Illness & Disability

I am an athlete, and because I was born with Spina Bifida, I compete in a wheelchair. I think that sometimes when people first meet me, they feel sorry for me and think that there must be so much I can't do, but I don't like the word "can't," because I can do pretty much anything I want to – sometimes I just have to be more creative about it than other people. I participated in Athens, Greece for the 2004 Paralympics. My hobbies include playing basketball, track, field, swimming, sled hockey, table tennis, and skiing. I also like hanging out with my friends and family when I'm not involved in sports. The most important things to me in this world are my family and friends. Being healthy is very important to me, and to do so, I try to maintain a healthy balanced diet by eating foods like fruit, vegetables, meat, and a few sweets.

– Tatyana