#paralysis

While snowmobiling in the Greystokes near Kelowna in March of 2002, an accident resulted in Blake suffering a broken back, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

From the very start he refused to let this life altering disability break his spirit or stop him from living his life to the absolute fullest.  On September 17th 2002, just six months to the day of his injury, Blake started pushing himself to swim across Okanagan Lake and has consistently "gone big" ever since.

Blake began power lifting for Canada, competing in Las Vegas at the WABDL, breaking the national bench press record for his weight class. He also competed in Australia at the Pan Pacific Paralympics where he placed 2nd overall.  He then competed in Greece at the Worlds and was ranked in the top 25 of the world. Blake altered the PADI course by becoming the very first paraplegic in North America to be a certified diving instructor. He has tackled wakeboarding, mountain biking (with a specialized hand cycle), quading, and sit skiing. He is one of only a handful of people to do a backflip on a sit ski.  These are just  a few of his "hobbies" to date. Blake’s vocabulary does not include the word “can’t”.

While doing research on Stem Cell Treatments, Blake found a Doctor in India that was having some success with paralyzed patients.  In January of 2012 Blake traveled to India for nine weeks to begin receiving these treatments.  Within three weeks, Blake began to move his right leg and ten days later his left leg. These were the first movements he had experienced in 10 years! Once back in Kelowna, Blake dedicated himself to a six days a week regimen of physiotherapy and rehab to regain as much function and sensation as possible. Seven months later in October, after continuing to see improvements, Blake traveled back to India for a second round of treatments.  These trips included daily physical therapy, and Stem Cell Treatments.
 
Blake inspires everyone he meets with his positive outlook and determination. He has done speaking engagements motivating and educating schools, nursing students, old age homes, and business executives.
 
Blake is a TD Mortgage Specialist here in Kelowna

Blake Harper I Mobile Mortgage Specialist I Kelowna I TD Canada Trust I Blake.Harper@td.com I tel: 250 869-2285 I

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In this humbling and inspiring episode I chat to my dear pal John who woke up in hospital to discover he had experienced a tragic accident 6 weeks prior when riding his motorbike to work at Goodwood Festival of Speed, and was now paralysed from the T3 vertebra down - from the nipple line down. His total memory loss of the accident was somewhat of a blessing for him but tough, of course, on his loved ones around him. 
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This is an emotional episode but one that is full of courage and hope. We cover Johns journey from wake up until now. The hurdles and successes along the way. The magnitude of impact such a life event has had on his life and his family and friends.  But where many would give up with irreversible injuries like this, John has fought with sheer, relentless determination to get his life back on the road. His mindset is undeterred and is hugely inspirational. What a man.
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I must mention 'Back Up' who are a great charity inspiring people affected by spinal cord injury to get the most out of life www.backuptrust.org.uk 
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#mentalstrength, #mentalattitude, #mindsetunfiltered, #mindset, #mentalhealthmatters, #spinalinjury, #paralysis,  #positivemindset, #toyota, #goodwood, #festivalofspeed, #alexlegouix, #podcast, #mindsetunfilteredpodcast