Honoring a Sister and a Disability Advocate

Our Assistive Technology Coordinator, Vincent Lopez, with Ed Hodges after donating his sister's hospital bed

Vincent Lopez, CID's Assistive Technology Coordinator, shares a story about a recent equipment donation:

​Recently, an individual called about donating a hospital bed. His name is Ed Hodges and he wanted to donate it to an Independent Living Center. We normally refer individuals who need hospital beds with donors directly so they can arrange pickup and delivery of the hospital bed. We had a consumer in mind on or wait list who needs a bed like this. This bed moves every conceivable way and has the coveted air mattress that prevents bedsores by recirculating air through it or as we call it a “Cadillac Bed”. The situation required a lot of work from Ed, who had to get movers to get the bed from Oakland to us using his trailer.

When CID took delivery of the bed 4/19/17, Ed told us the story of his sister who co-authored the American with Disabilities Act, was an advocate for disabled individuals rights, Her death is a huge loss to the disabilities movement. This bed had a story to it and history, which has made us appreciate the donation more and will pay it forward with donating to a person in need.

Thank you Ed Hodges for the effort of donating this bed, the history lesson, honoring your sisters wishes, and the impact your sister Susan Hodges has given us.

Sincerely,

Vincent Lopez
Assistant Technology Coordinator
650-645-1780x127
vlopez@cidsanmateo.org

When Ed shared his sister's story with Vincent, he asked that we pass it along to the CID community. If you are in need of any assistive technology or have equipment to donate, please contact Vincent using the contact information above.

Susan J Hodges
1942 - 2017

​Susan Jane Hodges was born on Nov. 11, 1942 in San Francisco to parents Francis T. Hodges and Alice Lyon Hodges. As a child she grew up in Sausalito and later in Kentfield. Susan graduated from Sarah Dix Hamlin School in San Francisco and earned her Bachelor's degree from Mills College. As a child, she contracted polio and although she survived the initial paralyzing effects of the disease, later in life, that illness came back to inflict much pain and disability on her. Susan was active in the Berkeley Free Clinic and devoted much of her life to social causes. For 5 years, she worked as a classroom assistant at Language Associates, a school for special needs children. Her most notable contribution was in the field of disability rights --- especially for people in wheelchairs. The effect of her childhood polio and a bad car accident forced her into a wheelchair when she was in her early 40's. From that time on, Susan worked tirelessly for the cause of the disabled, with emphasis on securing adequate pay for their caregivers. Susan was a co-author of the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act, for which she was personally honored by President Clinton at the White House in 1994.  She earned Woman of the Year for the State of California in 1999 and also for the City of Oakland in 1999. Gradually, her physical condition declined to the point where she spent much of her time in a hospital bed at her home. On March 25, she succumbed to congestive heart failure. She is survived by her sister Vicky Carruthers of Fairfax, and her brother Edward Hodges of San Jose. A gathering of friends is planned but the time and  location has not yet been determined. The family wishes to thank the State of California In-Home Support Services Program for providing excellent care during Susan's final years, and we especially acknowledge her primary caregiver, Cheela Smith, for 17 years of amazing and loving service.