2009 Gert Vorsteher Award Winners
BC Rehab is pleased to announce the eight recipients of last year's Gert Vorsteher Memorial Awards, including Ryan Schweizer, Dustin Paul and Jason Costa of Vancouver. The Gert Vorsteher Memorial Awards, now in its second year are named after Gert Vorsteher, a paraplegic and former resident of GF Strong Centre and are given to assist individuals with a physical disability who have undertaken rehabilitation in British Columbia. Each recipient of the $5,000 award has shown remarkable determination towards rehabilitation and pursuing their own independence.
Like the seven other recipients of last year's Gert Vorsteher Memorial Award, Dustin Paul is grateful for the support that the award will provide. Injured at age 19 in a motorcycle accident, Paul is a quadriplegic with limited upper body function. In the three and a half years since leaving GF Strong, Paul has come a long way in asserting his independence and moving forward with his life. In 2007, he enrolled in the Criminal Justice Program at Langara College and today he continues his studies at SFU and hopes further pursue a law degree at UBC.
Paul also volunteers each semester as a guest speaker in a nursing course specifically designed to raise awareness for people with disabilities. “I feel that one of my finest accomplishments has been my ability to leave everyone with whom I come into contact with a positive impression of myself and therefore a positive impression of people with disabilities,” said Paul, now 24 years old.
“Being a person with a physical disability, I've always known I'd have to work harder than others to achieve my goals,” he said. “Regardless, I know that anything is possible with commitment and determination. The Gert Vorsteher Memorial Award will help to fund my educational goals and allow me to focus on excelling in my studies.”
“All of us at BC Rehab are very proud of our Gert Versteher Memorial Awards because the awards recognize, reward and celebrate the dedication and effort of individual's as they pursue their rehabilitation goals,” said Kathy Scalzo, Chair.
The eight recipients of 2008's Gert Vorsteher Memorial Awards attended an informal awards presentation Thursday afternoon at GF Strong Centre in Vancouver.
Dustin Paul
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Ryan Sweizer
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Jason Costa and Mary Erb
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Kailey Ross accepting for
Carla Boyarchuk
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Kaspar Shouldice
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Borie Leung accepting for DJ Lam
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Simon Paradis
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Walt Lawrence accepting for
Jennifer Waterston
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