Meet the Paralympic Foundation of Canada (PFC) Honorary Board Members
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Wayne Gretzky
PFC Honorary Board Member
Best known as being the all-time leading goal scorer in the NHL, Wayne Gretzky continues to hold many records that still stand today – despite being retired since 1999. Playing for Team Canada in 1998 at the Nagano Olympics (the first time NHL players were permitted to be a part of the Olympic Team), Wayne was also the executive director for the gold medal winning Canadian national men’s hockey team for the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2002, Wayne founded the Wayne Gretzky Foundation with a mission to provide less fortunate youth with the opportunity to experience the sport of hockey. This mission has expanded over the years to give back to many charitable organizations such as Food Banks, Hospices and United Way – and now proudly includes the Paralympic Foundation of Canada.
Rick Hansen
PFC Honorary Board Member
Sport has always played a large role in Rick Hansen’s life. In 1975 he joined the Vancouver Cable Cars wheelchair basketball team and continued to pursue sport at the highest levels. Between 1979 and 1985, Rick won 19 wheelchair marathons, three world titles, and 15 medals, six at the Paralympic Games and nine at the Parapan Am Games. In March 1985, Rick embarked on the Man In Motion World Tour, an epic 26-month, 34 country, 40,000 km wheelchair trip around the world to make the world inclusive for people with disabilities and to find a cure for paralysis. Rick is the Founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation and remains a passionate supporter of people with disabilities in Canada.
Hon. Chantal Petitclerc
PFC Honorary Board Member
The Honourable Chantal Petitclerc is one of Canada’s most decorated Paralympians, competing in five Paralympic Games and winning 21 medals, including 14 gold, in Para athletics (wheelchair racing.) In 2008, after winning five gold medals and setting three world records at the Beijing Paralympic Games, she won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year and was named The Canadian Press female athlete of the year. Off the track, she remains an advocate for recognizing the contributions people with disabilities have made to our society and plays a definitive role in building a more inclusive society.
Scott Russell
PFC Honorary Board Member
A Canadian Screen Award and Gemini Award-winning broadcaster and acclaimed author, Scott Russell is a passionate and knowledgeable supporter of Canadian Para sport. He has anchored the CBC Sports’ coverage of the Paralympic Games, beginning at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, hosts the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and is a regular emcee – and sometimes participant – at the ParaTough Cup event in Toronto. Scott’s commitment to sharing stories of Canadian Para athletes and highlighting Canada’s Para sport system to millions of Canadians helps elevate and strengthen the Paralympic Movement.
Dr. Robert Steadward
PFC Honorary Board Member
Dr. Robert Steadward is a pioneering leader in the field of disability sport and a highly respected teacher, author, sport scientist and community volunteer. His seminal work brought the Paralympic Movement to the world’s attention and allowed athletes with a disability from Canada and around the globe to develop and compete to their fullest potential. In 1971, he began a five-year term as President of the Alberta Wheelchair Sports Association and by 1977, he was involved in the creation of the University of Alberta-based Research and Training Centre for Athletes with a Disability, which in time became The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement. In 1989, Dr. Steadward was elected as the founding president of the International Paralympic Committee, a role he held for 12 years. Concurrently, Dr. Steadward also filled various roles with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, including national coach, chef de mission, national governor, treasurer, and president.
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