Meet Our Ambassadors

Before she acquired her disability, Ashley was living independently and working as a dental assistant. Now she passes time by training and playing wheelchair rugby.

On August 4th, 2011, Ashley was traveling to High Level from the Edmonton International Airport with a friend after spending her summer vacation in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. They were in a single vehicle accident 10 minutes from home and Ashley was ejected from the vehicle. She sustained a C6/C7 SCI.

After her accident, Ashley was medevaced to the city of Edmonton, had surgery and spent a month and a half in recovery at the University of Alberta Hospital. Ashley was then transferred to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital where she spent 3 months learning how to live in her new body. From wheelchair skills, to transferring and getting dressed, the way she once did things had drastically changed. Ashley was afraid of what her future looked like. She felt that everything she had accomplished so far in life had been taken away in one moment.

Ashley is hoping to find a new career that she can be passionate about, and would like to go back to school. At the moment, she keeps busy training and playing wheelchair rugby and hand-cycling when she can.

Bean has been named the new Miss Wheelchair Canada 2018 and works as a client ambassador for Project WALK and shares her story of what is possible for people with disabilities, to help break down attitudinal barriers. 

Several years ago, while in Las Vegas with friends, she woke up with extreme pain in her lower back. A virus had attacked her system, paralyzing her from the waist down.

Bean felt defeated, thinking all her hopes and dreams were over. But she vowed to walk again no matter what. As she went through rehab, her disposition changed and she began to see things with positivity and acceptance.

In her free time, she loves yoga and spending time with her family. 
 

Kuen has had many firsts: the first person with quadriplegia in the world to letter comic books for DC comics, the first person with quadriplegia to do functional-electrical stimulation rowing in North America, and the first person with quadriplegia to hike up Ha Ling Peak in the Rockies. 

She was driving home after a short vacation when her car veered off the highway and launched over a cliff. She was thrown out of the car and sustained an SCI. Waking up after a week in a coma, she had to face a new reality. She accepted her body was no longer the same, but believed her many dreams could still come true.

And they did. Kuen earned her Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and launched new adventures. In her spare time, she loves to paint, wood work, and glass etch. She enjoys rugby, alpine skiing, and hiking.

Marilyn works as Peer Coordinator for SCI Alberta and is an avid hand-cyclist. When not cycling, she enjoys the calming influence of her garden.

At age 25, Marilyn and her husband were struck by an oncoming driver who’d had a seizure and drove across the centre line. Marilyn sustained a spinal cord injury. Fortunately, her husband survived the accident.

Immediately after her injury, Marilyn faced a lot of uncertainly about her future. She made the best out of each day with a positive attitude and determination. She learned to appreciate the simple things and takes pride in going beyond what she was told she’d be able to do. She enjoys sharing her story to help others.
 

Ryan works for the City of Calgary and enjoys opportunities to volunteer and give back to his community. In the summer, he’s often found at the local reservoir taking groups parasailing, or riding his hand-cycle on the city’s bike paths.

He was born in a small ranching and logging community and spent a lot of time outdoors, exploring and camping. After graduation, he worked as a forest-fire fighter, then in the oil patch. He always loved to mountain bike. Riding his bike on a trail near his home, he lost control and flew over the handlebars, falling and sustaining a spinal cord injury.

After recovering from his accident, Ryan found new ways to enjoy the outdoors. He also discovered a favourite new hobby, sledge hockey, and is currently the goalie for the Calgary Scorpions.
 

Shauna is a stay-at-home soccer mom, who coaches her daughter’s soccer team and volunteers for various school program and fundraisers. She speaks to newly injured SCI patients at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital and also volunteers for the SCI-Alberta Adapted Adventure Sports Program. 

She was an energetic and athletic wife and mother when she fell off her mountain bike and broke her neck, leaving her with quadriplegia. After six months in the hospital, she returned home and struggled to figure out how to be a wife and mom in a wheelchair. She battled with depression for another year and half until finally overcoming it.

Since then, Shauna has not looked back. She enjoys hand cycling, kayaking, and camping with her family. She also loves reality TV and live theatre.

A soccer player, a track and field athlete, and a motocross racer were usual descriptions of Sierra at the age of 16. However, all that changed after a motocross accident left her paralyzed from the chest down. After a few short years, she is ready to show people that living with a disability doesn’t have to be a tragic story. 

Now, studying Kinesiology at the University of Alberta, she hopes to change people’s minds about living an active life, regardless of ability. An adapted athlete, disability advocate, and exercise professional are the new and improved descriptions of Sierra. 

Stephanie works as an Employment Equity Assistant with Human Resources at the University of Alberta, and is an active member of her church. She loves spending time with her family and friends.  At age four, she was diagnosed with a genetic disease, Chronic Optic Nerve Atrophy, and lost her ability to see. Facing this sudden and permanent change, her family worried for Stephanie’s future and how her life would be limited by her lack of sight. Stephanie credits having a positive attitude and an iron will for overcoming obstacles. Living with vision loss didn’t change the choices she made or the goals she set for herself, and she’s accomplishing everything she puts her mind to.  

Susan is passionate about the farming community and volunteers her time as a 4-H leader and a board member for Camp Mackinicholea. She is also a CNIB Champion. 

She was always involved in her children’s schools and in her community. Driving was a defining part of her life, delivering mail for Canada Post. In 2012, she was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease and was no longer able to drive. This was a huge blow to her independence and financial freedom. 

The reality of having to rely on others for help was her hardest and most valuable lesson. She is currently a full-time student at Athabasca University, pursuing a degree in psychology. In her spare time she participates in obstacle-and-mud runs with her son, and enjoys running, fishing, camping, and farming.
 

Aaron’s life before his injury was ideal; yet he was never satisfied. Post injury, Arron knows what is truly important in life and appreciates what he has.

When Aaron was on a family vacation and swimming at a lake, he dove from a rock and hit an underwater stump approximately 10' out with his head, shattering his C6 vertebrae.

Following the accident, Aaron spent a month in ICU at VGH and then 4 months at GF Strong where he had to learn to do things on his own, in his “new” albeit limited capacity.

Today, Aaron currently works on several different projects within non-profit organizations.  His future goals are to bring about more outdoor adaptable equipment for use by people with disabilities outside of Vancouver.

Arnold never expected he would become an avid wheelchair basketball player, or even go bungee jumping from his wheelchair. But he did know how to persevere and adapt to change. He had just finished working a year overseas after graduating from university when the protective layer around his spinal cord died off, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Despite the injury, moving from Vancouver to overseas and back again taught him something extremely important – how to adjust to new situations. He saw using a wheelchair as just another adjustment on a long list of recent adjustments. During his recovery, he began sharing insights about his disability on his blog. His friends suggested he get involved with organizations dealing with disabilities. This led him to try new things and always look for new adventures.  

Ashley is a three-time Paralympian in Para-Dressage, representing Canada at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She also rode at the 2010 and 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games (USA and France, respectively). Her career highlights include top-10 finishes at both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympic Games.

She began riding at the age of two, after being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Her parents were told horseback riding would be great physiotherapy and help with her stretching and balance. She was soon hooked, and by 2006, made her debut on the Canadian Para-Dressage Team in Langley, B.C.

Ashley has engaged in public speaking for many years, and since 2014, has been an ambassador for Right To Play, an organization dedicated to educating children about healthy, active living. She published her first book, My Opportunities Just Dress Up As Obstacles, in late 2015.
 

Growing up while losing her vision has had its challenges for Brenda. She has gone from having to move closer to the TV or using a monocular to see the blackboard, to not being able to recognize people on the street. She has adapted, but sometimes still runs into posts and needs a guide for skiing, or navigating difficult scenarios like an airport or a low light restaurant. Brenda learnt early on that the only way to get anywhere was to be a self-advocate. However, she thanks all the teachers around her that helped her through her high school years.

