RYAN'S STORY
Ryan is 24 years old from Middlesbrough. He is currently studying Journalism at university and afterwards he plans to do Master’s degree and learn to drive a car. He enjoys photography and playing games and has a big interest in tattoos and arts.
Ryan has Duchenne Muscular Dystophy, a life limiting degenerative muscle wasting disease. His muscles are very weak and he is a full time wheelchair user and needs assistance with most of daily activities. Ryan struggles with the simplest of tasks like lifting a cup to his mouth. He also has fatigue, which varies from slight tiredness to needing to rest in bed for the whole day. He needs to be hoisted in and out of the chair and requires specialist equipment like an electric bed for his comfort.
When Ryan was at school he always felt left out because he could not take part in many activities. He wasn't part of a competitive sport until five years ago when he started playing powerchair football for Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club. It changed his life him and made him into the person he is today. He has a huge passion and love for the sport and has met some amazing people – lifelong friends. However, as any other sport, powerchair football is changing and developing fast and without the right equipment he will be left behind and not be able to compete with the others.
Ryan applied to Action for Kids for funding for the Strike Force Powerchair, a specialized sports chair used by the England squad and now by most players in the League. The power and acceleration of the Strike Force is significantly higher than his current sports chair, which is also on its last wheels. With the new chair he will be able to achieve his dreams of someday playing powerchair football for England and representing his country.
His neurologist supported the application saying that Ryan’s participation in wheelchair sport has a positive effect on his quality of life and general health. With Path to Success’s financial backing, Action for Kids has provided Ryan with his new chair. We wish him all the success in his football career.