The Toronto Wheelchair Relay Challenge - Pull Up a Chair and Get Moving!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA ADVISORY
Attention: Assignment, News, Sports, Health and Lifestyle, Weekend and Photo Editors

The Toronto Wheelchair Relay Challenge
Pull Up a Chair and Get Moving!

For the 15th year, the Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario is holding our fun-filled Toronto Wheelchair Relay Challenge. The event is for people with and without disabilities to raise funds for programs and services for people with spinal cord injuries as they re-build their lives. At the Relay there will be great potential story leads and photo opportunities. Here are a few:

• Meet Carolyn Pioro and Julie, Elisa and Samantha DeAngelis…

Carolyn sustained her spinal cord injury falling from a circus trapeze five years ago. She comes to give the opening address to participants and brings her circus friends – the performing DeAngelis sisters from A2D2 – to provide entertainment after the race.

• Meet our Volunteers…

Having a spinal cord injury is a life-changing experience and it is a huge benefit to have some one to talk to who has been there; done that. Our volunteers are not only people who have spinal cord injuries helping others with spinal cord injuries, but family members, too.

• The Wild Wheeled Women…

Six women get together every Thursday night and Sunday afternoon to work-out, talk about nutrition and support one another in every healthy way possible. Together they have lost over 125 pounds. Each happens to use a wheelchair. The Wild Wheeled Women team is getting together to show their stuff at the race.

When: This Sunday, September 19th – 9:30 am until 12pm.
Where: Yorkdale Shopping Centre in the north-east parking lot.
Why:
•    A spinal cord injury can happen to anyone at any time.
•    There is approximately one spinal cord injury a day in Ontario.
•    The highest incidence of injury is to individuals in the age range of 20-29 and also, to those over 70 years of age.
•    It is estimated that 90% of what we know about spinal cord injury has been discovered in the last 20 years.

Who We Are:
Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario’s mission is to assist people with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities to achieve independence, self-reliance and full community participation. Since 1945, CPA Ontario has provided programs and services to people with a spinal cord injury including community service coordination, peer to peer support, employment services, attendant services, advocacy support, membership services and information services.

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Media Contact:
Gillian Lynne-Davies
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario
(T) 416-422-5644 x 212
(C) 416-671-3189
Email: gillian.lynne-davies@cpaont.org