Paralyzed teen advocates for the disabled

SASKATOON, SASK.

Believing that people with disabilities shouldn't be defined by their disabilities, Martens became a passionate advocate for disability awareness for Mennonite Central Committee and at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg, where she is a theology student.

Martens is "a high energy person who has challenged us to think differently about people with disabilities--to look at the person first," said Elaine Harder, coordinator of MCC Saskatchewan's Disability Concerns Program.

The accident occurred while Martens was a grade 11 student at Rosthern Junior College in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. She was in a car on the way home to Saskatoon with a group of church youth. Everyone in the car, including the driver, fell asleep. The car wandered across the highway and hit an oncoming truck.

Aside from some broken bones, no one else was seriously injured. However, Martens, who was in the backseat, was left with abdominal injuries and paralysis from her lower hips down.

Recovering in hospital and receiving a lot of support from her family, Martens said she never felt bitterness or anger. "If God wants me to be paralyzed, then I'll work with it. And that just means I'll do God's work through my wheelchair," she said.

Martens spent last summer working as a volunteer for MCC Saskatchewan's disability concerns program. She and retired school teacher Laura Kroeger, who also has a disability from a car accident, developed and carried out an education program called "Creating Accessible Lives". From that program, MCC Canada created a video of the two women interviewing people with disabilities across Saskatchewan.

Throughout the summer they shared information and stories with summer campers, elementary school students, and church groups including conducting worship services. Martens says that her desire is to increase awareness about disabilities.

Mennonite congregations have made headway in creating accessible buildings, said Harder. "Over the past number of years, many Mennonite congregations have improved accessibility in their church buildings, but have often been slower to respond in making their church life more accessible.

"People with disabilities are often excluded, intentionally or unintentionally, from participating in activities, ministry and leadership opportunities and in decision-making, even when it directly affects them."

Martens has also initiated change at CMBC, where she started attending immediately after high school. This last school year she started a disability and health advocacy committee to create greater awareness on campus.

Martens said her passion for creating awareness is fuelled by her own need for greater access, but believes her communication skills and connections will also help others worse off than herself. "As long as people still want to listen to me, I'll still talk," she said.