Latest news with #SportingWheelies
7NEWS
8 hours ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
From isolation to empowerment: Mark's journey to freedom through inclusive sports
When Mark Stephenson learned his mind and body were failing him, his life as a devoted father and active community member was forever changed. He received a diagnosis of Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia (YOLBD), following an earlier diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. His long career as a firefighter came to an abrupt end, and hobbies he once cherished, such as riding motorbikes, became suddenly out of reach. 'That's what the doctor told me — unfortunately, you won't be able to do your job anymore, and you can't drive home,' recalls Stephenson. 'In an instant, my life, which was once filled with activity and purpose, became very small.' When a person is diagnosed with both Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's disease, often symptoms are overlapping, complicating their management. Experts suggest this combination diagnoses may result in a quicker deterioration of cognitive and motor functions. Patients face a range of symptoms including physical stiffness, tremors, memory loss and hallucinations. Stephenson found himself in the grips of despair, feeling directionless and isolated. 'I made endless phone calls to charities and local organisations hoping to volunteer or find recreational activities, but I was turned away every time,' he explained. 'Each rejection felt harder to cope with than the initial diagnosis. 'It was disheartening, causing me to retreat further into myself.' Everything changed when he stumbled upon a social media post from Sporting Wheelies, an organisation focused on promoting inclusive sports for individuals with disabilities. Encouraged by his wife, he decided to give wheelchair basketball a try, despite his fears of being rejected again. 'The first time I sat in that sports wheelchair, I felt a rush of freedom — the kind I hadn't felt in years. 'I called it my 'motorbike feeling. 'It was a game changer,' he shares, his eyes lighting up with excitement. 'Upon arrival, I was welcomed by a diverse group of people, all unified by a shared love for sport. 'Once in the chair, no one noticed it; we were simply a group of individuals playing basketball together.' Stephenson's journey reveals a broader issue: while over 1 in 5 Australians live with a disability — approximately 5.5 million people — opportunities to engage in sports are still limited. According to Dane Cross, Chief Operating Officer of Sporting Wheelies, only 25 per cent of people with disabilities currently participate in sports, despite 75 per cent expressing a strong desire to get involved. 'The reality is there aren't enough accessible sports programs, particularly in regional areas,' Cross states. 'Many clubs lack the resources and knowledge to be truly inclusive, making it difficult for individuals to engage fully in sports activities.' Barriers extend beyond physical access; ingrained societal attitudes and stereotypes also play a role. 'Many people with disabilities aren't seen as athletes,' Cross points out. 'Changing community perceptions is crucial for fostering an inclusive sporting environment.' Organisations like Sport4All are also working towards dismantling these barriers, providing training and support to community sports clubs to ensure they can accommodate individuals with varying abilities. National Manager of Sport4All, Carl Partridge, emphasises understanding the spectrum of disabilities is essential for creating inclusive environments. 'Disability isn't always visible,' he said. 'Financial constraints and preconceived notions can unintentionally exclude many individuals from participating in sports.' Stephenson's involvement in sports has not just provided an opportunity for physical activity, it has also delivered a renewed sense of purpose and connection. 'Through sport, I discovered a supportive community,' he added, reflecting on his experiences with Sporting Wheelies. 'I found friends and purpose again, which has been invaluable for my mental health.' Today, he actively participates in wheelchair basketball, cricket, and AFL, reclaiming his joy, confidence, and meaningful connections. As the financial year ends, Sporting Wheelies urges Australians to donate before June 30. Every contribution is 100 per cent tax-deductible. 'Every gift helps! With the right support, we can bring inclusive sport to communities, but we can't do it alone,' said Cross. '$500 trains a Disability Sport Officer. $1000 helps bring a new sport to a remote town.'
