Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion

Helping New Athletes Get in the Game “One small change can have such a ripple effect on someone’s quality of life - and that’s what Wheels In Motion is really all about.” — Bill Crook

Twenty-nine-year-old Christie Reid beams when asked what first attracted her to wheelchair rugby. “Quite honestly, what I enjoyed most was that I was encouraged to smash into things with my wheelchair – it was so much fun.” Now, six months after she first began playing, Christie concedes that wheelchair rugby is a good deal more complicated than that, but her enthusiasm for the sport has only grown.

Christie is just one of many people with spinal cord injury and related disabilities who have benefited from an individual donation of $150,000 directed to Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion through a partnership with mobility equipment supplier Invacare Canada, in conjunction with its dealers. Together, they delivered 81 wheelchairs and other sport mobility devices to wheelchair sports organizations across Canada. The equipment offers many more new participants like Christie the opportunity to try out wheelchair rugby and basketball, and will ideally encourage a new generation of recreational athletes and Paralympic hopefuls.

“The new chair has made all the difference,” says Christie, gesturing toward her Invacare sport wheelchair. “The chair I was using when I first started was literally falling apart. With this chair I can manoeuvre much more easily and I know it’s impacted my game.” Team coach Adam Frost proudly interjects that Christie was the top scorer in her division last week, and her team recently brought home a bronze in the Vancouver Invitational Quad Rugby Tournament in March.

Christie is quick to point out how participating in her sport has positively impacted her quality of life. Injured three years ago, she struggled with the social isolation that sometimes accompanies adjusting to life after a spinal cord injury.

She also stresses that the exercise she gets from playing has made a huge difference in her rehabilitation program. “It’s great for getting my blood circulating, which is really important, and the upper body strength that I’ve built up means that I don’t need to rely on my electric wheelchair as much. It certainly beats going to the gym,” she adds with a grin.

Bill Crook, Executive Director of Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion, is thrilled when he hears stories like Christie’s. “It never fails to amaze me how one small change can have such a ripple effect on someone’s quality of life – and that’s what Wheels In Motion is really all about. If, at the end of the day, we can help communities take one more step toward becoming fully accessible and inclusive, then we’ve done our job.”

This year, the 4th annual Wheels In Motion, presented by Scotiabank, gets rolling on Sunday, June 11th, and thousands of caring Canadians will once again wheel, run or walk in support of people with spinal cord injury and related disabilities. To date the event has raised over $3.6 million for quality of life initiatives in every province and territory across Canada.

Last year, Christie personally raised over $1,000 for the Vancouver event, and this year she hopes to surpass that number. “I had so much fun last year at Wheels In Motion. It’s such a great event and I will definitely be involved again this year.”

Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion
Sunday, June 11

Participate or donate

Wheel, run or walk wit us on Sunday, June 11th to improve the quality of life of people with spinal cord injuries and related disabilities.

http://www.rickhansen.com

1-866-60-WHEEL