Allina Health employee resource group hosts Paralympic panel

In the middle of a computer screen dotted with names and boxes representing more than one hundred people listening, Ian Lynch summarized why they were all there, “I’m proud to be a Paralympian. I’m proud of the sport that I do. I’m proud of the disabled community I’m a part of.”

Disability pride

In honor of Disability Pride Month, Allina Health’s Ability Employee Resource Group (ERG) invited three Paralympic medalists, Susan Hagel, Chuck Aoki and Ian Lynch, to participate in a virtual Paralympic panel to give insight into competing at such a high level and to discuss how the health care system can better serve people with disabilities.

Hagel, a pioneer in women’s adaptive sports, competed in adaptive archery and wheelchair basketball and participated in six Paralympic Games beginning in 1976. She earned four gold medals among her nine Paralympic medals.

Hagel served as a Paralympic historian for the Allina Health panel, reminding everyone that these games existed before the American Disabilities Act. It wasn’t until 1988 that the host city of the Olympics also agreed to host the Paralympic Games.

“The coaches I had were committed to helping me improve my skill,” shared Hagel. “One of my personal philosophies is giving back and making a difference.”

The Courage Kenny connection

Lynch is proof that Hagel lives out her philosophies. Hagel spent decades working as a therapeutic recreation therapist for Allina Health Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, formerly Sister Kenny. Lynch became one of her young patients. He had a spinal cord injury from a car crash at the age of eight. “She had me dribbling up and down the court a month after I was injured,” said Lynch. “So that was a great introduction.” 

Lynch went on to play wheelchair basketball through high school, college, the Paralympics and professionally. He would eventually serve as one of the wheelchair basketball coaches for Chuck Aoki, who always credits Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute for giving him the opportunity to play adaptive sports.

Aoki is headed to Paris in late August, aiming for his fourth Paralympic medal in wheelchair rugby.

“It’s really a credit to the athletes who came before me, Susan in particular, who were doing this when there was very little attention at all. They really kept the movement and kept the Paralympics alive,” Aoki said.

Brian LeLoup, director of Post Acute Rehab and Community Services at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, moderated the virtual event. All three Paralympians answered questions about the top moments of their career (winning those first medals), the sacrifices (social and financial) they make to be elite athletes and what’s needed to help the Paralympics continue to grow in popularity. 

Growing the adaptive sports community

Thanks to the decades of work by Sister Kenny and Courage Center, which combined to become Allina Health Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, many adaptive sports and recreational options are available for people of all ages and skill levels across Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

But it’s not the same across the country. In some areas people must travel seven or more hours to have access to coaches and equipment.

“It costs money to get the athletic wheelchairs. It costs money to do the traveling. So that’s a barrier to entry for a lot of people,” Lynch said.

Aoki hopes to see an increase in grass roots or local networks of adaptive sports to grow talent like we see with little league and soccer clubs across the country. He’d also like to find ways to incorporate more able-bodied people into adaptive sports.

Health care’s impact

Hagel has a simple message. “As health care workers, think more about the person as a whole, and not as just a disability.” 

All three Paralympians hope medical professionals learn more about sports and rec options in their communities so they can provide people with disabilities options for being active and having fun.

“Getting back involved in sport at a younger or older age can really transform a person’s life,” added Aoki, who shared the story of an older wheelchair rugby player who found the sport in his 50s and wished he learned of it sooner.

They closed out the virtual panel by showing off their medals, which led to many cheers in the comments, with one attendee thanking them for fighting for disability rights through sports. 

The Allina Health Ability ERG is one of six ERGs working to make Allina Health a more inclusive and welcoming place for employees and the communities it serves.