Reaching Canada’s Teens

“It’s all about turning negatives into positives,” says Kevin Brooks, a T1 paraplegic from Cloverdale, British Columbia, and one of the most well-known speakers from Canada. Injured in 2000 in a car accident he caused while intoxicated — and that also killed his best friend — Brooks did not become a speaker with an anti-drunk driving message overnight.

It took a lengthy process of introspection, including a chance meeting with Rick Hansen. “I was in the process of applying for the public relations program at Kwantlen College,” says Brooks. “I chose to interview Rick Hansen’s PR lady, who introduced me to Rick following our interview. Rick had a larger than life presence.”

Brooks was still struggling to accept being paralyzed. “Rick was instrumental in helping me see past the wheelchair.” From there, Brooks went on to do his first fundraiser in honor of Rick Hansen Foundation — swimming across his hometown lake — and after that he was pumped to do more.

Through his work with the foundation, Brooks began public speaking. In the beginning, he spoke at elementary schools and focused on the car crash and his recovery. Over time, he spoke to high schools and his speeches morphed into the repercussions of his actions, focusing on impaired driving, speed and seatbelt usage.

“I have become more comfortable in front of a crowd and I’ve been able to make myself very vulnerable and really just be an open book,” relates Brooks. “I don’t hold back like I once did, because along the journey of becoming a professional speaker, I have healed.”

He says he has spoken to more than a half million people over the last 12 years. “I have been given tear-soaked suicide notes, razor blades, X-Acto-knives. People have told me I saved their life. That kind of stuff just blows my mind.”

Check out www.kevinbrooks.ca

Help for Emerging Athletes

It’s no secret adapted sports equipment is exorbitantly priced, which is why the Challenged Athletes Foundation needs to be on your radar. Its mantra, “Changing lives, one athlete at a time,” is exactly what it does.

Founded in 1997, CAF provides grants for athletic equipment — its flagship program — and it has a separate grant program specifically for veterans with disabilities that goes above and beyond equipment, and offers coaching as well. CAF also has a mentorship program, helping established athletes connect with rising stars.

Each year the foundation gives grants to thousands of rising athletes with disabilities, ensuring they have the proper training equipment needed to be as successful as possible. While CAF is not for the amateur athlete, if you have a spinal cord injury and are seriously interested in pursuing Paralympic dreams, this is the foundation to get in touch with.

Go to www.challengedathletes.org

Get Lifted

When you can’t avoid stairs, you can’t get a slicker, less expensive adaptive tool  than Liftkar, a simple, motorized stair-climbing chair with three speeds, operated by a nondisabled attendant. While it cannot be operated independently by a chair user, it’s a must-have solution for a  family member or attendant, capable of lifting up 8.5-inch stairs. And the best part  is it won’t hurt your attendant’s back.

Click on: www.mobilitylifter.com

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