resource Group (BERG) offers a platform for employees to connect, support one another and promote disability rights within the organization. Patients and community members can also contribute through the Penn State Health Disability Inclusion Advisory Council.
For more information about how to engage with these groups, please contact the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email Penn State Health Marketing & Communications.