Impairment Information |
Type of Impairment |
Limb deficiency |
Origin of Impairment |
Congenital |
Classification |
SB-LL2 |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Kingston, ON, CAN |
Occupation |
Athlete, Nurse |
Languages |
English |
Higher education |
History - Laurentian University: Sudbury, ON, CAN |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
Her parents encouraged her to take up skiing at age five, and she competed in the sport at provincial level before switching to Para snowboard at age 12. She began Para snowboarding at the Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario, Canada. "I became uncomfortable with all of the looks I was getting due to skiing with only one leg and asked my parents if I could begin to snowboard. I took to it immediately and fell in love. It was a difficult sport to learn especially due to the fact that I was now wearing my prosthetic. Despite this I was determined." |
Why this sport? |
She began competing internationally after attending a 'Paralympians Wanted' event organised by the Canadian Paralympic Committee in 2017. "It was a great experience. I went there with the intention of running and specialising in the sprint, 100m, 200m and 400m. I was graded, and my fitness assessed. When they found out that I had a background in snowboarding, I was introduced to the representatives of the sport. I went to a Para snowboard development camp about a month after the 'Paralympians Wanted' event, and they were sure I could be part of the NextGen team if I was ready to do the necessary work."
|
Name of coach |
Gregory Picard [national], CAN |
Senior International Debut |
Year |
2018 |
Competing for |
Canada |
Location |
Big White, BC, CAN |
General Interest |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"You can do it. Sometimes it can feel like the world wasn't built for us. But there is a lot of support, and if you have the determination necessary, people with a disability will be able to achieve success in whatever field they choose." (paralympique.ca, 19 Nov 2019) |
Awards and honours |
She received the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award while studying at Laurentian University in Sudbury, ON, Canada. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding community work. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Jun 2019)
In 2008 she was presented with the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award in Canada for community and humanitarian work. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Jun 2019) |
Other sports |
At a young age she competed in skiing at provincial level in Canada. (gofundme.com, 10 Sep 2020) |
Ambitions |
To compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (gofundme.com, 10 Sep 2020) |
Impairment |
She was born without her left leg below the knee due to complications resulting from amniotic band syndrome. She has also had various finger amputations on both of her hands. (gofundme.com, 10 Sep 2020; barrietoday.com, 09 Nov 2019; healthsci.queensu.ca, 01 Jun 2019) |
Other information |
OCCUPATION
She works part-time as a nurse in an intermediate care unit at Kingston General Hospital in Ontario, Canada. "Patience and determination are a common thread in sports and nursing. You have to keep working to get your patients better." (ici.radio-canada.ca, 28 Apr 2020; paralympic.ca, 28 Apr 2020)
FURTHER EDUCATION
After studying for a bachelor's degree in history at Laurentian University, she studied for another bachelor's degree in nursing at Queen's University in Kingston, ON, Canada. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Jun 2019) |
