Gary McPherson (see update above), ventilator user and polio survivor, recently became a member of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest honor for lifetime achievement.
McPherson, a longtime advocate for people with disabilities, currently spearheads a campaign to raise $33 million for a new Steadward Centre at the University of Alberta to sponsor more facilities and research for disabled athletes. He is also encouraging the use of technology to help Canada’s elderly population.
McPherson’s self-help book, With Every Breath I Take, was published in 2000. “I would never have been able to be as involved in the community and the country as I am if I hadn’t been able to take care of my health,” says McPherson. (www.garymcpherson.com)
Gary’s biography – Rolling On: The Story of the Amazing Gary McPherson (ISBN 0-88864-405-1), written by Gerald Hankins and published by The University of Alberta Press.