Over 13,000 babies around the world were born with serious birth defects due to the use of Thalidomide in the 1960s, a drug prescribed to relieve morning sickness during pregnancy. Alvin Law was one of the affected children, and the effect of the medication caused him to be born without arms. Born at a time when disability was not understood nor accepted as it is today, Alvin was subject to great adversity and was also put up for adoption by his birth parents. However, Alvin has not let this adversity destroy his dreams, and thanks to his courage and the nurturing hand of his adoptive parents, Alvin has gone on to become a highly influential Certified Speaking Professional motivational speaker.
Due to being born without arms, Alvin has learned to use his feet to write, draw, paint and even attended mainstream schools at a time when most disabled children were confined to institutions. Alvin has never let his disability stop him from pursuing his dream of education, graduating from University with honours. Later on in life, Alvin went on to work in a variety of roles before finding his one true calling as a motivational speaker. Alvin has taken his story around the world, educating people on the importance of perseverance and determination when faced with adversity. He is a former radio broadcaster, fundraiser and musician. He has also worked for non-profit groups, in advertising and public relations, the civil service, and has even run for public office as a Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the 1986 provincial election.
Alvin is also dedicated to raising money for charity, with a figure standing at over $225,000,000 currently. Alvin has also dabbled in acting, been the core focus of two award-winning documentaries, founded AJL Communications Ltd and authored Alvin's Laws of Life: 5 Steps To Successfully Overcome Anything. He has also incredibly learnt to drive a car and earned over one million air miles with Air Canada. Alvin's life’s experience has shown that hard work, determination and positivity prevail even in the most challenging circumstances, and such qualities have helped Alvin achieve his dreams. In recognition of his work, Alvin was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in 2018 and he has also been inducted into the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers Hall of Fame.
With such an inspirational life story, Alvin is regularly booked as a motivational speaker for public and corporate events. With previous clients including the likes of The Academy for Chief Executives and Excellence Squared Ltd, Alvin is a seasoned speaker and shares his insights on topics such as team building, employee engagement, appreciation, motivation, overcoming adversity and changing the labels. Having told his life story since the early 1980s and appeared in over 100 telethons, Alvin is no stranger to large crowds and has travelled the globe sharing his inspirational story. When looking for a speaker who will inspire your audience to tackle challenges head-on, look no further than Alvin Law.
