Wendi Paterson Inspiration Award – December

This month’s Wendi Paterson award winners are: Linda Richard and Jon Schultz. (Note: Linda wrote the piece below herself with the assistance of UP ambassador, Bruno Troini, who translated her work. Minor revisions were made to enhance reader understanding but the original message of Linda’s work remains the same).

After having a motorcycle accident at 21 years old, I was in a coma for a full month with memory loss, coordination problems, no balance or strength, and no tolerance to demonstrate any effort or engage in any of my activities. Rehab was extremely long to get back up on my feet, and I was later condemned to getting around with a walker.

Many years later at 61 years old, I started walking with the ACTIVATOR poles. I was dazzled to see how quickly my strength was coming back and my self-confidence was getting better and better daily.

Unfortunately, a year ago I experienced a fall and fractured my ankle! I required a full operation, 3 months of rehab and had to return to using the walker for mobility. Like once before, I had no interest in anything.

Upon the encouragement of Bruno and my good friend, Nicole Levesque, Physiotherapist for 40 years, who jointly gave a conference called How to walk your way to better health with the ACTIVATOR & Nordic Walking Poles from Urban Poling, I registered for a walking program. (In fact, over 60 to 70 people registered!)

Today I’m 63 years old and said to myself, I must start walking with my ACTIVATOR poles again! At the beginning, I could only walk a couple of meters, but I was improving. My Urban Poling walking program started in the beginning of October and lasted 10 weeks. I love the special warm up exercises and the strengthening exercises that help build muscles and increase flexibility. I can proudly say that it was getting easier for me. I began walking faster, up to 4 X 400 metres on the track field course.

I feel like a champion. I could now walk 3 km to go to the grocery store without using a walker. I have more balance, no longer have the fear of falling and I resumed all my social activities that I had left for a very long time. The walking program has helped me so much and in every domain of my life.

Thank you Bruno. Thank You Nicole. Thank you to my ACTIVATOR Poles.

Jon, owner of Optimum Performance PT, is our next WP award winner. By trade, Jon is a Physical Therapist and has received extensive postgraduate training in advanced human biomechanics as well as alternative pain treatment strategies from the Mayo Clinic. Jon frequently recommends the Urban Poling poles to his clients and is a regular user himself. After meeting with the co-directors of the company, Mandy Shintani and Diana Oliver about six months ago, it didn’t take long for Jon to experience first-hand the incredible benefits the poles gave him. He personally witnessed greater physical fitness and as a result, hopes to better promote Urban Poling to his clients in his community of Urbandale, Iowa. He works with professional, collegiate, and elite high school athletes looking to significantly improve their athletic performance in addition to remaining injury free. His rehab practice also serves those who are seeking to become pain free and remain independent without taking powerful medications or resorting to invasive surgeries & injections. Check out Jon’s website here to learn more. (He was also featured on WHO Ch13 news where he spoke about Nordic walking!)

Way to go Jon for helping spread the joy of a relatively new kind of fitness in your neighborhood! With your enthusiasm, we can see you taking our “Walking to better health” mission in tandem with your unique expertise in physical therapy far. You’re our first certified master trainer in the US and we’re glad you’re now a part of the Urban Poling tribe. We wish you a great step forward!