Brenda has a non-cancerous brain tumour that was found when she was 2 years old, and which still has. The tumour is due to a genetic condition known as Neurofibromatosis 1, where her body can grow tumours anywhere there is a nerve ending. She has had numerous surgeries to remove other tumours in her body, and she has had chemo and radiotherapy for the brain tumour. Brenda has just recently been classified as being legally blind.

In the fall, Brenda will be starting her second year of college. She is studying Resort and Hotel Management. She is also a Para Alpine ski racer, with sights set on one day going to the Paralympics. Brenda also loves to bake and cook, write, draw, and spend time outdoors. She is currently finishing her Gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh program. Brenda dreams of one day opening a small bistro/bakery that is accessible to everyone, of all different abilities.
 

Danielle was born missing her right arm at the elbow. As an adult, she learned that this was most likely due to a condition called "amniotic banding”.

Danielle currently works full time in marketing and communications for a busy nonprofit social service agency, and sits on the board of directors for an association for communications professionals. She also lives with her partner, Grant, and in the future would like to complete a master's degree in communications.

While being born without an arm hasn't stopped Danielle from pursuing what she’s wanted in life, it has been a source of internal conflict. She doesn’t want to be treated differently because of her arm, but she does want others to understand that it sometimes takes hard work to make it look like it’s not a big deal.
 

Grant recently graduated with a BA in Philosophy from the University of British Columbia. He appears on TV as a presenter for Accessible Media, covering stories about technology as well as events and inspiration people around the community. 

He was born with Leber congenital amaurosis, a genetic condition that causes blindness. Being blind since birth has its limitations, but Grant leads a very positive life, and continues to prove that he is a normal, capable individual.
 

Iris is a stay-at-home with two young daughters and volunteers as a peer counsellor for CNIB. 

In childhood, she was diagnosed with a chronic eye condition, which required many eye treatments and surgeries. At age 35, she lost all her vision as a result of a vascular tumor on her retina.

She learned many skills so she could manager her daily tasks independently, like taking her children to school, organizing the household, and getting involved in her community. She’s also planning on returning to school to launch a new career. 

For fun, she enjoys reading, knitting, and taking long walks, as well as curling and hiking with her husband.
 

Being born with Spina Bifida, Jenna has never known life without it. One aspect of growing up with Spina Bifida that made life difficult for her was being immersed in such an adult world, forcing her to mature much quicker than her peers, making it difficult to make friends. However, Jenna did earn a lot of respect and confidence through Karate. Despite being in a wheelchair, she rose the ranks in Karate and earned her second degree black belt.

Jenna had to learn that people are drawn to confidence, and that confidence comes from doing things that you love and feel good about - your soul can’t help but shine. This is how she found the courage to move across the country BY HERSELF and start a new life, making friends that have seen her at her absolute best and absolute worst.

Jenna is now in the midst of completing her Master’s Degree in Social Work so she can work in the pediatric healthcare system. She completed Tough Mudder Half in 2016 and still works out four times a week. Jenna also loves public speaking!
 

Jessica is in her final year at Simon Fraser University, a speaker for Worksafe BC, and wheelchair rugby player. She’s also a baker and cake decorator, who won the chance to be the face of “Something Sweet,” a perfume by Lise Watier.

Before her accident, Jessica was an active teenager who played basketball and softball, and she dreamed of a profession where she could help people or animals, a psychologist or veterinarian.

One summer, while working for a small painting company, Jessica fainted and fell off a ladder, leaving her with quadriplegia. In rehab, she dealt with the frustrations of living in a wheelchair, but soon realized that people in wheelchairs could do all the same things as anyone else, just in a different way. 
 

For Jessica, ending up with a disability after 21 able-bodied years was an abrupt education on what life is like for marginalized people. It was a harsh reality check and an incredible education on the privilege that many Canadians have, and others don't.

Jessica was working as a forest firefighter in the Northwest Territories. Strong and confident, nothing held her back. Suddenly, on an average grey afternoon, everything changed. The driver of the truck in which she was traveling lost control and she was thrown out, permanently paralyzing her from the waist down.

Jessica immediately knew she was paralyzed. While the initial adjustment was physically challenging, she felt like she had no time to waste mentally. She took the new challenge in stride, determined to figure out what her "new normal" looked like and is living life to the fullest while rocking her manual chair.

True to form, Jessica faced the challenge of paralysis head on. She became a successful wheelchair athlete, first in wheelchair racing and later representing Canada on the world stage in Wheelchair Basketball. She is a 2012 London Paralympian. During this time, she also attended law school and now is a full-time lawyer with a busy litigation practice. She is also married and has two small children to chase around.

Jim knows the support of his wife, family, and friends carries him through each day. He’s looking forward to sharing his story as a volunteer with the Rick Hansen Foundation.

In March 2016, Jim slipped while diving through a large wave in Hawaii. The wave drove his head into the sand, breaking his neck. He was paralyzed instantly and nearly drowned due to the injury. He now has quadriplegia with minimal movement in his arms and legs.

Before his injury, Jim worked as an airline pilot and enjoyed a variety of sports including golf, hockey, paddle boarding, and cycling. Since his injury, he’s investigating new employment and volunteer activities. 
 

Growing up, Jim’s personal attitude, along with the support of his family and friends fueled the drive to live a fulfilling life. Today, Jim, his wife, and son continue to live a great life, however, having a disability and accomplishing daily routine tasks often requires ten times the amount of work and planning. While he and his family have accomplished so much, there continues to be many barriers that people with disabilities face. Jim believes that education in both attitudes and planning continue to be important issues.

Jim was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital, a type of dwarfism that has caused many issues causing Jim to have over 30 operations, most of which took place when he was a child. At the age of 15, his severe scoliosis was starting to damage his spinal cord and he was rushed to the hospital for a spinal fusion to stop further progression. Every couple of years after the spinal fusion, he went in for another round of corrective orthopedic surgeries.  As Jim ages, he finds it requires more and more effort to manage daily routines. “We all have the same desires to accomplish something, enjoy something or experience something, it just may take some of us a 'little bit' longer to get there... Maybe we will enjoy it that 'little bit' more?”

When Jim’s son was born with the same condition, he had an overwhelming urge to try and make his son’s life a little easier than his had been. He wanted the world to be more aware, prepared, and accessible.

Jim owns a business that continues to do well. He enjoys being with his family. His wife is a teacher, and they have a 13 year old son. They live in the country, and after a long day of work or school, they prefer to spend time at home. On weekends, they often explore local areas, or the rest of the island. They love to travel, go on day or weekend trips, go camping, and ATV riding. They also have a Miniature Dachshund named Hank.
 

When Kimberly’s accident happened two weeks after high school graduation the world was her oyster! She played in the Nationals in Handball, and she had graduated with good grades and looked forward to starting college in September.

One summer evening a few friends spontaneously showed up at Kimberly’s front door and someone suggested trying out the "new toy" her dad had recently bought -- a three wheel ATV.  What they didn’t know at the time was how dangerous they were.  Due to a design flaw, 1 in 3 people were either killed or seriously injured on them and they were soon recalled.  Just like many others, Kimberly was in the passenger’s “seat” when she fell while going uphill.  The next thing she remembers while she was lying on the ground in the dark of night was thinking “I’m paralyzed”.

The doctor at Prince George Regional Hospital told Kimberly’s family, "She is paralyzed from the neck down.”  After being flown by air ambulance in the middle of the night to Vancouver Hospital (ASCIU-ICU) with a broken neck, several other injuries as well as pneumonia, her family was told she wouldn't make it. However, Kimberly fought hard for the next 2.5 months at the ASCIU and then spent another 10 months at GF Strong learning to get out of bed, dress, shower, brush her teeth and so on as a quadriplegic-until she became independent enough to live on her own.

