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Webcast Archive

Webcast 4 – Paralympics: Inclusion and Diversity and students

Theme: Paralympism

On November 5, 2009, the first Sharing the Dream webcast of the 2009/10 school year was aired. The theme of this webcast was Paralympics: Inclusion and Diversity and students interviewed two Paralympic ActNow BC Athlete Ambassadors: Andrea Holmes and Donovan Tildesley.

Andrea was born without the lower portion of her left leg and was always active in sports. She trained as a high jumper and was set to be a member of the 2004 Paralympic team heading to Athens, Greece. However, just months before the 2004 Games, the high jump competition was withdrawn. Determined to compete in Athens, Andrea switched to long jump, and six months later participated in her first Paralympic Games. She is currently a member of the BC Paralympic alpine ski team and is attempting to qualify for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Donovan was born completely blind and competes in swimming. He was the flag bearer at the 2008 Paralympic Games, is a three-time Paralympian, winning several medals in the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Paralympic Games. He also holds several Canadian and world records. Along with his exploits in the pool, Donovan has recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of British Columbia.

Both Donovan and Andrea have overcome many obstacles in their lives to pursue their dreams and have inspirational stories about the hard work and dedication required to compete at an elite level. Andrea and Donovan also shared their excitement about the upcoming 2010 Paralympic Winter Games and the important role that the Paralympic Games play in promoting sport for people with a disability.