Cindy Donald Foundation — Dreams of Recovery

Doctors are hesitant to give positive definitive answers for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients.  So I rely on my dreams and my motivations to shape my world.  I have aspired to never give up on my dream to walk again and that is my underlying accomplishment.  I devote my energy to rigorous exercise-based rehabilitation to regain motor ability in my legs.  Working to my maximum capacity each day has allowed me to see significant improvements in my muscles and motor abilities.  I have regained some movement and can currently take steps with the assistance of ankle foot orthopedics (AFOs) braces and a walker.  These movements were, according to neurologist and orthopedic doctors, never supposed to happen.  I have defeated the generalized notion that spinal cord injury patients cannot regain motor ability.

I am a recent graduate from the University of Southern California (USC) thanks to the Swim with Mike Scholarship for physically disabled athletes.  During my time there, I double majored in Neuroscience and Psychology.  I aspire to get a Master's in Applied Psychology and a PhD in Social Psychology in hopes to become a Human Resource Consultant, specializing in providing equality in the working environment for the disabled.

I commit my studies and research to being an advocate for those who have gone through similar adversities as I have.  Though my world is full of challenges and obstacles, I have faced them with hope and determination.  I am determined to strive for academic excellence in order to be able to contribute to improving the SCI community, to spread its awareness, and to fight for the equality of all disabled people.