Jody Schloss

Started: She began riding at age 11, and took up Para dressage in her mid-twenties. (jodyschloss.ca, 15 Mar 2017; paralympic.ca, 2012; douglasbaderfoundation, 12 Dec 2011) Reason: She got involved in Para dressage as a way of helping her recovery from her car accident in 1996. "Originally after my injury I started riding at CARD, the Community Association for the Riding Disabled in Toronto [in Ontario, Canada]. Even then, the therapists at rehab said they could tell when I had been riding because my trunk was much more stable the next day, and as I started to ride competitively it continued to improve." (jodyschloss.ca, 15 Mar 2017; douglasbaderfoundation, 12 Dec 2011) Awards: She was a torchbearer during the relay for the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto, ON, Canada. (jodyschloss.ca, 06 Aug 2015) Additional Info: AUTHOR She has written a book called 'From Anguish to Hope', which was published in 2021. It documents her life in the form of poetry. "After my car rollover 24 years ago [speaking in 2021], while in a rehabilitation hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania [in the United States of America] I read a book written by the mother of a survivor of a brain injury. At the time I was feeling very discouraged about my life, but the book showed me that it is possible to have light at the end of the tunnel. When I moved into my own apartment, I thought I should write a book about my own life and recovery. I wrote the book while I was learning to deal with my emotions about my injuries and how my life had changed, while I was coming to grips with my new reality. I wrote a lot of it in poetry, because I found it much easier to express strong emotions in poetry than in long drawn-out prose." (paralympic.ca, 12 Apr 2021; Facebook page, 09 Feb 2021; amazon.co.uk, 21 Jan 2021) OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2015 she was involved in US theatre director Ping Chong's play 'Push'. The performance focused on the history of Paralympic sport. "I have never really acted before, but this play is about athletes, so I don't need a lot of practice. I really like the group, I can identify with the people because, in different ways, we have all had to overcome adversity to get where we are today." (torontobraininjuryblog.wordpress.com, 04 Aug 2015) FURTHER EDUCATION She has studied for a graduate degree in disability studies at York University in Toronto, ON, Canada. (edmontonjournal.com, 22 Aug 2021)