It was difficult not thinking about all the things she could no longer do-even watching people on TV walk was upsetting at times. One day a light bulb literally turned on. She couldn't change what happened to her but she COULD change her perspective. Kimberly figured for most things, "Where there is a will, there is a way". While her parents expected her to return home, Kimberly decided to take a risk. She moved into an apartment alone in Vancouver. She had never lived alone yet, never mind as a quadriplegic. Kimberly made a few friends in rehab but it was scary moving to a new city. Fortunately, she made a special friend who was always there for her and 5 years later she married him. Kimberly graduated from UBC, and they bought a home in the burbs... and the rest is history.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Kimberly left Prince George to live in Vancouver in pursuit of a better life. Shortly before graduating from UBC she became gainfully employed, married her best friend and travelled to places she hadn't even dreamed of prior to my accident. From jet-skiing in the Caribbean to getting kissed by a dolphin in Bermuda and almost every activity in between. Kimberly is also known as "Auntie Kim" by the neighbourhood children and her nieces and nephews who are the joy of my life!

Kirsten worked as a producer in the animation and film industry for almost 10 years. She is now a Peer Support Specialist for Spinal Cord Injury BC. 

She was 14 years old and on a ski trip in Whistler when she accidently hit a man-made jump and landed in a tree well. The impact severed Kirsten’s spine, leaving her with paraplegia. Her attitude and outlook on life had always been positive, and the accident didn't change that; she returned to school the day after leaving rehab, determined to move forward. 

Kirsten went on to graduate with a joint major degree in business and psychology and also holds a diploma in media in television production. She also competes in tennis, and loves to swim, row, and bike. 
 

Kyle works for a law firm and volunteers with the adapted fitness centre, PARC, at ICORD. In 2013 and 2015, he was a member of the national wheelchair floorball team representing Canada in Holland. For the past five years, he has played sledge hockey for the BC provincial team, winning the Western Canadian Championships twice. 

Kyle sustained a spinal cord injury and a head injury after the brakes failed on his bike while driving down a dirt hill. He spent the next three months in hospital recovering and re-learning how to do simple daily tasks. 

His pain has lessened greatly through exercise and sporting activities, but he attributes most of his success to the loved ones who helped him along his journey. He currently lives with his long-time girlfriend, with whom he hopes to spend the rest of his life. 

Leanor studied at Gallaudet College in Washington, D.C., earned a Master’s in Adult Education and taught deaf and hard-of-hearing adults for 25 years. She’s currently a program development consultant and volunteer. 

When she was 10 years old, her life changed dramatically after becoming deaf from a reaction to medication. Not being able to hear conversations and depending on others to tell her what was being said was very frustrating, and Leanor felt isolated from her family and friends. But as she began to meet other deaf children and adults, her world expanded.

She raised two hearing daughters with her deaf husband. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family. 
 

Louisa has a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and psychology and current works for the Disability Foundation, where she assists others in finding recreation and employment activities. 

She was born with cerebral palsy, but knew she could become an educated, productive member of society. In elementary school, she faced discrimination in a non-inclusive school setting; it wasn’t until high school that she was fully integrated with her peers. 

After leaving home and living in care facilities for a time, Louisa now lives independently. When not advocating for other people with disabilities, she acts, models, and writes poetry. 

Marco was born with cerebral palsy, but thanks to his parents, who introduced to him to sports at an early age, he thrived. He has competed in the BC Games for Athletes with Disabilities since 1994, earning 22 Gold, 10 Silver and two Bronze Medals in various sporting events. 

Over the years, Marco has advocated for people with disabilities through his volunteer work with Easter Seals, The Lions Society of BC, The Sunshine Foundation, The Active Living Alliance, and The United Way. He started his own business as an inspirational speaker and has spoken at TEDxStanleyPark and The Duke Of Edinburgh Awards. In 2013, he received the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by the Self-Employment and Entrepreneur Development Society, and in 2014, was nominated for the BC Business ‘Top 30 under 30’ award.

Marika is a member of the Rick Hansen School Program team, and is excited to start on a new career path as a personal life coach. She enjoys photography and is a published photographer. 

She was born with spina bifida, but she had a positive attitude and didn’t shy away from taking chances, always believing she could reach the many goals in life that she set for herself. 

An ex-para-athlete, Marika tries to stay in shape by wheeling or cycling. Of all her accomplishments, she is most proud of is being a wife and mother of a teenage son.

Six months prior to his injury, Mujtaba moved from South Africa to Canada. He was a seventeen year old high school student. While walking through a forest on the Sunshine Coast, a dead tree fell on him and crushed his neck, resulting in a C4,5,6 spinal cord injury.

Mujtaba woke up in the hospital with immediate acceptance of his situation and started to do what he could to improve his situation. He spent half a year in the hospital, three months in America at a spinal cord injury recovery center, and four hours a day since then working out.

Mujtaba has recovered so much thanks to all the hard work he has put in and the support he’s received from his family and friends. He has learned how to make art again despite his limited hand function and he is now a professional artist on his way to starting his own clothing brand.
 

Neil completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia and then pursued a career in IT. He has worked for the Disability Foundation as a mentor and liaison for Persons with Disabilities.

Born with cerebral palsy, he has always used crutches for his mobility to fit in with the able-bodied crowd and have a full, exciting life. Recently widowed, he finds life as a single disabled dad challenging, but also extremely rewarding, and his young son brings him joy daily. 

When not hanging out with his son, Neil likes working on the computer, writing, and photography.
 

Robb is an accomplished hand-mouth artist and manages special projects for the Rick Hansen Foundation Ambassador Program. He’s married and a father of twin girls, now in university.

As a young man, he was severely injured in a fall from a third-storey balcony. He received a very high-level spinal cord injury, losing all mobility and sensation from the neck down and becoming ventilator-dependent 24 hours a day. 

Doctors felt Robb would have no real opportunity to rehabilitate, so he lived in an institution for seven years. Eventually, Robb and five other individuals with similar injuries joined together and developed the world’s first independent living group home for persons with high-level spinal cord injuries. He lived in this home for six years, before marrying his wife and moving into their first home.

Before her near fatal illness in 2008, Suzan was a dynamic Hotel Sales Executive who drove and flew all over North America to meet with clients and attended trade, travel and consumer shows. She lived an extremely fast-paced life in Vancouver. She and her husband were in the same industry so their social networks intertwined. All of that changed once Suzan became paralyzed due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and was bedridden, immobilized and institutionalized at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.  She now has a deeper, richer personal respect for herself and her limits. Suzan never knew limits existed for her before and now, her body reminds her every day.

Over the last 10 years, Suzan has become a liaison for the Guillain-Barré Syndrome Foundation of Canada; an author (Suzan and her husband wrote a book which they titled “Paralyzed Without Warning”) and visited Canada giving inspirational presentations and performing TV and Radio interviews; worked with several City Advisory Committees on accessibility issues; a Finalist for the Courage to Come Back Awards; were included in the UBC Neuroscience Program for 2nd Year Medical Students for 8 years; have had several articles and blogs on accessibility published; became a Rick Hansen Ambassador 10 years after seeing Rick Hansen’s photo on the wall at GF Strong and dreaming of working with him on a shared dream of barrier-free living; invited to join VIA Rail's Accessibility Committee; Executive Board Member of Victoria Disability Resource Centre and member of BC Transit's Accessibility Transportation Advisory Committee.  Today, the future projects that Suzan looks forward to taking part in are the continuance of her stable health, continuing her pledge of being there for others and mostly, using her voice to speak for those that cannot.

Teri has enjoyed fulfilling careers as a Paralympic athlete and fashion designer. She’s mom to a young son, as well as an active volunteer for WC Race Series and SCI-BC.

