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This past summer, SCI BC welcomed Duncan Campbell to the peer support team. Affectionately known as the Quadfather for his role in founding the sport of wheelchair rugby, Campbell is well known to many of us for his long career in therapeutic recreation and wheelchair sports. Campbell experienced first-hand many of the challenges of aging with SCI, and the relative lack of information and support related to it. Not one to rest on his laurels, Campbell has taken a break from retirement to start up the new Aging with SCI Peer Support Program at SCI BC. We sat down with Campbell to learn more about the program and his motivation for putting it all together.

“When I was injured in 1973, aging was the farthest thing from my mind. For one thing, I was 17, and back then nobody thought quads would live much past age 55. So I set my mind to getting fully independent,” says Campbell.

“I threw myself into creating a whole new team sport for quads called wheelchair rugby, and learning how to ride a handcycle. When I was first injured there were no adapted bikes but as I got older they got better. Eventually I rode to and from work every day on my handcycle for almost 20 years.”

Campbell remembers going to an SCI research conference 15 years ago and the topic of shortened expected lifespan for people with SCI was brought up a lot. “I was friends with tons of people with SCI through sport and it was obvious we were going to live past 55, but I don’t think the health and social support systems ever expected we would get old,” he says.

Campbell started to experience health issues as he got older, some were “self inflicted,” some were aging related. “As aging related complications kept me from my lifelong activity levels. I only realized then how much it had kept me healthy.”

But what really motivated Campbell to take these age-related changes seriously was an intense medical event. “I’d caught pneumonia and had sleep apnea at the same time. I was very close to not surviving. I realized I had to do something to get fit again. Now, I exercise every weekday at PARC.”

Reflecting back, Campbell recalls that he wasn’t well prepared for what can happen as you get older and experienced a whole bunch of unexpected expenses. “Luckily I had some [health] coverage through my wife. I want others to know this may happen and they need to plan ahead to make sure they can make it comfortably.”

When SCI BC invited Campbell to join the team, he knew immediately that he wanted to make sure that other peers have the opportunity to be better prepared for aging than he was. “In my new role, I’m developing resources to assist other people with SCI to address all the changes that can come with aging.“ 

“When I suggested it, I thought it was really concise project but as I go, it reaches further and gets broader. It’s not just about how your health and SCI complications change as you age, and how important physical activity and mobility is. There’re also the financial barriers as your resources change. The supports we need are means tested just like non-disabled people who are aging, but our expenses are far higher, with lower levels of employment. We can save for our retirement, but then not be able to afford the home support we’ve always relied on because of changes to the supports we once had or costs we now face.”

“Peers out there may not have thought about preparing for aging or know how to adjust now that they are into their advanced years. Then there’s those who have experienced issues and might want to talk about it and to share their experiences, and know they’re not on their own.”

The important lessons Campbell has learned is to keep exercising, and not be afraid to look at your finances early and regularly. “This Peer Support Program is all about sharing information so we can make the best choices we can and learn from each other how to navigate the challenges ahead.” This fall you can share your experiences in the Aging with SCI survey at sci-bc.ca/aging. If you want to learn more on the Aging with SCI Peer Support Program, connect with Campbell via email at dcampbell@sci-bc.ca.