Dr Kelly Fleming

While I’m quite eclectic in my academic knowledge. There are two subjects that I would consider myself to be an authority. Although I use that term in a lenient manner.

Having lived with a number of disabilities since birth and childhood, I’m an authority on those specific disabilities.

My parents began fighting for accessibility for me when I was four years old and ready to start school.

They and then I, have continued to fight for awareness relating to my personal disabilities and accessibility.

I’m also an authority on Addison’s Disease. My three service dogs have had AD and between the three of them, they have had all the systems and complications of Addison’s. I lost my first poodle just after his 8th birthday, my second one when he was 45 years old. Both of these boys were born with primary Addison’s. My third sidekick was began showing symptoms 7 years ago and for the past 6 years his Addison’s has been managed by medication. He has secondary or acquired Addison’s. He’s 13 years old now.

Over the past 21 years I’ve learnt quite a lot about Addison’s Disease. Like my own disabilities, awareness and knowledge is the key to a good quality of life.

My other area of expertise is religion. I am an academic. I hold 12 degrees in the field of religion, including 6 doctorates.

My main education is in Judaism and Christianity. I’ve also studied Islam and a small amount of Buddhism. I’m definitely not an expert in either of the latter two faiths.

I’ve spent half my life in the Orthodox Jewish world. Everyday living was a lesson and my education in higher studies such as the Talmud, Jewish law and Chassidus has given me a strong background in Judaism.

I’ve also studied and lived in Christian communities including Mennonite, Canadian Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Eastern Orthodox (Antiochian) Church.

For many of these communities they were for in-depth study but I found my religious home in the Antiochian Orthodox Church, bringing Orthodox Judaism with me.

I’m grateful to for the education I’ve received in the fields of disabilities and religion through life and study.

I’ve been blessed to be an activist in my own way for people living with my disabilities, accessibility and Addison’s Disease.

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to study, write a number of dissertations, publish some of my work and interact with some of the most educated people in my specific fields of religious study.

My recent PhD was an opportunity to combine both religion and disability.

Hopefully I’ll be able to turn my studies from my dissertation into a book soon.