She’s worked hard to become independent. While on vacation in Australia, the driver of the car she was in skidded on a hairpin turn on a gravel road and rolled the car. Once a professional dancer and model with a job in the software industry, she was left with paraplegia.

After spending a year of rehab in both Australia and Vancouver, Teri tried to get back to the life she had before her injury. While this has been difficult, she has had many successes.

Tom has given hundreds of geology presentations and is now eager to share the story of his path from fierce independence to proactive interdependence. 

At age 20, he entered a 160-km motorcycle desert race. Early into the race, he cut the track to pass the crowd. Coming face-to-face with a huge boulder at 80 km/hr, he jumped it, sending both Tom and motorcycle cart-wheeling through the air. Tom later awoke from surgery with paraplegia.  

After several weeks in hospital, Tom returned to university and with the help of new friends and mentors, he graduated with his first degree in geology. He now holds a PhD in geology and is an adjunct professor at two universities. He’s also president of an international consultancy and was directly involved in the discovery of two diamond mines in Canada. 
 

Trent learned traditional ways of hunting, fishing, and food preservation from his parents and grandmothers. He is Dakelh; his ancestry is Lheidli T’enneh. He belongs to the frog clan. His home is located on the bank of the Fraser River in the very same spot his great-grandparents’ home was located. 

Since Trent was a child, he loved playing sports. He began soccer at age 5, followed by taekwondo, fastball, and hockey. While hunting with friends near his home in 2014, he was injured in a shooting accident and was left with paraplegia. 

Trent believes with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible. He continues to play sports and further his education. He is attempting to make Team BC in Wheelchair basketball and sledge hockey. His outlook is extremely positive despite the complications associated with his injuries, and he feels fortunate to have supportive family and friends.

Tyler was an active young adult when he was injured. He enjoyed the outdoors, often going mountain biking or dirt biking and fishing and camping in the local lakes near his home town. When he was injured, many people suggested he play wheelchair basketball, but Tyler wanted to live life as close to the way he did before he was hurt. He got his big restart at this going to the drag race track to watch a friend’s race; when they later talked, Tyler’s friend suggested he get a car to race. Tyler has now been drag racing for 25 years. Many people had continued to ask Tyler about wheelchair basketball as well.  He ended up trying it, and since the early 90s he has played, coached, and organized wheelchair basketball in Kamloops.

The night of Tyler’s injury, he and a few friends had agreed to go to a friend’s house to have some drinks. The plan was for him to spend the night there and head to work the next morning.  At some point during the night, the plan changed and they decided to look for a party. The driver took a 40km/hr corner at 110km/hr in a highly lifted 4x4 truck with 40 inch tall tires. The truck lost control in the corner and rolled repeatedly, throwing all 4 occupants from the vehicle, due in part to the vehicle damage and in part due to no one wearing a seat belt. Tyler suffered a broken back and SCI upon impact with the ground. The driver did not make it, while the other 2 occupants were treated in the hospital that night and sent home.

Tyler was sent first to Merritt Hospital and then later to Kamloops. After a short time in Royal Inland Hospital, he was flown to Shaughnessy Hospital where the spinal cord unit was. Tyler was in Shaughnessy for one month, but his back wasn’t healing as hoped so it was recommended his back be fused. Surgery was more involved than initially thought, and the fuse ended up from T2 - T9. Another month in the hospital followed before he was moved to GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.  Tyler worked hard, had a great attitude and a good home to move back to so his stay at GF Strong was only 2 months long, which was considered short at the time. Tyler’s folks added on to their existing home which included a new bedroom and a larger accessible washroom. He lived back in Merritt for a year, where he went back to high school before moving to Kamloops where he was later enrolled in the Computer Aided Drafting and Design program at Thompson Rivers University. Following school, Tyler started his first job working for a local architectural firm where he stayed 9 years. I looked at what the challenges were, what needed to be overcome and worked successfully through to reach his goals.

Tyler had worked in the architectural field for over 16 years. Since then, the economic crash and significant SCI related medical issues have encouraged Tyler’s retirement. Tyler now keeps busy with many projects and more importantly, his wife and her two daughters.
 

Will was living the dream.  At the age of 21, he had completed the Red Seal Program and became a Journeyman Electrician and at just 22, he bought his first house.  Things could not have been going any more smoothly.

On a cold winter morning on January 26, 2016, Will was in a single motor vehicle accident.  He sustained multiple injuries, the worst being a spinal cord injury at C6-7 making him a quadriplegic.  He spent 298 days away from home in the ICU, the Rehab Floor at Royal Inland Hospital, and at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.  He was unsure how he would live his life from a wheelchair.

Will is currently focusing on rehab and learning about his injury and is uncertain what his new career will entail. His passions include gardening and wheelchair rugby. He recently also got into sit skiing, basketball and camping. Will is a very proud uncle and spends as much time as he can with his little nephew.

Darrin has three university degrees, a job he loves with a great company, and is raising two stepsons with his beloved wife. He enjoys playing sports such as sledge hockey and wheelchair tennis. He also waterskies and has completed three half marathons.

At age 10, he was diagnosed with a cancerous spinal tumour. Doctors didn't think he would survive, but intensive chemotherapy and radiation kept him alive. After the cancer, he was paralyzed. He managed to regain his mobility from the ages of 15 to 21. 

With hard work, he relearned many things, teaching himself to dress, bathe, and drive. He also worked through tough emotions like guilt and anger. Today, Darrin has the life he once thought he’d never have.  

A veteran on Team Canada, Jared Funk has competed in wheelchair rugby since 2001, winning three Paralympic medals - Silver in Athens 2004, Bronze in Beijing 2008 and Silver in London 2012. 

He was introduced to wheelchair rugby in 1993 after a car accident left him with quadriplegia at age 18. After the 2012 London Paralympics, Jared took a break from wheelchair rugby to be at home with his wife and three young children. 

He then became involved with the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries IMPACT Team as coordinator, and is back training and playing wheelchair rugby on Team Manitoba. 

Jared hopes to inspire those in sport or considering sport that there are means to join. Having an injury can mean the start of something bigger. If there is a will there is a way, Jared is proof of that.

Paula is celebrating her disability by shooting a documentary. For 15 years, she’s lived with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. 

At age 13, she twisted her ankle. Since then, every movement and touch triggers excessive pain. Her condition was diagnosed over a year later. 

Although she had to leave university when new medications hindered her ability to focus and think, she has kept a positive mindset. She continues to make progress, using canes and a wheelchair to move around.

Ryan holds a Master’s degree in counselling psychology and works as a community mental health worker.

After a diving accident at age 16 caused incomplete quadriplegia, he spent several months in hospital undergoing intense physiotherapy and surgery. 

Grateful to be alive, Ryan never lets anything stop him. Now a husband and a proud father of four children, he is working towards becoming a distinguished toastmaster. 

He enjoys camping, spending time with his family, and creating events to raise awareness about disabilities.

Active in both wheelchair tennis and sledge hockey, Samuel won five silver medals in the Western Canadian Summer Games in 2007 and 2011, and a gold and silver medal in the Western Sledge Hockey Championships in 2010. In 2015, he placed 12th at the Wheelchair Tennis Nationals. 

He was born with spina bifida and paralyzed from the waist down. He became active in many sports and found a group of supportive friends. Although he has faced many challenges, he believes his experiences have shaped him into who he is today – strong and unwavering in his determination.

Samuel completed his Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Winnipeg, and is starting a CPA designation toward a career in accounting. 
 

Sarah is an aspiring teacher and currently an active member of her high school choir, vocal jazz ensemble, and social justice group.

Her drive and determination is stronger than any challenge she faces. She was diagnosed after birth with Cerebral Palsy, a non-progressive condition that affects muscle coordination. This affected her ability to walk, crawl, or use her hands effectively. Sarah’s tremors progressed and finally led to the diagnosis of Generalized Dystonia. 

