Book Launch + Signing
Forget They Were Ever Born A Memoir
Sharon Flanagan-Hyde
Thursday, Nov. 21st
4:00 - 7:00 pm
Ability 360, 5025 E. Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Co-hosted by Arizona Autism Coalition + The Arc of Arizona
Featuring: Appetizers, Hosted Bar with Wine, Beer & Soft Drinks
Author Remarks at 5:00
Book Signing beginning at 5:30
Purchase your book on Amazon, limited book sales at this event
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZDKMRD4?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=R7Z4Q3RDV1HFC6AJHE4W
About the Book
Forget They Were Ever Born A Memoir
Sharon Flanagan-Hyde
This deeply troubling yet inspiring memoir recounts the appalling abuse of people with intellectual disabilities and the anguish of their families. When Sharon Flanagan-Hyde’s sister, Mary Jean, was diagnosed with severe mental retardation in 1962, doctors said to put defective children in an institution and forget they were ever born. Mary Jean was sent away as a toddler, but she was not forgotten. Decades of witnessing maltreatment and horrific conditions at Belchertown State School devastated the entire family. Mary Jean finally found a safe home, but shocking neglect and abuse continue throughout the United States. This book calls for public policy changes to ensure compassionate care for all vulnerable people.
About the Author
Sharon Flanagan-Hyde was shaped by her experiences as the sister of a woman with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her mainstay is her family: husband, children, grandchildren, and siblings. As a consultant for more than 30 years, Sharon guided nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and government agencies in collaborative initiatives to build strong communities. She is known for bringing out the best in diverse leaders focused on solving complex issues. Sharon is a graduate of Williams College and holds a master’s in organizational change from Prescott College. Sharon has been on the AHCCCS ASD Advisory Committee since 2015 and is Facilitator of the Governor’s Abuse and Neglect Prevention Task Force.
“This is a compelling memoir about a family’s losing struggle to find normalcy after the commitment of an intellectually disabled child at an early age to a notorious institution — Belchertown State School. Written from the unique perspective of the child’s sister, it shows how the well-being of the one was inextricably linked to that of the other. The author’s decades-long journey from anxiety to equilibrium, and the parallel journey of her disabled sister, is told in no-nonsense prose with sensitivity, compassion, and commitment. I was deeply moved.”
— Robert Hornick, author of The Girls and Boys of Belchertown: A Social History of the Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded
