Ashley (Caledon, ON)

By Laureen DeMartini 

At the age of 16, my daughter, Ashley was an outstanding soccer player, who had the chance of winning a scholarship when she graduated. However, a car accident left her with multiple injuries. The doctors warned us that Ashley might not be able to walk again.  

As I watched my daughter sleeping in the hospital, I thought about her future and our family plans, but my mind could come up with nothing but questions and uncertainties.

Luckily, Ashley did not have to recover alone. Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA) Ontario was by our side every step of her journey providing information seminars, equipment (everything from a walker to a computer for school), counselling services, attendant services and peer support. It was a soothing relief to know that we had a whole network behind us.

With all the support and encouragement we received, Ashley set a new goal for herself – to walk again. And she did.  Six weeks after she arrived at a rehabilitation centre, Ashley walked again, with a cane. I burst into tears. At that moment, I knew that thousands of Canadians with spinal cord injuries are working hard to achieve their new goals too.

A spinal cord injury can happen to anyone in an instant. There is approximately one spinal cord injury a day in Ontario. 84% of injuries happen to people under the age of 34. Prior to 1945, only 10% of people who experienced a spinal cord injury were expected to survive beyond one year. 63 years after the founding of the Canadian Paraplegic Association the survival rate of an individual who sustains an injury is 85-90%. 

Please consider the barriers people with spinal cord injuries face in your community and know that your actions do count. There’s not a lot of difference between you and me. Things can change in an instant.