An emotional day for the women of Heart to Heart. Over breakfast, we listened to the very inspiring Orel Galula who, despite a degenerative disease and car accident that landed her permanently in a wheelchair, was determined not only to serve in the Israeli Defense Force but become an officer.
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| Orel Galula; First Wheelchair-Bound IDF Officer Who's disabled, yo? Israel |
The most poignant visit today was at the Israel Sport Center for the Disabled in Ramat Gan, which presents itself thusly; The Israel Sport Centre for the Disabled (ISCD) in Ramat Gan is the
first sport centre for the disabled in the country and a world pioneer
in the field. The centre, which specialises in the physical and
psychological rehabilitation of Israelis affected by disabilities as
well as the victims of Palestinian terror attacks, opened its gates in
the 1960s in order to encourage disabled youth and adults to participate
in sports activities.
We learned that most programs of this kind around the world are affiliated with hospitals whereas the ISCD is run more like a community sports center, eliminating the stigma of "illness," with neighborhood kids and adults of all ability levels dropping in and playing with wheelchair-bound friends.
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| Basketball Court at Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
The ISCD was created to harness the power of sport as a "means to help guide the disabled from a state of helplessness to productive, fulfilling lives." Nothing demonstrates the success of that goal more than Asael Shabbo who, at age nine (ten years ago) watched as his mother and three siblings were murdered in a terrorist attack on his home. He was shot in the leg six times necessitating amputation. Asael came to the Center grief-stricken and traumatized yet over the years he's become an upbeat spokesperson for sports rehab and positive attitude. As he showed us around, I said, "There are people in this world who have everything; a healthy family, intact limbs - and yet they complain. And here you are...." "I know," Asael replied. "It's all about the attitude. That's what I talk about when I speak to groups." We were all amazed by Asael's "can-do" approach to life. He is one of the most inspirational people we've ever met. Not only does Asael travel to speak to those born with disabilities and victims of terror, but he is also training for the World Para-Olympics as a ranked swimmer.
Today, though he literally "ran circles around us" in wheelchair basketball!
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| Asael Shabbo Speaking About His Past and Current Achievements Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
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| Heart to Heart Mission; A Taste of Wheelchair Basketball Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
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| Heart to Heart Mission; A Taste of Wheelchair Basketball Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israe |
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| Always a Naming Opportunity; Just Waiting For Yours.... Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
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| State of the Art Pool Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
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| Workout Equipment Designed for Disabled Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
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| Getting Stronger Every Day... Israel Sport Center for the Disabled Ramat Gan, Israel |
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