Featured Medal-Bearers

The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay will feature 7,000 Medal-Bearers who, like Rick Hansen, are difference makers in their own right; with the power to change anything. Here are some of their stories.

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  Amna Ansari

  Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

  Amna Ansari is a 17 year old, grade eleven student at Rick Hansen Secondary School, and is a perfect example of what it means to be a difference maker. An actively involved ...

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  Ramesh Ferris

  Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon

  Ramesh Ferris was born in the Southern State of Tamil Nadu in India. He contracted polio at only six months old which resulted in paralysis of his legs. With no means or ...

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  Karim Ladki

  Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C

  In September of 2007 Karim received a C7 vertebrae fracture and was faced with the possibility of paralysis. Ultimately recovering fully, he nonetheless was left with a full appreciation for those impacted with ...

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  Gordon Warnica

  Hometown: Fall River, NS

  Gordon has devoted his whole life to active living and has hiked, ran and paddled a canoe all over the world. Gordon has facilitated running events which began as small community races ...

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  Amelia Mannarino

  Hometown: Montreal, QC

  From Montreal, Quebec, Amelia is a true Difference Maker. The University of McGill engineering student is always finding ways to make life a little easier for everyone. Amelia volunteers with refuges teaching English ...

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  Merina Farrell

  Hometown: Quispamsis, NB

  Merina is a woman who is not afraid of a challenge. Spending more than five years bicycling around the world through 64 countries, Merina was assaulted, chased by a lion, charged by ...

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  Janice Hatt

  Hometown: Trenton, Nova Scotia

  Janice was raised in Trenton, Nova Scotia. As a paraplegic, due to unknown childhood spinal nerve damage, Janice has been inspired by Rick Hansen since she was a child. At nine years ...

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  Rebecca Aucoin

  Hometown: Codroy Valley, NFLD

  Promoting leadership as a student council representative, Rebecca also participates in competitions with her school robotics club. Through these activities Rebecca has learned to understand how important good communication and keeping a positive ...

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  Henderson Paris

  Hometown: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

  Henderson Paris is an inspiring leader in his community of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Henderson founded a local Run Against Racism event to bring awareness on eliminating racial discrimination in schools. The event ...

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  Jacob Manning

  Hometown: Conception Bay South, Newfoundland

  To set the Relay in motion, 13-year-old Jacob Manning was selected as the first 25th Anniversary Relay Medal-Bearer for being a true Difference Maker. From Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Jacob is a committed ...

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  Barry Amos and Miramichi Valley High School

  Hometown: Miramichi, New Brunswick

  Barry Amos, a 39 year old Basketball coach at Miramichi Valley High School (MVHS) in New Brunswick, survived an accident four years ago that left him a C-4 level quadriplegic, in a wheelchair ...

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  Phyllis Brisee

  Hometown: Riverview, New Brunswick

  Nominated by the Town of Riverview, Phyllis Brisee is a true difference maker in her community: a cofounder of the "Ability Club" 30 years ago, a member of the Moncton accessibility committee for ...

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  Ross Phillips (Cross Canada Canoe Odyssey)

  Hometown: Lumsden, Saskatchewan

  Six paddlers from across the country set forth on a journey to make a difference: to bring attention to the importance of Canada's waterways. Led by University of Saskatchewan hydrology student Ross Phillips, ...

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  Richard Perrin

  Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario

  Ten years ago, Richard Perrin, an Ottawa software engineer and father of two, discovered a new passion in his life: motorcycling. He signed up for an introductory motorcycle course at the Ottawa Safety ...

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  Hisham Mohammad

  Hometown: Whitby, Ontario

  Hisham Mohammad was born with spinal atrophy, a condition that causes severe muscle weakness. Rehabilitation services were almost non-existent in his native Saudi Arabia and finding even basic equipment like a wheelchair was ...

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  Niko Herold

  Hometown: Seagrave, ON

  Niko Herold was born two months early, which caused a traumatic brain injury upon birth accompanied by a seizure disorder. His dedicated mother Donna, spent weeks driving three hours round-trip each day to ...

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