She has learned to adapt to her abilities and cultivate hopes and dreams for the future. A high academic achiever, she has been on the honour roll for two consecutive years. She consults on federal disability acts, and makes presentations to Sustainable Living Academy Manitoba Events on issues of social justice and equity. 

Despite not always being able to attend school full time, this young and fearless girl is well on her way to graduating high school at age 18, and eventually pursuing a career in education. 
 

In January 2013, Shannon was the passenger in a vehicle. The driver lost control and the car rolled. Shannon was found 100 feet from the vehicle, and was taken to the hospital. She was eventually diagnosed with an L1 incomplete spinal cord injury.

During the time of her injury, Shannon was the Transition services Rehab Counsellor at Canadian Paraplegic Association. Even though she was very good at transitioning members of CPA, she found it difficult transitioning herself.

Shannon currently works for the province of Manitoba with a degree in Social Work. She has three nephews and a niece that are her pride and joy. Her life wouldn’t be complete without her faithful dog Becky who has got her through many rough moments.
 

Shealon was a passenger in a car traveling at high speed when the car rolled over and hit a hydro pole that left her with a T2-4 complete spinal cord injury. She spent two months in hospital and five months in rehab.  Shealon decided to seek intensive rehab and worked really hard at getting stronger.  The first 8 months were a blur for Shealon and being faced with her new reality didn’t hit her until she came home from rehab.

Before the accident, Shealon was very active and enjoyed playing soccer, rugby and snowboarding.   She had initially planned a month-long trip to Europe after she graduated but unfortunately had to cancel due to the changes in her life. However Shealon still tries to do many of the things that she did before her accident and she likes to travel and explore new places. For her 24th birthday she went skydiving and she is also hoping to try sledge hockey next year.

Shealon likes to spend time with family and her one and a half year old puppy. She is considering pursuing a career in the field of Design.

Zephania is the executive director of the Canadian Multicultural Disability Center. He has been involved in many projects involving disability and ethnicity.

At age five, a measles infection caused him to lose his sight. Despite this, he didn’t lose his determination to overcome challenges. He learned to believe in himself and never give up. 

Today, helps people from different ethno-racial backgrounds cope with health-related challenges and participate fully in their communities. 

Patrick has a BA in Psychology and was hired by the Correctional Service of Canada as an Institutional Parole Officer. Today he still works for CSC, Atlantic Division in assessment and special projects. 

After suffering a spinal cord injury at the age of 17 in a car accident, Patrick spent close to 14 months in hospitals and rehab. Today he believes living with a disability can be a gift, offering different opportunities you would have never otherwise experienced. 

Patrick believes an injury or disability does not define a person - attitude does. He wants to inspire youth to take a good look at the world around them and see what they can do to make Canada accessible and inclusive for everyone.
 

Roger had and still has a great life. He had a career that he loved but started noticing that his night vision and peripheral vision were not what they used to be. Every time he would hit or run into something, he always thought he was just clumsy until he was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in June 2016. He was twenty-nine years old.

Roger always thought his vision was "normal". He realized it was not when he and his partner went to a resort in Mexico in 2016. Roger was tripping on a lot of things.  He couldn't see steps when he was looking right ahead, or he was very often bumping into his partner if he was on his right side.

Roger had a career in healthcare for six years before his diagnosis.  However, even if Roger had to quit, he did not give up. Roger decided to go back to college for two years in business administration. He graduated in June 2018 and he now works for the CNIB as Program Lead, Advocacy and Awareness.

Roger and his partner purchased their first home last year and since then they have been working on making their home more accessible.

Roger would not change anything about the life that he has even with everything happening to his vision. Roger’s partner and their dog are his little family and all that he needs.

Alaina believes every obstacle she encounters and overcomes only makes her stronger. With her upbeat attitude and amazing sense of humour, she doesn’t let anything slow her down. Born with Spina Bifida, Alaina was taught to try to do things for herself. Her parents wanted her to be independent despite her disability. 

She worked hard for many years to become more self-reliant. Today, she works part time as a dispatcher for a paratransit system in St. Johns. 

When not at work, Alaina enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music, and learning about new kinds of technology.
 

Dion works full time as a peer-support specialist, assisting individuals with SCI and other mobility issues in community rehabilitation. He also works part time in finance. 

At age 20, in 1999, he was newly married with a nine-month old son. On his parents’ wedding anniversary, he slipped while climbing down some scaffolding. He fell through a plank, hitting his head and fracturing his neck. He was left with incomplete quadriplegia.

Dion spent a long time in rehabilitation preparing for his new life. He has worked hard to regain what he could of his arm and leg movement and beat the odds.
 

Casey was a happy, carefree, and fun-loving girl who loved being around her friends and going on adventures. She always had a strong sense of motivation, an inner desire to succeed in life and a sense of belonging. She had a pretty nice life.
When Casey was eighteen she made a choice that would change her life forever. In June of 2011 she was about to graduate with an Office Administration Diploma from NSCC and had just completed her work placement at the Springhill Penitentiary. To celebrate this accomplishment, Casey, her boyfriend, and another friend went four-wheeling, an activity they loved to do together. What was supposed to be a fun day took a turn when the two ATVs collided, throwing Casey off, which, because of the way she landed, broke her back and knocked her unconscious. 

Casey had a T-6 complete spinal cord injury, and she did not wake up until two months following the accident. In those 2 months Casey had back surgery, developed meningitis, and the doctors told her family that she had 0.5% chance of walking again. Now a lot of people say you can never live twice but that is not entirely true, at least for Casey. When you go from walking to rolling, you experience two worlds that are completely different. Casey did not know what life had in store for her anymore.

A broken back did not slow Casey down.  In 2013 she applied to Mount Saint Vincent University and in 2019 she will graduate on the Deans list and she was chosen to be Valedictorian. Casey's next steps are to write the LSTATS and be enrolled in Law school. Like I said a broken back did not slow her down.

Emma lives life to the fullest as an active university student and athlete.

She lost her hearing when she was 13 months old due to meningitis. Having lived with hearing loss for almost her entire life, Emma says it hardly feels like a disability. She considers it a part of herself that she can’t see her life without. 

Emma credits her hearing loss with contributing in positive ways to the person she is today. She began participating in sports at age five, starting with soccer. Today she competes with the St. Francis Xavier University women’s curling team, which won the 2017 Atlantic University Sport curling championships.

When not in school, she works for Scotiabank, and is cultivating a passion for art and travel. She is taking painting courses and will be participating in a student exchange in 2018 to Australia.
 

Mark lives with Cerebral Palsy, which has not stopped his drive and determination to be the best he can be. He is a co-founder of Fundmetric, a technology company that specializes in helping charities identify and inspire donors using real-time data analysis. 

He served as Vice President (Internal) of the Dalhousie Student Union, facilitating leadership opportunities for over 180 student societies. In 2010, Mark was awarded the Malcolm Honour Award, the highest honor available from the Dalhousie Student Union for exceptional dedication to extra-curricular activities on campus. Mark holds a Bachelor of Political Science. 

Mark was accepted in the highfliers program as one of ten entrepreneurs poised for high growth. He was also selected from over 1500 applicants as one of 30 youth ambassador to the Junior Team Canada Program where he represented businesses on an international trade mission to Mexico.

Prior to moving to Nova Scotia in 2004, Mark was the first disabled kayaker in Regina Saskatchewan. He was awarded the President's Award for sportsmanship and perseverance. He was also nominated for Junior Citizen of the Year.
 

