Celebrating RHF School Program Youth Leadership Committee member Ainsley Wood on International Women’s Day 2024
Ainsley Wood’s life took a seismic turn in the summer of 2020 when she was 14.
A summer afternoon’s play with friends and her younger brother culminated in a fall from a tree, shattering Ainsley’s C5 vertebra and her own assumptions about her capabilities. It was in Sunny Hill Health Centre, located in BC Children’s Hospital, where her journey of resilience and advocacy began.
During rehabilitation, Ainsley unearthed a passion for activism and leadership, a realization that put her on the path to independence. Only four months after the injury and Ainsley was already thinking about others around her. She organized a Halloween party for the other patients.
“One of the things I noticed was that everybody in Sunny Hill wanted to feel like a normal kid. I wanted to ensure that none of the other patients were held back from experiencing the joy of being a kid on Halloween,” recalled Ainsley. “Witnessing the positive change that I could make in someone’s life was the most powerful motivation to make a difference, and I became eager to be even more involved in improving the lives of other people with disabilities.”
Four years on, Ainsley continues to pay it forward by sharing insights from her experiences with fellow youth and women new to disability. She aims to imbue others with positivity, perseverance, and the willingness to try new things – the attributes that played a key role in Ainsley becoming more independent than ever.
As we mark International Women’s Day today, on Friday March 8th 2024, the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) is pleased to share Ainsley’s story. International Women’s Day, officially recognized in 1977 by the United Nations, is both a celebration and a call to action. It encompasses calls for gender equality in areas such as pay, healthcare, education, and justice for victims of gender-based violence, while also recognizing the progress women have achieved, mirroring the resilience and determination shown by Ainsley in her own journey.
Personal Growth
As is the case with many who acquire a disability, Ainsley’s biggest fear was loss of independence. Faced with a lack of female role models in the world of spinal cord injury (SCI), she resolved to become one. (Statistics show that males have traditionally accounted for a larger proportion of SCI in Canada, with at least a 2:1 ratio of male to female injuries).
“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to follow my dreams, pursue higher education and a career. I was worried I wouldn’t live a full life,” said Ainsley. However, after connecting with women through the SCI BC peer mentorship program, she not only learned so much about thriving with a disability, but it also sparked a deep sense of purpose.
“The thing with spinal cord injury is that it affects mostly men, so I found it initially hard to work with people in the hospital as they were mostly middle-aged men and very few young women. Our experiences are just different,” said Ainsley. “Yes, we’re similar in that we have spinal cord injuries but, being a young woman, trying to find yourself, wanting to start a career and hopefully wanting to start a family one day – well it’s just very different being young compared to when you already have your life established.”
One of the most important benefits of connecting with other females is that it is a confidence booster, added Ainsley. “When I was first injured, my confidence was very negatively impacted. However, when I was able to connect with other young women with spinal cord injuries, I saw individuals like myself who were strong, ambitious, beautiful, and proud to live in their own skin. This inspired confidence within myself, and now I hope to do the same for others.”
Central to building confidence is the power of mindset. Ainsley credits learning to be positive with a willingness to embrace uncertainty.
“It’s something I have been thinking about for a long time as people often bring up my positivity. I think it’s because being positive means being open to trying new things,” she said. “I understand there’s a chance it may not work out but I’m in a new ballgame here; everything is so new. So, when I approach new challenges with an open mindset, I think positivity just goes along with it. The other aspect of being positive is that you make connections because others are drawn to you. There’s the impact of positivity on myself, but also everyone around me.”
Natural Born Leader
In addition to her academic pursuits (Ainsley is headed off the University of B.C. Okanagan this Fall), Ainsley’s role as a community leader earns her a full schedule. This includes being on the RHF School Program Youth Leadership Committee, where she integrates her experience as a quadriplegic into the committee’s projects aimed at increasing accessibility and inclusion in communities across Canada. In addition to mentorship opportunities, committee members learn about leadership by mentoring each other, providing them with the tools and supports to make a difference. Her peer mentors so inspired her that she is now doing the same with Spinal Cord Injury BC, supporting youth and other women who are new to disability.
Ainsley also shares her knowledge through her appointment with the Praxis Spinal Cord Institutes Persons with Lived Experience (PLEX) panel, and as a volunteer speaker at Kelowna General Hospital, where she shared her experiences with more than 50 medical professionals with the goal of improving care for patients with spinal cord injury.
Another aspect of her impressive skill set is her ability to advocate, which she honed from being the captain of her debate team at her high school.
“What drew me into debate was being able to advocate for a certain idea or a viewpoint. There’s also the personal connection of being able to convince someone of something; you’ve got to have some level of connection with your audience,” Ainsley said.
“I love a good challenge, and I love critical thinking. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my skills – not only for myself but so I can also help other people.”
On this International Women’s Day 2024, we take pride in spotlighting RHF School Program Youth Leadership Committee member Ainsley Wood, whose strength turned adversity into advocacy, encapsulating the spirit of this day. Her commitment to creating a world where barriers yield to acceptance and inclusion is a role model for us all.
