Saba Salman - Made Possible: Stories of success by people with learning disabilities – in their own words

Praise for Made Possible

Made Possible is a bold wake-up call for those who doubt what people with learning disabilities can do. Saba Salmans heart-lifting and truthful book is filled with extraordinary success stories (and also a smattering of comedy, swearing and sex) but doesnt shy away from the difficulties and challenges faced by people (like my son and her sister) who society calls different. Made Possible suggests that everyone can live a successful, fulfilling life and asks that people with learning disabilities should not simply be tolerated, but wholeheartedly embraced and celebrated for their talents and potential.

Sally Phillips, actor and writer

The othering of people with learning disabilities has caused far too little concern. In Made Possible , actors, campaigners, songwriters, athletes, artists, filmmakers and politicians speak about what they have made of lives affected by a learning disability. This timely and essential collection gives their moving, varied and inspiring stories a valuable chance to breathe.

Charles Fernyhough, writer, psychologist and editor of Others

What a gem of an anthology that Saba Salman has compiled, providing a myriad of perspectives on people with learning disabilities, who are so rarely given a voice. This collection will educate and inspire in equal measure, and will contribute to our growing understanding, acceptance and celebration of neurodiversity.

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, Cambridge University

This is a wonderful book with an incredibly important message. It gives a voice to people with learning disability. Still too often treated as second-class citizens, with their human rights violated, Saba Salman demonstrates how people with learning disability can, with the right support and encouragement, be successful. This is a collection of life-affirming accounts of people realising their ambitions. But the challenge for all of us is that, for many other people with a learning disability, life is severely limited. Too many people remain in institutions. Outrageously, support for people living in the community has been trimmed back, leaving many people with the bare minimum support. Too often, the sort of things that make life worth living have been withdrawn. We deny people their right to flourish, to live life to the full. This book must act as a call to arms to confront continued discrimination. It shows whats possible. Made Possible must become the reality for all those with a learning disability.

Sir Norman Lamb, chair of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, mental health and learning disability campaigner and former health minister

Saba and Raanas heart-warming book challenges and sustains in equal measure; its about being human. I recognise so much of my sons life in the stories that Saba has gathered and so many of the experiences, both good and bad, that he has faced too. I recognise Sabas voice as a sister and know that Nigels three sisters will laugh and cry through these tales too.

They will recognise the battles that my husband and I have faced with endless so what? reports about Nigel destined for inaction, with such low aspirations on the part of some of his teachers and assessors. But they will love the stories of triumph and the successes, because they also learnt early in life that success comes in different shapes and sizes.

A world in which people with learning disabilities are shut away is a diminished world, in which so called able-bodied people are the ones in straightjackets, quite unable to enjoy the creative ways that some of the people we read about in this book have brought new meaning and energy and love to life.

In my work and advocacy for my son and his friends and peers, I have learnt that there is nothing about them without them. That everything is truly better when it is thought about, planned and executed together. Thats why the wordless stories that Beyond Words has created over the last thirty years still owe their success to Nigels inspiration and leadership. Saba and Raana have created a beautiful book and I applaud them.

Baroness Sheila Hollins, Independent life peer, emeritus professor in psychiatry of learning disability, and founder of the charity Beyond Words

You will never have read anything quite as authentic and truly inclusive, or encountered voices more vibrant and diverse. Saba Salmans excellent book shows us that a learning disability is no barrier to achieving your aspirations.

Sir Richard Stilgoe, founder and trustee, The Orpheus Centre

Saba Salmans book demonstrates how much society will lose without the active engagement of all of our citizens. As long as we treat people with learning difficulties as individuals to be pitied, overlooked and occasionally studied, we will never know just how much of a contribution they can make. Without a trace of sentimentality, or false heroism, Salman shows us that the obstacles many people face are not due to their own capabilities, but are caused by systems and structures that assume inadequacy and deficit, rather than contribution and value. None of us is independent. None of us has capability on every front. All of us need help to survive, and to thrive. This book reminds us of our common humanity, our shared desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves, and most importantly, how much we all lose by treating those with learning difficulties as lesser people than ourselves. Renewed and re-energised civil society needs the active engagement of all of our citizens. Without that we will never succeed.

Dame Julia Unwin, chair,

Independent Inquiry on the Future of Civil Society

Saba Salmans moving, funny and truthful book provides a wonderful opportunity to hear directly from people with learning disabilities, rather than just read about them. She clearly articulates, through her own family experience, the current challenging environment for people with different forms of disability, before bringing together an honest, vivid, moving and entertaining treasury of essays. There are moments of insight, humour and humanity in every story, and I will come back to this book again and again whenever I need to hear these magnificent people telling their truth.

Michael Price,

Emmy Award-winning composer,

pianist and trustee, Heart n Soul

Saba Salman has brought together a truly outstanding collection of essays. Each one challenges assumptions, asking us to think about issues facing the individual but also the wider implications for society. The openness and heartfelt nature of each story makes them even more powerful. This is a book for everyone; from policymakers to people at large. The fundamental message is that we can and should do better.

Mark Malcolmson, principal and chief executive, City Lit

This book deals an earth-shattering blow to every preconception about people with learning disabilities. A fantastic, nuanced read.

Madani Younis, chief executive producer, The Shed,

New York and former creative director, Southbank Centre

This is exactly what we need. It is stories like these that break through the prejudice that stops so many people with learning disabilities from fulfilling their potential. It is stories like these that reveal our shared need for love, freedom and lives of citizenship. This book is a milestone in the ongoing battle for equal rights and inclusion.

Dr Simon Duffy, founder and director,

Centre for Welfare Reform

Saba Salmans brilliant book arrives just as we need it more than ever. A hugely enjoyable, enlightening and absolutely essential collection of essays.

Ben Weatherill, playwright

Made Possible features beautifully human stories of achievement from people in their own words, with warmth, humour, great insight and grit. Most powerful, though, is the fact that these are tales of ordinary lives told by people who all want to achieve good things for themselves, their family and their community. Made Possible is an intensely personal book and reminds us how people with learning disabilities are our friends, neighbours and fellow citizens rather than just case studies or clients, which is more commonly how we hear about the lives of learning-disabled people.