‘I always push myself’
Pownal teen receives prestigious nod for courage and determination
Cerebral palsy is, in the eyes of Hannah MacLellan, no more than a manageable hurdle.
Sure, the impairment of motor functions caused by CP certainly hampers the pace of the Pownal teenager.
She requires twice the energy of most students — perhaps even more — for carrying out any and all activities, from brushing her hair to getting from one classroom to the next.
But not only does she arrive at her destinations, she attains her lofty goals.
“You have an adversity,’’ she says. “It doesn’t define you.’’
Rather, she stresses, it is how a person deals with adversity —how he or she overcomes challenges — that is truly defining.
MacLellan, who just turned 18, has been recognized for exhibiting courage and determination through volunteer work and humanitarian services.
She is among a select group to receive a $28,000 scholarship through the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award Program.
The path to the prestigious honour has been paved with both determination and selflessness.
She has achieved well at school, an honours student set to graduate from Charlottetown Rural high school.
She has also made a remarkable splash in the pool, first dipping into the pool in 2010. Today, the breaststroke specialist is ranked 36th in the world in her classification of para-swimming.
“I am very competitive and I’ve learned to push myself,’’ she explains.
Her dream is to swim in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.
Don’t bet against it.
She has also already made quite a name by pushing for what she believes in.
Late in November, MacLellan beamed as Hannah’s bill passed in the legislature.
She successfully pushed for changes to wording in the Highway Traffic Act to be more inclusive in reference to persons with special needs.
She promotes inclusion elsewhere, as well, such as voicing the importance for children with disabilities to be active.
MacLellan, who volunteers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, has reached the top plateau of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award — the world’s leading youth achievement award.
MacLellan will be taking political science at Carleton University. She hopes to have a career as a lawyer that will see her advocating for people with disabilities.
She is not only an advocate. She is a role model.
“I like to try to overcome challenges and I always push myself,’’ she says.
“You have an adversity. It doesn’t define you.’’ Hannah MacLellan