Since winning her division at the Karate Canada championships in Vancouver in January, a whole new world has opened up to Patricia Wright.
“I’ve done things I never thought I could and I’m going places I’ve never gone to before,” she said before departing on a two week trip to Romania and Ireland where she’s competing in integrated karate for persons with disabilities.
Patricia is epileptic and suffered severe injuries in a car accident six years ago. As a result, she can’t take part in the contact aspect of her sport but earns marks through the technical completion of a Kata, a series of detailed patterns of movements.
“It doesn’t mean I don’t have to train as hard as everyone else,” she said. “I don’t get any special treatment because of my epilepsy.”
As a member of the Zanshin Dojo Karate Club under sensei Daniel Whittal, she qualified as a member of Team Ontario through the Athletes With a Disability (AWAD) program.
Patricia has suffered from seizures since before she was two years old, but wasn’t officially diagnosed as epileptic until her car accident.
She now uses a walker or cane to get around. During karate training she wears a brace on her arm and ankle, which assist in steadying her while she executes her techniques.
She also has a seizure response dog, Georgia, who is her constant companion.
Thanks to her title as a Canadian champion, Patricia will be competing in the Karate Association Championships in Austria and the World Martial Arts championships in Spain.
Her experiences are so much sweeter due to the obstacles she has had to overcome.
“I remember that I used to get so nervous that it was difficult to control,” she said. “I still get nervous but I understand that it’s just part of competing.”
She credits her experience in Karate with helping her become more outgoing.
She and Steve Pratt are co-chairs of the 2017 Chatham-Kent United Way campaign.
“I know first-hand that people in our community need help in a number of ways and that’s one reason I’m involved in United Way,” she said.
Although her national status earns her invitations to competitions abroad, she still has to find the funds for travel.
She’s held pasta dinners and bake sales to raise funds.
Anyone interested in contributing to her expenses should contact the club at (519) 437-8639.
