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Canadian Paralympic Committee Partnership
WorkSafeBC and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) have partnered to form the WorkSafeBC Paralympic Team speaker program of safety.
This inspiring group of athletes, who were injured at work, are available to talk to students and community groups about their lives, injuries, workplace health and safety, and what they have overcome to be among the best athletes in the world, proudly representing British Columbia and Canada on the international stage.
WorkSafeBC Paralympic Team speakers
Jessica Des Mazes
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Jessica Des Mazes (PDF 248kb) took a summer firefighter’s job to earn money for university. Five days before her 21st birthday, a back-country road accident broke her back. Now a paraplegic, she became a Paralympian and attends law school. What counts, says Jessica, “isn’t how much you can lift or how fast you can run. It’s what’s left when everything else has been ripped away. Strength is having a goal that may seem impossible, but is achievable if you choose to fight for it.” |
| Length of presentation: | 45 minutes |
| Recommended audience: | Suitable for all ages |
| Geographical restrictions: | None |
| Cost: | No charge for schools and parent advisory groups |
| Requirements: | Wheelchair accessibility |
Josh Dueck
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Josh Dueck (PDF 39kb) had a clear vision. He would make a career out of his passion — freestyle skiing. It all changed in 2004. “I was doing a test jump and miscalculated my speed,” he says. “I ended up going much too large and over-shot the landing hill. I landed chest first and folded in half like a scorpion.” Months of rehabilitation were required so Josh could learn how to live his new life as a paraplegic. See Josh's Story (Video 6 min 48 sec) |
| Length of presentation: | 45 to 60 minutes (45 minute presentation only, 60 minutes when combined with Lost Youth video) |
| Recommended audience: | Suitable for all ages |
| Geographical restrictions: | Interior B.C. |
| Cost: | No charge for schools and parent advisory groups |
| Requirements: | Wheelchair accessibility |
Gord Tuck
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When Gord Tuck (PDF 43kb) started his first real job, the 18-year-old never expected it would mean losing his leg in a forestry accident. A heavy equipment operator didn’t see Gord on a busy landing and crushed him against a four-foot-diameter log. But Gord came back to compete in the Winter Paralympic Games, as well as setting records in water skiing. “Facing hard challenges pays off,” he says. “When you think you’ve hit the edge and can’t go any further, that’s when great things are about to happen.” |
| Length of presentation: | 45 minutes |
| Recommended audience: | Suitable for all ages |
| Geographical restrictions: | None |
| Cost: | No charge for schools and parent advisory groups |
| Requirements: | None |
Book a speaker
To book a speaker, e-mail or phone 604 231 8578 (toll-free 1 888 621-7233, local 8578) or fax 604 279-7545.
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To view PDF documents you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system. To obtain a copy of the free reader visit the Adobe web site. |