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
'Too much of a risk': Mark kept being turned away until he found his people
After having the door slammed in his face time after time as his disability was deemed too "risky", Mark Stephenson finally found his tribe with a volunteer sports organisation. When the father-of-five was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia at just 54, he had to give up his beloved career as a Station Officer with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, as well as his driver's licence. "It was a bit of an adjustment, being home everyday with nothing to do," Mr Stephenson said, now aged 57. Read more in The Senior The grandfather-of-two told The Senior Lewy Body affects younger people differently than those with more life experience. "For older people, it's more slower in the progression of the disease normally, whereas for younger people, it's quicker. So life expectancy for someone under 60 getting it is three to seven years," he said. After diagnosis, Mark wanted to use his extra time to give back to his community as a volunteer - but over a two-year period all the organisations Mark approached shut their doors to him. They told him he was "too much of a risk", due to the hallucinations he can sometimes have with dementia. After the once-active fireman tried his local sports groups - and was given the same answer - he felt very isolated for the first two years following his diagnosis - only going out if his wife or friends took him. "By this stage, I was starting to lose a lot of mobility. Lewy body attacks the brain and the spinal cord," he said. "I'd pretty much given up and just thought, ok, I'll just sit at home and watch the world go by and wait for the Grim Reaper to knock on the door." But things changed when Mark's wife saw a Facebook ad for wheelchair cricket and "pestered" him too give them a call. The result changed his life. Initally, Mark was worried Sporting Wheelies would shut their door too once they knew of his condition, but they didn't. "It was like, 'G'day, how are you going? Yep, this is a sports wheelchair, jump in one'," he said. "Very welcoming, very inclusive. Pretty much straight away accepted me as part of the community. No-one's judged." Sporting Wheelies in Queensland has given Mark a "sense of purpose" and it wasn't long until he started playing wheelchair basketball, as well as wheelchair AFL. "Sporting Wheelies is also a gateway, so they can put you in touch with wheelchair AFL, the wheelchair rugby league, wheelchair rugby," he said. Through AFL, he is learning new skills, but it's the support and friendship that's been most rewarding. "I'm basically a paraplegic now. But the community down there are able to help you adjust to things very easily, because people down there have lived experience," he said. "And whether it's through accident, through injury or by disease, everyone's in the same boat, just at various stages. So there's a really good support network." Mark wants everyone to be able to have access to sport and specialised wheelchairs, and is hoping Sporting Wheelies will attract donations and corporate sponsorship so it can include more regional areas in Queensland and then into other states. Individuals and organisations can make a 100 percent tax-deductible donation to Sporting Wheelies before June 30 at Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. After having the door slammed in his face time after time as his disability was deemed too "risky", Mark Stephenson finally found his tribe with a volunteer sports organisation. When the father-of-five was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia at just 54, he had to give up his beloved career as a Station Officer with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, as well as his driver's licence. "It was a bit of an adjustment, being home everyday with nothing to do," Mr Stephenson said, now aged 57. Read more in The Senior The grandfather-of-two told The Senior Lewy Body affects younger people differently than those with more life experience. "For older people, it's more slower in the progression of the disease normally, whereas for younger people, it's quicker. So life expectancy for someone under 60 getting it is three to seven years," he said. After diagnosis, Mark wanted to use his extra time to give back to his community as a volunteer - but over a two-year period all the organisations Mark approached shut their doors to him. They told him he was "too much of a risk", due to the hallucinations he can sometimes have with dementia. After the once-active fireman tried his local sports groups - and was given the same answer - he felt very isolated for the first two years following his diagnosis - only going out if his wife or friends took him. "By this stage, I was starting to lose a lot of mobility. Lewy body attacks the brain and the spinal cord," he said. "I'd pretty much given up and just thought, ok, I'll just sit at home and watch the world go by and wait for the Grim Reaper to knock on the door." But things changed when Mark's wife saw a Facebook ad for wheelchair cricket and "pestered" him too give them a call. The result changed his life. Initally, Mark was worried Sporting Wheelies would shut their door too once they knew of his condition, but they didn't. "It was like, 'G'day, how are you going? Yep, this is a sports wheelchair, jump in one'," he said. "Very welcoming, very inclusive. Pretty much straight away accepted me as part of the community. No-one's judged." Sporting Wheelies in Queensland has given Mark a "sense of purpose" and it wasn't long until he started playing wheelchair basketball, as well as wheelchair AFL. "Sporting Wheelies is also a gateway, so they can put you in touch with wheelchair AFL, the wheelchair rugby league, wheelchair rugby," he said. Through AFL, he is learning new skills, but it's the support and friendship that's been most rewarding. "I'm basically a paraplegic now. But the community down there are able to help you adjust to things very easily, because people down there have lived experience," he said. "And whether it's through accident, through injury or by disease, everyone's in the same boat, just at various stages. So there's a really good support network." Mark wants everyone to be able to have access to sport and specialised wheelchairs, and is hoping Sporting Wheelies will attract donations and corporate sponsorship so it can include more regional areas in Queensland and then into other states. Individuals and organisations can make a 100 percent tax-deductible donation to Sporting Wheelies before June 30 at Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. After having the door slammed in his face time after time as his disability was deemed too "risky", Mark Stephenson finally found his tribe with a volunteer sports organisation. When the father-of-five was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia at just 54, he had to give up his beloved career as a Station Officer with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, as well as his driver's licence. "It was a bit of an adjustment, being home everyday with nothing to do," Mr Stephenson said, now aged 57. Read more in The Senior The grandfather-of-two told The Senior Lewy Body affects younger people differently than those with more life experience. "For older people, it's more slower in the progression of the disease normally, whereas for younger people, it's quicker. So life expectancy for someone under 60 getting it is three to seven years," he said. After diagnosis, Mark wanted to use his extra time to give back to his community as a volunteer - but over a two-year period all the organisations Mark approached shut their doors to him. They told him he was "too much of a risk", due to the hallucinations he can sometimes have with dementia. After the once-active fireman tried his local sports groups - and was given the same answer - he felt very isolated for the first two years following his diagnosis - only going out if his wife or friends took him. "By this stage, I was starting to lose a lot of mobility. Lewy body attacks the brain and the spinal cord," he said. "I'd pretty much given up and just thought, ok, I'll just sit at home and watch the world go by and wait for the Grim Reaper to knock on the door." But things changed when Mark's wife saw a Facebook ad for wheelchair cricket and "pestered" him too give them a call. The result changed his life. Initally, Mark was worried Sporting Wheelies would shut their door too once they knew of his condition, but they didn't. "It was like, 'G'day, how are you going? Yep, this is a sports wheelchair, jump in one'," he said. "Very welcoming, very inclusive. Pretty much straight away accepted me as part of the community. No-one's judged." Sporting Wheelies in Queensland has given Mark a "sense of purpose" and it wasn't long until he started playing wheelchair basketball, as well as wheelchair AFL. "Sporting Wheelies is also a gateway, so they can put you in touch with wheelchair AFL, the wheelchair rugby league, wheelchair rugby," he said. Through AFL, he is learning new skills, but it's the support and friendship that's been most rewarding. "I'm basically a paraplegic now. But the community down there are able to help you adjust to things very easily, because people down there have lived experience," he said. "And whether it's through accident, through injury or by disease, everyone's in the same boat, just at various stages. So there's a really good support network." Mark wants everyone to be able to have access to sport and specialised wheelchairs, and is hoping Sporting Wheelies will attract donations and corporate sponsorship so it can include more regional areas in Queensland and then into other states. Individuals and organisations can make a 100 percent tax-deductible donation to Sporting Wheelies before June 30 at Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. After having the door slammed in his face time after time as his disability was deemed too "risky", Mark Stephenson finally found his tribe with a volunteer sports organisation. When the father-of-five was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Young Onset Lewy Body Dementia at just 54, he had to give up his beloved career as a Station Officer with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, as well as his driver's licence. "It was a bit of an adjustment, being home everyday with nothing to do," Mr Stephenson said, now aged 57. Read more in The Senior The grandfather-of-two told The Senior Lewy Body affects younger people differently than those with more life experience. "For older people, it's more slower in the progression of the disease normally, whereas for younger people, it's quicker. So life expectancy for someone under 60 getting it is three to seven years," he said. After diagnosis, Mark wanted to use his extra time to give back to his community as a volunteer - but over a two-year period all the organisations Mark approached shut their doors to him. They told him he was "too much of a risk", due to the hallucinations he can sometimes have with dementia. After the once-active fireman tried his local sports groups - and was given the same answer - he felt very isolated for the first two years following his diagnosis - only going out if his wife or friends took him. "By this stage, I was starting to lose a lot of mobility. Lewy body attacks the brain and the spinal cord," he said. "I'd pretty much given up and just thought, ok, I'll just sit at home and watch the world go by and wait for the Grim Reaper to knock on the door." But things changed when Mark's wife saw a Facebook ad for wheelchair cricket and "pestered" him too give them a call. The result changed his life. Initally, Mark was worried Sporting Wheelies would shut their door too once they knew of his condition, but they didn't. "It was like, 'G'day, how are you going? Yep, this is a sports wheelchair, jump in one'," he said. "Very welcoming, very inclusive. Pretty much straight away accepted me as part of the community. No-one's judged." Sporting Wheelies in Queensland has given Mark a "sense of purpose" and it wasn't long until he started playing wheelchair basketball, as well as wheelchair AFL. "Sporting Wheelies is also a gateway, so they can put you in touch with wheelchair AFL, the wheelchair rugby league, wheelchair rugby," he said. Through AFL, he is learning new skills, but it's the support and friendship that's been most rewarding. "I'm basically a paraplegic now. But the community down there are able to help you adjust to things very easily, because people down there have lived experience," he said. "And whether it's through accident, through injury or by disease, everyone's in the same boat, just at various stages. So there's a really good support network." Mark wants everyone to be able to have access to sport and specialised wheelchairs, and is hoping Sporting Wheelies will attract donations and corporate sponsorship so it can include more regional areas in Queensland and then into other states. Individuals and organisations can make a 100 percent tax-deductible donation to Sporting Wheelies before June 30 at Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
