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Homemakers: Angela Folkes – Enjoying life everyday
3/14/2010
By Patricia Thangaraj
RESPECT.
This is one of the things that Angela Folkes, Manager of Finance and Accounts at KPMG, values highly. She believes in both giving respect and gaining respect and that all persons deserve to be respected, despite their differences.
She also believes that a person can achieve whatever he or she wants to, once they set their mind to it and are determined to put in the hard work and therefore, no obstacle should prevent them from reaching their fullest potential.
She should know. At the tender age of 21 years when most persons are starting their adventure into adulthood, Folkes was diagnosed with a cancer called sarcoma of the bone, which resulted in her having to get a left hip articulation.
However, Folkes didn’t let this stop her. Rather than wallow in self-pity, she went after life with a new zeal, partly because her now-adult daughter, Cindy, was a baby at the time and Folkes had to be strong for her, but also because she was given the option of losing her leg or her life and the first choice was the most obvious to her.
Folkes is also the epitome of the belief that a positive attitude keeps you looking young, as the accountant, who will turn 51 on March 31st, looks more like she would be turning 31. Part of this would have to do with her own strong will and the other half is thanks to her supportive group of family, friends and work colleagues who are willing to acknowledge Folkes for who she is as a person – both personality-wise and in terms of her intelligence – and not look at her disability.
Her colleagues treat her just as they would any other person and they recognise her ability to thrive in that position. It is no wonder then that Folkes, who was awarded the prestigious title of “Employee of the Year” in 2005 has risen in the ranks at KPMG since she first started working there approximately 30 years ago.
In her spare time, Folkes loves to travel and does so whenever she gets the chance. Some of the places that that she had visited include a tour of Europe including Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Paris; various islands in the Caribbean; Israel; New York and Pensacola, Florida and in the U.S.A; and Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto in Canada. Her favourite place is Toronto because “the [people there] are more friendly and more willing to help others”.
Folkes also enjoys listening to music, with some of her favourite genres being contemporary jazz, reggae, dub and the blues, while her favourite artists include BB King, Beres Hammond and Lil’ Rick. In addition to music, she enjoys watching cooking and interior decorating shows. In fact, she stated that if she weren’t an accountant, she would have been an interior decorator.
One of her pet peeves is the way others respond to persons with disabilities in Barbados. “Some people would just look at me and stare. At least if they made some kind of remark, it would give me the chance to respond to them.”
Folkes also does not take well to some persons in Government organisations who do not treat disabled people with respect. “My biggest challenge is with persons in Government who should know better. They do not respond to the fact that you have a disability. It seems that the Governments of today only give lip service when it comes to helping persons with disabilities. In terms of equality levels, we still have a long way to go here in Barbados.”
She adds that something as simple as reserved parking for disabled drivers, is either not available in many business places and when they are available, you will find able-bodied persons parking in those spots with no penalties. She would therefore like to see legislation put in place that makes more parking spaces for persons with disabilities available and penalises persons who are able-bodied and park in those spots.
Her advice to society regarding disabled individuals is to “respect the fact that they have a disability and there would be limitations, but treat them as normal as possible”, while she advises fellow disabled citizens “not to let their disability stop them from going after their dreams”.
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