Nicole McDonald is a graduate of Nova Scotia Community College with a Diploma in Social Services (Honours). Her goal is to advocate for persons with disabilities. Nicole is not new to the role of advocacy. She began learning about speaking up when she became an Ambassador for Easter Seals at the age of 12. In high school she created Access Awarenss Day and she was the first student in the new Axcess Acadia program at Acadia University, where she was instrumental in establishing logistics. Nicole likes to keep busy and recently completed a 6 month contract working for Independent Living Nova Scotia and spent one and a half years with the QEII Foundation.

She is a “Humans of Teamworks” recipient and was invited to assist the QEII Foundation Training Materials Committee to make it more accessible. She was the Accessibility Coordinator for the Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery in 2017 and was the Art of Disability Coordinator for ILNS in 2015 and 2016. In 2015 she won a Human Rights Case fighting for the right to access Post-secondary Education with a support attendant. She has extensive public speaking experience sharing her stories with Ability Starts Here Symposium in 2012, 2015 and 2016, and with Inverlie Consulting doing school staff presentations to name a few. She believes in inclusion in all aspects of living but has a special interest in disability related challenges around education, employment and housing.

Alec has many talents, from archery to advocacy for people with disabilities. He enjoyed a 35-year career with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and retired to a 4.5 acre property. He stays active by gardening, cycling, kayaking, paranordic skiing, wheelchair curling, and practicing archery as a member of the Canadian Para-Archery National Team. 

As a young man, Alec wanted to work at a job he loved, start a family, be involved in sports and in the community, and be healthy. At age 29, while bow hunting, he experienced a spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia. After four months in rehab, he realized it was up to him to find new ways to achieve his goals. He chose to see the road ahead as full of possibilities rather than limitations. 

Alec believes his life goals have been realized to a much greater extent because of his injury. He gives back to his community as coordinator of the Active Together Program for Peterborough Council for Persons with a Disability, Chair of the Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee for the Township of Selywn and the County of Peterborough, and a peer support mentor for SCI Ontario.
 

Before Alex’s injury, he was a very active person involved in many extreme sports.  He was becoming a professional FMX athlete. He also worked full time as a veterinary assistant, had great family and friends, and was finally finding starting to find his confidence and excelling. Everything took a 180 when he was injured, and since his injury, he has had to find himself all over again.

At the time of Alex’s injury, he had just been taken on to ride for someone he had watched growing up.  He felt like his dreams were coming true, and was in the process of learning to backflip motorcycles into a foam pit when his bike landed on his head and broke his neck.

Alex was in Toronto Rehab’s Lyndhurst Centre from July to December.  His dreams of riding professionally had come crashing down quickly after they had started coming true. Facing a life where he’d likely never ride a motorcycle again, let alone walk, and having to relearn just about everything was a tough thing to face. Alex learned patience, perseverance, positivity and appreciation.

Alex is active in his community, giving presentations for the P.A.R.T.Y. Program, and volunteers at the veterans’ centre in Sunnybrook. His interests still include motocross/freestyle, music, the world wars/history/Canada, collecting and studying militaria, going to museums, air shows, flying in warplanes, and riding ATVs.

Andrea is a graphic designer, para-sports athlete, and volunteer ski instructor, currently working as a peer support coordinator for SCI Ontario.

When she was 12 years old, she contracted Transverse Mylitis. The virus affected the use of her legs, causing paraplegia. Andrea persevered, graduating from a three-year graphic design program at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, ON, and working at the Kingston Whig-Standard newspaper for 12 years.

She was a member of the Canadian National Adaptive Team from 2005-07, competing in two world championships in Belgium and Australia and bringing home three bronze medals for Canada.

Andrea is a member of the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiers - CADS at Edelweiss Valley in Quebec. Every weekend in January and February, she volunteers her time to help children and adults with disabilities learn how to ski. She inspires them to focus on their abilities not their disability.
 

Anthony is passionate about accessibility, inclusion, integration, and equal opportunities for people of all abilities. He has first-hand experience of how mobility can change. Born with Spina Bifida, he moved from using a cane to help him walk, at age 13, to using a wheelchair full time. He graduated from Mohawk College with diplomas in E-Business and Office Executive Administration, and currently works at Mohawk College and McMaster University. He enjoys playing sledge hockey and baseball and spending time with family and friends.

Bob Asham sustained a spinal cord injury one night in January of 1988. During a night of hockey with his Men’s hockey team, he went headlong in the boards and broke his neck. He spent six months in hospital recovering and doctors told him he had a 10% chance of regaining any movement from the neck down and would require constant care.

Bob was able to beat those odds. After 2 years of rehab he returned to work, having gained enough movement to walk short distances with crutches. He also uses a wheelchair for everyday getting around. Bob Asham has coached Minor Hockey and Baseball for the last 12 years and has sat on the Accessibility Committee in his community for the past 8 years.
 

Chris Channon was a successful businessman, humanitarian and adventurer. He loved to travel, ride motorcycles, scuba dive and mountain climb. It could be said, he was "living the dream".

All of his dreams and ambitions came to a sudden halt one fateful evening while on vacation in Thailand. He went for a stroll along a pristine beach and was viciously mugged and left for dead. By some momentous act of God, he survived his attack. Chris was left an incomplete quadriplegic, given little hope that he would ever walk again.

Chris spent over 5 months in the hospital recovering from his beating and more than 9 months doing intensive outpatient rehab. He fought not only the physical battles but the emotional pain from the loss of his previous life. Chris vowed to "Never Give Up".

Ever grateful for his "new life", Chris is working hard to give back to the community that so helped him along his journey. He is hoping his story can inspire both young and old alike to never take life for granted and always be thankful for what we have.

Don Calvert was a busy man with a family, an athlete, a registered nurse on the surgical unit, a local paper mill worker, and a Union Executive Board member, until he was involved in a single vehicle roll over. Don was involved in a single vehicle roll over. He was in a coma, had broken most of the vertebrae in his spine, collapsed his lung, broken almost all his ribs and was air lifted to Sunny Brook Hospital in Toronto. Since then, Don and his wife started to invest in real estate properties in his hometown and also in Florida where they now manage a rental business and keeps them busy. Don also began to volunteer and started a committee that evolved in a nonprofit, of which he is now chairman. Using his side-by-side four wheeler, Don loves exploring the amazing trails in his Northern Ontario community with his daughters.

Elsa faces challenges head on. She’s a successful athlete competing in Women’s National sitting volleyball and women’s single scull para-rowing. She is a student at the University of Ottawa and a community worker at Valoris for Children and adults of Prescott-Russell. As a passionate volunteer, she is the coordinator for the Jumpstart Foundation in eastern Ontario, foster family for a six-year-old girl with special needs, respite worker for special needs kids, and a speaker for SCI Ontario. She even plays the violin!

Elsa was in grade 7 when she lost control of her snowboard and crashed, leaving her with a brain injury and paraplegia. She spent the following two years at home recovering from her accident. Always a gifted student who participated in many different clubs and sports, and dreamed of becoming a doctor, Elsa has had to adapt and find new ways to use her abilities. 
 

Prior to her diagnosis Elyse often put things off. Her diagnosis, and the fact that her disability is potentially progressive, added new obstacles with each relapse. It has taught her the importance of doing things she wants to do when the opportunity arises, and enjoying what life has to offer.

Elyse was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in her early 20s. She now has Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome including Multiple Sclerosis, Graves Disease, autoimmune hepatitis and diabetes. She has mobility issues as a result of MS and lives with chronic pain.  

Elyse is currently completing her Masters in Social Justice Studies at Lakehead University, having done a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honours), and Diversity and Social Justice Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island as a mature student. Her research interests stem from her personal experience and are around intersectional barriers to health care. She recently got married (July 2018) and she works as a researcher, as well as a peer support program coordinator for a local non-profit. She loves playing board games, dungeons and dragons, swimming, going on outdoor adventures especially if they involve waterfalls or swimming, reading, writing, and drinking tea. 

