Published in Summer 2024 edition of FORWARD magazine
As a tetraplegic, Ian thought he’d lost any chance of being able to do things independently – until he found gaming again.
After sustaining a C4/5 spinal cord injury following a cycling accident in 2014, Ian Kavanagh was determined to find a way back to a hobby he’d loved – gaming. What he hadn’t counted on was the freedom it would give him after years of being reliant on others for so many of his needs.
“I’d always been physically active and loved cycling and rock-climbing, but gaming was a major part of my life and something I’d enjoyed doing since I was a kid,” Ian, 38, from Liverpool, remembers. “I’d always played computer games with my dad, always had the latest console and the best games out.”
As a tetraplegic, coming to terms with not taking part in most of the physical activities he’d loved so much was hard, but in gaming he saw a route back to a new kind of normality. Yet, it would still take hours of frustration watching his friends and family play before he researched gaming options for those like himself with high-level injuries.
“Gaming has given me my life back – and my pride! As a tetraplegic, there’s not much I can do on my own. Being able to play a game without someone doing it for me and the freedom that gives me is amazing.
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