Sixteen-year-old Chenoa and her family love to hike. They can be found exploring the local hiking trails a couple times each week, yet for the past two years, Chenoa has been left behind. Living with a severe type of spina bifida and other serious medical conditions, she uses a wheelchair to navigate the world. As she has grown, she has become too heavy to take along and her wheelchair could no longer navigate dirt trails. It has been her greatest desire to join her family once again on their adventures.
Thanks to the support of Shine donors, Chenoa is beaming with joy and excitement for her new GRIT freedom all-terrain chair. Her new chair has relieved her anxiety about being stuck in rough terrain and has given her more independence and mobility. Because of you, she can join her friends and family on endless outdoor adventures!
Her mom, Nicole shares a note on the impact the experience has recently had: “Chenoa is so excited to be able to hit the trails with her friends and to be able to participate in more outdoor activities with school and family. Those of us who walk often don’t realize that life is filled with inaccessible moments for others and the pain of isolation this can cause. Thank you to everyone who has helped Chenoa the ability to join in more outdoor activities with ease and independence.”
As National Accessibility Week kicks off (May 28 – June 3, 2023), we need to continue sharing stories like Cheona’s that promote accessibility and inclusion in Canadian communities and workplaces. We also want to recognize the efforts of people like you who support Shine Dreams which work to actively remove barriers and ensure young people see a future full of possibility and contribution.
Help make futures shine bright.