Fernando Resende spends his time doing a variety of things. Among them, he volunteers for multiple organizations including Rick Hansen Foundation as a public speaker advocating for the importance of accessibility, inclusion, adopting a try new things and never-give-up attitude regardless of your situation. 

He is a husband and father and has tried almost every adaptive sport that is known. He is an avid cyclist and tennis player, having competed in both at a charity and competitive level. Presently he still focuses on handcycling but occasionally helps out with wheelchair tennis. He enjoys volunteering his time to kids with disabilities and newly injured adult programs.

Before his Spinal Cord Injury 16 years ago, he worked for many years as an Art Director primarily in publishing and advertising. He has been an avid Photographer since studying Fine Art back in University and opened FMprints.com 10 years ago. He likes to travel to interesting places and is always inspired by new surroundings, which end up being inspiration for new photographs. He has experimented with printing on different materials such as different types of plywood and unique metals. His works have been shown in Galleries and Shows all over Toronto. 
 

Jackie is finishing up her kinesiology degree at York University with plans to study nutrition at Ryerson University. She volunteers as a mentor for a youth group and speaks to groups of teenagers about dealing with life’s challenges.

Born with a vascular malformation in her left leg, her condition was fairly manageable during childhood. One day, as she was leaving school, she spontaneously fractured her tibia and fibula. After a very lengthy recovery, she needed two canes to walk. Her life was completely changed as she had to adjust to her limited mobility.

Today, when not at school, Jackie enjoys exercising, baking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Joel works with RBC as part of the RBC Olympians Program and with Tennis Canada as a coach and ambassador, promoting inclusivity within the sport. 

Shortly after he was born, doctors discovered a benign tumour near his spine. While the tumour was successfully removed, Joel began using a wheelchair at a young age and has had many corrective surgeries growing up to fix his scoliosis. 

Spending a lot of time in hospitals as a child allowed Joel to face adversity head on and prepared for life in a wheelchair as an adult. He recently retired from high-performance competition after representing Canada at the Paralympic level.
 

Joey’s life took an unexpended turn when he sustained a spinal cord injury on June 14th, 2009. With the help of his family and his wife Vanessa, they were able to overcome life’s unexpected turn of events. Joey was busy working in construction at the time and never thought anything like this was ever going to happen to him, but once it did, he realized that life is never what you think it is, but instead what you make of it. 

Joey has contributed to multiple organizations in the past such as the PARTY program, SmartRisk, CPC, SCIO and other speaking engagements alike. He always looks for new opportunities to grow as a person.

Joey had set his sights on making the National team early on after his injury. With the support of his wife and kids, he has now made the National team and competes internationally at World Cups and World Championships since 2017 and is chasing his dreams of one day competing at the Paralympics.

He has never stopped moving forward, and with all that life has to offer, he’s not going to stop now.
 

Josh has overcome great obstacles and is now a counselor, a writer, and a student about to undertake his third degree. 

Early one morning before work, he was having a cup of coffee and talking to his neighbour on his balcony when he had an epileptic seizure. He fell seven feet to the pavement below, landing on his head and breaking his neck. When he woke up and realized he was paralyzed, he was so panic stricken he went into cardiac arrest. He suffered five cardiac arrests while in hospital and now lives with a pace maker.

Through all this, Josh managed to both survive and thrive. When not working, he enjoys painting and collecting.
 

Julie won the 2017 Be Bold for Change Award, honouring inspiring women in her community. She authors a blog about her recovery from a spinal cord injury, and advocates for bike safety and accessibility.

Julie - a married mother of two, science teacher, and coach - was training for a triathlon on her bike when a car hit her from behind. She sustained a spinal cord injury resulting in paralysis from the chest down. Her recovery in hospital lasted over three months.

Since then, she has transferred her skills as a teacher in the classroom to that of an activist in the community. While it’s been a difficult journey, she actively encourages people to work past their own their challenges and reach out to others in need.
 

Lorin is President of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. Born with deafness in both ears, she found learning how to work with her disability wasn’t as hard as combatting negative attitudes about what she could and couldn’t do. 

She always dreamed becoming a lawyer, and eventually she graduated university and was accepted to law school. She now practices human rights law. 

Giving back to her community is very important to Lorin. She sits on the board of the ARCH Disability Law Centre, and is also a member on the Ontario Bar Association Equality Committee. 

In her free time, she likes to read biographies, collect Irish pottery, and do crossword puzzles.
 

Mardelle, an Indigenous ambassador at the Rick Hansen Foundation, hopes to inspire everyone to embrace their inner hero and be the best they can be. A retired healthcare work for seniors and their families, she’s a mother of three grown children and dedicated to her community.

At age 29, Mardelle suffered a complete spinal cord injury and brain injury during a tragic accident which claimed the life of her husband. After spending months in neurological intensive care, doctors told her she’d never walk again, have cognitive ability, or any quality of life. Her father insisted she be placed in a rehabilitation centre, and after a few months of intensive care and treatment, Mardelle walked out of the hospital. 

Today, she enjoys a wide variety of activities including skating, light hiking, camping, knitting, writing, gardening, travel, and spending time with family.

Marion has always been a go-getter. She studied Human Resource Management at Ryerson University and works for Ontario Power Generation. She is president and owner of Vital Access, a speaker, and an active volunteer. 

When she was 18 months old, she contracted polio. After three years in hospital recovering from the effects of polio, she was keen to live life to the fullest. 

Marion still makes time in her busy schedule to enjoy music, driving, and travelling.

Meenu is an international disability rights advocate. She’s received numerous awards from the Canadian government, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Voice Media Group, and other organizations. She is currently president at the Center for the Independent Living, chair of the Vaughan Accessibility Advisory Committee, and board member of the Punjabi Community Health Services.

When she first arrived in Canada, she began to experience intense back pain. An X-ray showed the cause: the rods inserted in her back to support a childhood spinal curvature needed adjustment. During the surgery, she sustained an unexpected spinal cord injury and was paralyzed.

Meenu faced this life-altering event head-on. She’s proud to be a daughter, wife, and mother. When not advocating, she enjoys reading, writing, and listening to music.

Mike has a strong interest in motivational speaking and accessibility advocacy, with a goal to help organizations better understand the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. He holds a degree in Information Technology and has worked for the past nine years as an IT sales professional. 

He has had Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) his entire life. OI is a genetic disorder characterized by bones that break easily, often from little or no apparent cause. People with OI may have just a few or as many as several hundred fractures in a lifetime.

Mike believes having to deal with multiple broken bones, a number of surgeries, and all the people who helped him along the way have made him the person he is today. He feels fortunate to be independent, with a great support group of family and friends, his wife of 10 years, and two corgis.

In his spare time, he and his wife have recently taken up short-distance marathon running and are card-carrying Disney Vacation Club members. 

One day in 1997, at the age of 4, Robert was riding in the car and wondered why he couldn't see the CN tower on the horizon anymore. Later, at a doctor's appointment, he thought someone was playing a trick on him when he covered his left eye, because suddenly the room went dark.  Doctors told him needed surgery to remove a brain tumor. After surgery, it was dark all of the time, because now Robert was blind.

Robert spent more than 11 years battling his brain tumors, and every day since that first surgery he had to learn how to adapt to a world without sight.

When you hear Robert's story, you will see that being blind has never held him back. Adversity and the will to overcome it define Robert. He is a competitive swimmer, runs a successful charity and is a graduate of St. Lawrence College. Robert has received the King Clancy Award from the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons, a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, and has been inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in recognition of his work for people with disabilities. Robert enjoys spending time in the kitchen and finds himself occupied by his passion for woodworking.

Sharon has had a 25-year career with the Information and Privacy Commission of Ontario. She is a speaker for both the CNIB and Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, and enjoys educating the public about living with a disability. 

