You can help more dreams come true, with a gift today
At Irish Wheelchair Association, Personal Support Assistants are at the heart of independent living.
Working closely with members and providing tailored support, Personal Support Assistants are the people who support our members with a physical disability to follow their dreams and live the life they choose.
That might mean:
It is support that is flexible, personal and built around each individual. Because independence is not about doing everything alone. It's about having the right support to do things your way.
Your support today can help more people like Eric take on opportunities they might otherwise feel forced to step away from.
could help someone to take part in something important to them, such as training, education or a creative opportunity.
could support a member towards greater independence — getting out into their community, meeting friends or simply choosing how they spend their day.
could support someone like Eric to say ‘Yes’ to a life-changing opportunity they may have once thought was out of reach.
Eric had dreamed of acting since childhood. But after being diagnosed with a progressive condition called Friedreich’s Ataxia as a teenager, he began to believe that stage work might no longer be part of his future.
At the age of 18, he believed his dream was over.
Then something unexpected happened. He was invited to audition for a lead role in a touring theatre production.
It was everything Eric had once hoped for, but it would mean taking on a lot — weeks of rehearsals, travel across Ireland and live performances.
If he was going to follow his dream, he knew he would need support.
Eric reached out to Irish Wheelchair Association and we arranged for him to partner with a Personal Support Assistant, Ollie, who would be with him for the duration.
For Eric's mother, Margaret, this was a huge moment. “Eric always wanted to be an actor,” she says. “When he got this role, I was absolutely delighted. And when IWA said Ollie could go with him, I knew I didn’t have to worry about anything.”
Ollie made a significant commitment to travel with him for rehearsals and performances — weeks away from home, long days and a demanding schedule.
“My main motivation was to give Eric a good chance to get out and do something different,” Ollie said. “To show him, you can do this.”
With Ollie at his side, Eric went on to complete the production receiving rave reviews as he performed the lead role he once feared he wouldn’t be able to take on.
Margaret was beyond proud of her son. “I saw the play twice and I just cried the whole way through,” she says. “It was absolutely brilliant to see him doing something that was so good. My God, I was delighted!”
Now, Eric carries the confidence he gained through this experience, as he looks to broaden his creative pursuits in the future.
“I know it can be done,” he says.
Eric’s story is just one example of the impact we can have together.
Across Ireland, people with physical disabilities are going to work, pursuing education, building relationships, travelling and creating — because the right support is there beside them.
At the centre of many of those stories is a Personal Support Assistant.
And behind that support is the generosity of people like you.
Thank you for your support of Irish Wheelchair Association.
With your help, more people will be able to say yes to opportunity — and yes to independence.
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