80 recently paralysed people attended the WheelPower Inter Spinal Unit Games in September.
Participants and 60 support staff from fourteen Spinal Injury Centres and Specialist Units across the British Isles came together for three days of sport and activity at the Birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. This event was an integral part of many newly injured spinal cord injury patients’ rehabilitation.
Participants received coaching and demonstrations from current leading wheelchair sports athletes and coaches in over 20 sports which include archery, boccia, golf, hand cycling, table tennis, swimming, shooting, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.
Conor Harris, Sports Events & Development Officer comments “The Inter Spinal Unit Games provide a brilliant opportunity for individuals with a recent spinal cord injury to discover activity and sport in a safe and welcoming environment. The Games provide participants with the opportunity to meet with people in a similar situation and share their own personal experiences about life with a spinal cord injury”.
Martin McElhatton, CEO of WheelPower says, “We will be celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Inter Spinal Unit Games this year and, with an estimated 4,400 people injured or diagnosed with a spinal cord injury every year, they still hold an important role in the rehabilitation of people. The Games have helped thousands of people over the years and the thrill of finding something as positive as sport can be for newly paralysed people is what moves WheelPower to continue to provide this life transforming event for many more years to come.”
I didn’t expect it to be so big! I couldn’t play table tennis when I was able to walk, but for some reason I can actually play table tennis now – thank you to WheelPower for Organising it all. Previous participants, Carl Webster
