Saying ‘Yes’ opens doors

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This article was published 18/03/2019 (2638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Imagine opening the door to opportunities that you never knew existed. It’s true what they say…teamwork makes the dream work.  That’s exactly what Jennifer Balcaen experienced with the support of the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD).  

Since birth, SMD has been there for Jennifer and her family. She was born with hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) and lives with the challenges of her legs being susceptible to muscle spasms, progressively weakening over time.

She was originally misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP), and it wasn’t until having her second son that genetic testing revealed it was HSP.

Two differences are that HSP is hereditary as well as progressive. Although her son has the same issues, Jennifer highlights the fact that SMD now offers more services and opportunities that weren’t available when she was growing up.

Through SMD’s recreation and leisure program, Jennifer picked up sledge hockey in 2015 with her husband and two kids. Now, every Sunday afternoon, Jennifer and her husband play competitively while sharing some laughs.

“It was a challenge at first to navigate the sledge but it was a very welcoming environment and the camaraderie between all three leagues is excellent.”

Sledge hockey opened up a whole new world for Jennifer and opportunities followed. She visited Newmarket, Ont., to play in a tournament to help facilitate the sport and raise awareness with the national women’s sledge hockey team.

Afterwards, she went to Regina, Sask., to play with a fellow Winnipegger and other Canadians. This past February, she went to the 2019 Hendrickson Foundation tournament in Minneapolis.

“These opportunities weren’t available when I was young, wanting to pursue sports. I just tried the able-body sports and did my best,” Jennifer says.

Another sport Jennifer recently tried and picked up quickly is curling. In November, 2018, Jennifer participated in a curling clinic, an opportunity presented by a partnership between SMD and Curl Manitoba. She trained with two Team Canada Paralympians — Jamie Anseeuw and Dennis Thiessen, both who live and train in the Winnipeg area.

The clinic was the first time Jennifer had thrown a rock. After a few one-on-one, hands-on sessions, she got the hang of it and overall the clinic provided a positive experience for everyone in attendance. Currently, there are only two accessible curling rinks in Winnipeg — the Granite and Assiniboine Memorial curling clubs.

Jennifer’s positive approach to life is contagious and she encourages anyone who might be hesitant about getting involved in SMD’s recreation and leisure program.

“Absolutely go for it,” she says. “You don’t know until you try it. It’s really hard not to be a critic of your own abilities.

“However, don’t worry about embarrassing yourself. Everybody struggles, so run with it and take every opportunity you can. If it’s not for you, at least you gave it a shot because everyone is a shining star.”

To learn more about the recreation and leisure program and how you can support athletes like Jennifer, please visit www.smd.mb.ca or contact Bill Muloin at bmuloin@smd.mb.ca or by calling 204-975-3261.