What’s your Gold Medal Moment?
4 September 2024
The Paralympic Games 2025 are in full flow, and ParalympicsGB have won over 60 medals so far!
An amazing 24 Paralympians have used Back Up services including Samantha Kinghorn (athletics), Benjamin Pritchard (rowing), Melanie Woods (athletics), Liam McGarry (powerlifting), Gavin Walker and Jonathan Coggan MBE (rugby) and our wonderful Patron Sophie Carrigill (basketball).
There’s no denying that Paralympians are incredible athletes but we get it… we are not all going to be a Paralympian. But we can have our own Gold Medal Moments.
“A gold medal moment for me was feeling totally comfortable to be out independently and not care.” Gavin Walker
What’s your Gold Medal Moment?
In the UK, 4,400 people are injured or diagnosed with a spinal cord injury every year. That’s one person every two hours. And when you first sustain a spinal cord injury, your life changes in an instant. You face new challenges.
At Back Up, our mission is a world where people with a spinal cord injury can realise their full potential. From mentoring and wheelchair skills training to our multi-activity course, we give people the practical skills and confidence to thrive.
“After my injury I attended a Back Up multi-activity holiday to learn new skills. The experience built my confidence and fuelled my desire to stay active.” Jonathan Coggan MBE
Maybe your #GoldMedalMoment was carrying a cuppa after learning wheelchair skills, building confidence to catch a train by yourself or getting back to a favourite hobby.
The Paralympics happen every four years. But extraordinary moments can happen every day. Share your #GoldMedalMoment on social media – Back Up is on instagram, facebook and X – and inspire others to achieve their full potential.
Paralympians tell us their Gold Medal Moments
Melanie Woods
“Back Up showed me exciting things and connected me with amazing people. It allowed me to be excited about life again.”
Sophie Carrigill, Back Up Patron
“I know first-hand how important Back Up’s services are to rebuilding one’s confidence and independence. With their support, I was able to try new things I hadn’t thought possible with a disability, like abseiling and canoeing. They helped me regain my competitive nature and understand I could still live an active life.”
“This is a photo of me and my daughter enjoying a day out at a zoo early in my recovery. Back Up helped to give me the skills and confidence to go out and explore the world. Since then I have gone on to do many other adventurous things including travelling the world. Life is too short not to experience all it has to offer. It’s worth all the hard work to gain the skills needed, both physical and emotional to enable you to do that. Back up is a great way to start that journey. A gold medal moment for me was feeling totally comfortable to be out independently and not care.”
“After my injury I attended a Back Up multi-activity holiday to learn new skills. The experience built my confidence and fuelled my desire to stay active, a journey which led me to win a gold medal in the Tokyo games and to be selected for my 6th Paralympic games in Paris.”
“Back Up have been a huge part of my journey post injury. From the support in the spinal unit, to going away on the sit skiing trip to Colorado, Back up showed me exciting things and connected me with amazing people which allowed me to be excited about life again. The power of speaking to others with an injury is freeing and I would recommend anyone with a spinal cord injury to tap in to the many resources Back Up have.”
Back Up services
Our award-winning, practical services challenge the perceptions of what’s possible and increase your skills and confidence. We’re at the forefront of helping people adjust positively to spinal cord injury because our support is provided by people who have been there and can understand what you are going through.
Find out how Back Up can help you adjust positively to spinal cord injury–and achieve your own Gold Medal Moment.
