Spinal Network News - December 2017
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Java Katzur - Cycles Length<br />
of NZ to Raise Awareness of<br />
SCI<br />
Witnessing the accident that left Gareth Lynch a<br />
tetraplegic on 16 September 2016, had a profound<br />
effect on Java Katzur, who we first discovered after<br />
$2,525 mysteriously appeared in the New Zealand <strong>Spinal</strong><br />
Trust’s bank account. Katzur’s empathy prompted her<br />
to cycle the length of New Zealand to raise awareness<br />
of spinal cord injury. “I wanted to make people more<br />
aware of the effect an accident like this has on the<br />
people around the injured person.” It was an incredible<br />
way to do just that, particularly when you consider Java<br />
had hardly ever ridden a bike, and didn’t even own one.<br />
As for Gareth, what helped him get to where he is today?<br />
“Your life will always be what you make of it. If you<br />
continue to set goals and work to achieve those goals,<br />
you will blow yourself away. I mean, the first few weeks<br />
in a chair, I thought I’d never be able to lift my arms. I<br />
thought I’d be that weak forever. Setting little goals and<br />
taking note of when you achieve them, will help you get<br />
back on track.”<br />
Neelusha Jennings - Takes<br />
on Her Biggest Mission<br />
Neelusha Jennings is taking on what she describes as her<br />
biggest challenge yet. The 32-year-old from Lower Hutt,<br />
who has lived with a disability since the age of 16 when<br />
she lost 70 percent of her sight due to a brain injury,<br />
has not let that disability put barriers on her life and has<br />
accomplished many remarkable things. In <strong>2017</strong>, she<br />
challenged the way our society view and include people<br />
with a disability and the impact it has. “At the moment,<br />
we’re in a situation where disabled people tend to be<br />
isolated and segregated from wider society. I believe this<br />
is why disabled people are not achieving. They do not<br />
have the same access to grow and develop, which only<br />
comes from having relationships in the community.”<br />
What advice do you have to offer to others who have a<br />
disability and are looking to achieve?<br />
Dreaming is the first step. I’m a big dreamer; I love to<br />
think about cool missions; I love to think about cool<br />
things I’d like to do, and just believing I can do them and<br />
not letting people hold me back. And there will be<br />
“Dreaming is the first step. I’m a big dreamer; I love to<br />
think about cool missions; I love to think about cool<br />
things I’d like to do, and just believing I can do them and<br />
not letting people hold me back.”<br />
naysayers. There have been so many people who tried<br />
to hold me back from so many of the missions I’ve done,<br />
and what that means is, that I could’ve lost a lot of faith<br />
in myself. You have to believe in yourself 100 percent.<br />
Even when you are scared just keep believing.<br />
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