September 5 marks International Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day. We introduce you to two people who prove that abilities matter and we invite you to watch the videos where they share their stories, for a dose of motivation, determination and perseverance.

Ianis uses a wheelchair as a result of a car accident. He is passionate about basketball, likes to build LEGO and has a lot of energy. He participated in Motivation’s active rehabilitation programs and we are glad he allowed us to be a part of his story. Together, we wrote a chapter on independent living that Ianis himself talks about in the video.

Florin is passionate about sports and says his wheelchair pushes him to experience all kinds of things he might not have tried if he hadn’t had a spinal cord injury. Sport keeps him him fit and relaxes him. In the video, he also shares his dreams and goals.

Every year, thousands of people lose their mobility due to spinal cord injuries acquired as a result of traffic accidents, swimming accidents, falling from a height or having other causes. As shown in the International Perspectives on Spinal Cord Injury (IPSCI) Report, published by the World Health Organization, spinal cord injuries can have devastating effects not only physically, but also psychologically and socially for those who acquire them and, at the same time, for their families.

Since 1995, Motivation has been guiding people with spinal cord injuries to an active life by providing appropriate wheelchairs, independent living training services, adaptive sports, employment advice, accessibility and access to rights. We are grateful both to the thousands of children and adults with spinal cord injuries who have allowed us to be part of their story, and to those who support us in changing lives for the better!