sportphysio2010

The second wave of the Games is underway and many of our PABC members are involved as they were in the Olympic Games. Here are a few unusual spots you’ll find them over these weeks.

We had two Paralympic torch bearers leading up to the Opening Ceremonies. John Cumberbirch of Surrey was selected to represent Sportability – CP Sports, in recognition of John devoting his career enriching the lives of children with special needs, in both his role as a dedicated and caring pediatric physiotherapist and his many hours spent as an International Classifier for CP Sports. And Louise Burton was “beyond excited” to be carrying the Paralympic torch during the 24 hour relay portion of the relay. Her application to “You Gotta Be Here” won her the spot. Now retired from Vernon Jubilee Hospital after 35 years, Louise is undertaking that all important role of retired physios – vacation relief for her colleagues!

Sharon Clarke is a Cross Country Canada Official Level 3- involved in Nordic sports; at the Paralympics she will be a member of the Timing team for XC skiing. During the Olympics, she was in Falun, Sweden as a Jury member for the Masters World Cup (MWC) in Cross Country Skiing.

Marilyn Atkinson is “very excited” to be working as a wax technician for the Chinese Paralympic cross country ski team, assisting her friend the wax coach for the team. Says Marilyn, “I have official credentials and everything!” Working part-time at Courtenay Physiotherapy, she has a few hours to devote to her Level 2 cross country ski coaching of a developmental program for 10-13 year olds of Strathcona Nordics Ski Club on Mt Washington, as well as competing in a few races a year as she has done since the 1960′s.

Barbara Picton is continuing her Olympic stint at the Athlete’s village into the Paralympics. She is in admin helping with logistics, but also covers the front end when more people are required. Some of the jobs have included hours breaking down cardboard boxes in the depths of an underground parking lot, completing inventory lists in the athlete’s rooms, welcoming athletes into the village and hauling luggage through the security checks, COC members to their meeting rooms, hauling cedar trees in tubs to pretty up the place, sponsors and partners around the Village, and issuing guest passes, “for which we had 1½ hours training from the RCMP in how to match people to passport photos – I now have a great respect for why they won’t allow us to smile anymore as it really does change the shape of the face.”

Alison Hoens provided training on the use of electrotherapeutic agents, and is an On Call specialist, “called when my area of expertise is required and/or helping out in the medical clinic in the Vancouver Village whenever I can.”

Stroke survivor reaches his own goal at torch run with help of physiotherapy.

Doug Querns may not be participating in an Olympic Event directly, but he is definitely embodies the Olympic Spirit.  As a stroke survivor, Doug has fought every step of the way to achieve new levels of ability and success.

I have been involved on an intermittent basis with Doug for about a year.  When I met him, he was a successful husband and father who was looking to return back to the workforce as well as his previous recreational activities.  At a Stroke Recovery gala fundraiser a few months ago, Doug spoke to the crowd about his newest goal…to be able to run again.

At that moment, I knew I could help him to get to that goal.  We talked later that night about some ideas I had to help him to get there, and vowed to get together in the future to make that happen.

One of the things we were trying was the use of a functional electrical stimulation device called the Ness L300 Foot Drop System. Not long after we started the conditioning process, Doug told me that he would be carrying the torch for the 2010 Winter Olympics.  As he told me those words, I could see our goal crystallize.

We had about a month, and Doug had not run at all since his stroke about 3 years ago, but somehow, I knew Doug would RUN at least part of his torch experience.

Doug is just as much a testimony to personal perseverance as he is to the value of physiotherapy. It was his hard work, along with some physiotherapy guidance and some advanced technology that made his goal come true. The cheers of his friends, former running club members, as well as his family as they saw Doug run for the first time and in that arena was as special to me as any other Olympic experience.

As a physiotherapist who works with children and adults with neurological challenges, my Olympic experience is more indirect, but nevertheless just as rewarding.

I hope that these Olympic Games can challenge each of us to reach a little higher and dig a little deeper to achieve our own dreams.

By Heather Branscombe, PT, Abilities Neurological Rehabilitation

Doug Querns

Watch Doug’s journey on video on Heather’s Facebook Page.

I was very excited to cheer on Tyler Dumont as he carried the flame today on Grand Boulevard in North Vancouver. I was able to capture some very moving moments as hundreds and hundreds lined the streets to cheer him on in the rain.

Tyler Dumont steps off the Olympic Flame bus

UBC-PT Dept was given the privilege to carry the flame in recognition of the equipment donation, and they chose Tyler as their torch-bearer.

PABC members Sue Murphy, Susan Harris, Donna MacIntyre, Bev Lundgren, Zenya Kasubuchi, Nicole Stefanson and Rick Celebrini were spotted among the fans.

I captured Rick Celebrini (Chief Therapist and Regional Medical Manager for VANOC Medical Services and Therapy Team) chatting with Tyler’s aunt and uncle (Bruce Dumont is the President of the Metis Nation, BC).

Rick with Tyler's aunt and uncle in traditional Metis dress

The physio community is very proud of Tyler, and of previous torch-bearers Kate Richardson and Jane Treweeke (see previous blog entries).

Tyler, wife Kelly and their boys (with his parents, left)

See the video of Tyler lighting the flame, and of his  run today on our Flick’r page.

Rebecca B Tunnacliffe, PABC CEO and Physios’ 2010 Cheerleader

Sport Physiotherapy Canada (SPC) launched their new website last week with feature articles from three sports physios involved in the 2010 games. There are about 92 certified sportphysios from across Canada working at the 2010 games.

SPC's New Website - Hompage

Here are some highlights:

Maggie Phillips-Scarlett writes about her experience working with  Canadian para-alpine ski team team She has been with the team since 2005, initially as the strength & conditioning coach and is now team physiotherapist.  The team consists of 13 athletes, men and women with an array of injuries to manage. There are 3 categories including visually impaired, standing (ie. amputees,), and sitting (ie. spinal cord injuries or congenital birth defects). Read more of her inspiring words!

Shane Munro has been involved with the national Cross Country Skiing team for 5 years, since before the Torino Olympics.  Shane will be with the team at Games in Whistler. Read his feature at sportphysio.ca and check  out his website at www.ascentphysio.com for regular updates throughout the games. You can also see his work with the team on YouTube!

Read  Guylaine Boutin ‘s inspirational story about carrying the Olympic Torch: The Olympic Dream:  in Different Forms / Le rêve olympique : sous différentes saveurs sous différentes formes . Guylaine, a lifelong  athlete and dedicated sport physio carried the flame on Dec 7th 2009 for her son who was too young to carry the torch.  Merci Guylaine!

Thank you for your stories! PABC wishes you all the best at the games. Go Sport Physios!