She was born with glaucoma and has been fully blind since she was 13 years old. Her childhood dream was to help people by becoming a doctor or nurse, but without her sight, she made different plans. 

Sharon wants the world to know having a disability doesn’t mean you can’t live a full and successful life. She is married with two sons, and in her spare time loves to read, listen to music, and take long walks.
 

It is hard to live with an extremely rare condition that most doctors do not know about, and for which virtually no treatment exists. The fact that Sinead's disability is not always as visible to others has meant that she has had to work extra hard to advocate for herself.

Parkes Weber Syndrome is a progressive and life-threatening condition that impacts the muscular, skeletal, vascular, and lymphatic systems. Sinead's right side is significantly larger than her left, which impacts her mobility and results in chronic pain and bouts of spasticity.

Since Sinead's condition makes traditional employment difficult, she spends her time advocating for people with disabilities. In the last year, she has spoken at Queen's Park and at Parliament Hill, and she is on the Board of Directors of Citizens With Disabilities Ontario. Sinead wants to continue her work to improve service dog laws in Ontario, and to work towards greater public awareness and education about service dogs and the duties they perform.

Therese has been a teacher for almost 10 years, helping students believe in themselves and find their true purpose. Having a physical disability has not stopped her at work or at play. 

Her belief that miracles do happen – and that openness and compassion exist all around us – stems from her experience of having both legs amputated below the knee, as well as her fingers on both hands. 

When not encouraging students to find the courage and wisdom to answer their calling, Therese participates in activities that bring her joy, especially yoga, hiking, travelling, and dancing.
 

Unstoppable Tracy has shared the stage with Jane Fonda, John Travolta, Mel Gibson, Mark Whalberg and more! Unstoppable Tracy awarded first place at a Top 1% International Motivational Mega Speaker conference of thousands. She is the winner of the 2017 Robert W. Jackson Award [Founder of the Canadian Paralympics], 2017 Ontario Premier Awards winner and 2018 Women of Essence Global Award Nominee and as seen on CBC, NBC, and FOX! 

Oprah Magazine shared her story as Quest for the Gold World Cup Sailor, who climbed Himalayan mountains, captained 110-foot-tall ship, won paraskiing bronze and funny too. 

Unstoppable Tracy was born a 4-way amputee. She is an award winning Leader in business and in sport, Humanitarian, Advocate, Decorated Athlete, International Speaker delivering the Lim[b]itless Secret. Now she adds best selling author to her long list of amazing accomplishments. Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soul endorsed her upcoming book ‘Unstoppable YOU; Exceed Uncertainty, Embrace Possibilities, Earn Independence’.

Tracy doesn't just talk high performance in business...she lives it. As Corporate Consultant while at Air Canada (AC) and Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) she worked simultaneously with management and unions over the competing demands of airline bankruptcy looming and pharmaceutical reform to facilitating restructuring plans that enabled AC and SDM to maintain their high standards out performing the stock market providing numerous award-winning training programs. Tracy was sought after for the Planning and Integration of the Pan Am and Parapan Am games in which she supported the largest most successful games ever.
 

Alexandre is constantly thinking of new, exciting projects. He attended university and received a Diploma in communications at age 24. He found his first job the following year. 

When he was 11 years old, his parents told him he lives with a rare disease. He met with many health specialists as a youth and soon realized his life would be different than from what he’d imagined. 

Although he had to leave behind his childhood dream of becoming a professional hockey player, he knows giving up is never an option. Alexandre is determined to spread the message that people with physical disabilities have a multitude of dreams and ambitions, and can contribute in a variety of ways to the life of a community. 

Gisele has an active life as a mother, social worker, and volunteer for various organizations. She counts biking, swimming, working out, and playing the piano as her favorite hobbies.

As a child, Gisele dreamed of becoming an Olympic diver. While practicing some diving maneuvers on a trampoline, she landed improperly on her back and damaged her spinal cord. After surgery, the surgeons weren’t optimistic about her recovery, but through hard work and determination Gisele regained 95% of her mobility. 

 Gisele continued to enjoy water activities and wrote a book on pre-natal aquatics.
 

Marjorie does not allow herself to be limited by her physical challenges. She works as a psychologist and researcher with several Canadian universities. She’s raising a young son with some physical support from her parents.

After a car accident left her with paraplegia, Marjorie spent five months in hospital and an intensive rehabilitation centre. She fought hard in rehab to walk again, believing a “good” mom was a “walking” mom. Then she realized, even in a wheelchair, she could accomplish a lot and motherhood could still happen the way she had imagined, but with a little help here or there. With determination, Marjorie learned all the skills necessary to take care of both herself and her son.

She relearned to drive with her hands, and also makes sure she does everything that she would have done with her son if she were standing.

Sylvie believes a person’s ability to succeed comes from within. She was born with retinoblastoma, a cancerous tumour on the retina of her eye. He right eye was removed when she was five months old, and she has a visual residue of less than 10% in her left eye.

Sylvie always knew she was different from other kids, but her parents encouraged her to pursue her goals and believe in her dreams. She always lived alongside sighted individuals, obtaining visual supports to assist with her studies and employment.

Today, she is completing a Master’s degree, with research relating to persons with visual disabilities. She has two daughters and is also a grandparent. She feels we can all learn to look at life through the eyes of the heart.

Blake doesn’t let using a wheelchair define who he is. He lives life to the fullest, pursuing his passions – sports, farming, and the outdoors. He’s also exploring the workforce.

As a teenager, he spent many weekends with friends fixing up his old truck. On a drive one afternoon, Blake lost control, hitting the ditch. The vehicle rolled, placing Blake in a coma and leaving him with paraplegia. 

In spite of these challenges, Blake doesn’t believe in giving up – or giving in.
 

Heather knows what it’s like to defy expectations. After a car accident resulted in paraplegia at age six, many people assumed she wouldn’t have a good life and would never finish school, get a job, or have a family.

She proved them wrong. She has a Master of Science degree, and is a decorated Paralympic athlete, coach for Team Canada, published author, wife, and mother.

She loves to give back to her community and is involved with organizations including the Canada Games Foundation and the Saskatoon Food Bank. She tries to find time for her passions: cooking, swimming, and doing yoga.
 

Janice lives a happy, successful life as a wife, mother, business owner, and industry leader. She also knows about determination. While working as a professional in the agricultural industry, she was driving to a work commitment when she fell asleep at the wheel and rolled her vehicle. Her life changed instantly.

She spent 10 weeks in hospital, and many months in rehabilitation as she adapted to her new life with paraplegia. Her previously fast-paced life came to a slow crawl as she learned to move forward in a wheelchair. But Janice chose to embrace her new life, facing her daily challenges with a smile.

She’s a proud hockey mom, and likes to hand-cycle, garden and read. 

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Natasha is passionate about the Arts and is currently majoring in Theatre at the University of Regina.

After she graduated from high school, Natasha was a model and aspiring actress. She worked on furthering her career and looked forward to making money and living on her own.
One night, Natasha was in the back seat of a car, when the driver suddenly sped around a corner too fast and crashed. Natasha sustained a spinal cord injury, leaving her with quadriplegia.

Despite her injury, Natasha continues to work hard to achieve her dreams.

Terri was diagnosed with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.  Her condition gradually caused quadriplegia which she has had to learn to adjust to.

Terri works as the community coordinator at the Tetra Society of North America in Regina, which makes customized assistive devices that are not on the market for people with disabilities and for seniors.  These devices are free for clients who have financial difficulties and enhance quality of life.

Passionate about social justice issues such as disability rights, poverty, and Indigenous rights, Terri enjoys helping people improve their lives.  Adopting two children from Romania has inspired her to make a difference in the world. Today, she actively volunteers with many organizations representing people with disabilities.