SNN_April 2021 Issue_Low Res

NEW ZEALAND SPINAL TRUST 12
Harper’s advice for “anybody in the same situation as me is definitely ‘don’t waste your time”. Credit Shane Boulton / ACC.
know what was going on. And she was just really
relatable to me, to Harper, to the situation. And she’s
been hugely inspiring.”
“Justine has been a part of Harper’s whole entire journey
in terms of equipment, starting new sporting activities,
adventures—because, when you become a person in a
wheelchair, life looks a little bit different.”
Justine remembered that first meeting with Lara,
listening to her concerns.
“I remember telling Lara there was no need to wrap
Harper in cotton wool, and to allow her to figure out life
when she was ready, to let her take risks, and to have the
exact same expectations for her as she would for any one
of her children, so she’d grow up into a healthy individual
with respect for herself.”
Harper has been in a wheelchair for almost half her life
and has learnt to cope with the challenges.
“My advice to anybody in the same situation as me is
definitely ‘don’t waste your time’. I know that many
people in a wheelchair do get a little depressed by their
situation, but they don’t realise they can do a lot more if
they have the right mind-set.”
Lara, a mother of six, said: “Every new experience she is a
part of enriches our life so much, and we probably
wouldn’t have gained all that enriching love, because we
would just be a normal family. She is a pillar of light.”
Justine said seeing Harper become more independent
and confident has been rewarding.
—Lara Heta, Harper’s Mum
Every new experience that she
is a part of enriches our lives
so much, and we probably
wouldn’t have gained all that
enriching love, because we
would just be a normal family.
“ACC provided an adaptive bike attachment for her
wheelchair, so she can go to school independently, like
the rest of her siblings, and housing modifications mean
she can easily access all her siblings’ rooms, and the rest
of her home, including an area where she can make her
own snacks.”
For Harper, being in a wheelchair isn’t holding her back.
“One of my goals is, when I'm older, I want to be an
inspirational ambassador, because I feel like people do
need to know and hear from the perspective of someone
who’s different or someone who has differences.
“And I feel like they need to understand that
everyone is basically the same, some just more unique
than others.”