Celebrating Heather and All Mothers...

The day started out just like any other day. Little did Heather know at age 21, her life would change forever.

Heather remembers a vehicle smashing into the car she was in; there were sirens, police, firefighters and the Jaws of Life removing her from the wreckage. It was a tragic car accident – her friends walked away – she didn’t.

Heather is now living with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

How does a young girl recover from this? How does she begin to rebuild her life? Where does she find the courage and the hope? Where does she find her own victories?

When we asked Heather to tell us about one of her many victories – she said “Having my son Joey was the proudest moments of my life.” Joey is now 11 years old and he looks up to his mom. And why not? She is independent, determined and loves life. She is an amazing person… a wonderful mother.

With Mother’s Day on May 9th, help us celebrate Heather and all mothers with spinal cord injuries; mothers of children with spinal cord injuries; and mothers in general.

Heather’s dedication as a mother to her son Joey, her family and her community is a constant tribute to resilience and her commitment to live life to the fullest.

This year she participated in CPA Ontario’s Ski Day and skied for the first time. “The speed and being outside on a beautiful day – it was amazing and exhilarating,” recalls Heather. She has also been scuba diving, plays tennis with her son, and has been on the Ottawa canal in the winter with her family and friends.

At CPA Ontario our first priority is to reach and serve all people in Ontario living with spinal cord injury and their families. We do this through the programmes and services we offer through our 16 regional offices providing peer support, information services, and community advocacy, to name a few.

Heather continues to take opportunities to become involved in her community and volunteers with Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA) Ontario, wanting to give back…to help other individuals who have sustained a spinal cord injury.
Participating on the steering committee, for the long established Peer Support programme, Heather knew this was for her. She is a Peer Support Volunteer and has been for over 7 years now.

Heather also participates in CPA Ontario events like the Wheelchair Relay Challenge and sits on the committee to help make this event successful so that funds raised can help with programmes and services for individuals with a SCI.
Every day, CPA Ontario volunteers, like Heather, members and staff, advocate for a more welcoming society. Sometimes our victories are small others are greater and more impactful.

Individuals like Heather face challenges every day, but they also celebrate accomplishments.

“Don’t give up. There’s lots of life to live and lots to do. It may require doing it in a different way but you can still do it,” says Heather when asked what is her message to other individuals with a spinal cord injury. “Look at me, I have a wonderful son, I participate in recreational activities, I volunteer, I am glad to be me.”

At CPA Ontario, our job is to work with each person with a SCI to help them rebuild their lives. We are there every step of the way. We rejoice with their success and we intensify our efforts in times of trouble.