ISOLATION & HEALTH ISSUES
COVID-19: Added Barriers for People with Disability
It’s 2021, a full two decades on from the incredible ‘Round the World Challenge of 2001. Given the state of the world now, let’s talk about the challenge of COVID-19 as it pertains to people with disabilities, most notably those living with spinal cord injuries. Sadly, the negative effects of COVID-19 are far reaching in our society as a whole, and even further in a community like SCI.
The initial fears are becoming infected, as people with spinal cord injury often have greater difficulty with breathing and lung function. On top of that, the already-isolated world for many people with disabilities including those with spinal cord injuries. Personal care, for which many of us are wholly dependent, is strained, with contagion being an ever-present threat.
FIGHTING FOR THOSE MOST MARGINALIZED
COVID Isolation and Mental Health Issues in the SCI Community
Compounding the physical health factors are mental and emotional health issues. Take the mental health impact of Canadian society, for example, and multiply that by exponential factors – that’s what is facing people with disabilities, including those with spinal cord injuries, in the form of isolation, fatigue, uncertainty and heightened concern for the future. It is for these reasons that Mike continues to push forward with his fight for people with spinal cord injury and other disabilities.
Importantly, there is with a strain on financial resources due to global economic realities as well as a threat to the health and well being of those who were already marginalized and neglected. While COVID-19 has turned the 2021 version of the ‘Round the World Challenge into a virtual event, neither the stakes nor our perseverance are diminished in the least. To get involved and change drive to challenge, we invite you to donate now.
