Today we are celebrating International Day of People with Disabilities and the reluanch of the Every Player Counts programme with the EFL Trust by sharing the incredible story of Ben Evison, who has been on a life-changing journey through our ShrewsAbility sessions. Read about his story below.
Ben is 13 years old and has a degenerative muscle condition which has meant that it has always been difficult for him to get out and take part in activities. Most children with his condition don’t live past 2 years of age. Although he used to be able to walk with a frame, his condition has since worsened meaning that he now uses a wheelchair.
Around 18 months ago his condition deteriorated to such a degree that for had to stay in local hospice Hope House for a period of time. After this tough time had passed, his parents decided they had try to get Ben more active and began brining him to ShrewsAbility. At the sessions he was able to interact with children his own age and take part in sport for the first time. These sessions gave Ben the confidence to start attending school, allowing him to get out of the house and make friends for the first time.
After a year of attending the sessions his father commented that they have changed Ben’s life; giving him more confidence to go out and interact with other children and has helped combat the effects of the disease along with allowing him to have fun in a safe and supportive environment.
Ben’s father, Paul said “It’s a life-changing thing at Shrewsbury Town. Without these sessions I believe Ben wouldn’t be here today.”
Watch Ben’s story below
The EFL Trust and Wembley National Stadium Trust have worked together successfully for the past 3 years to get over 11,000 disabled people into football. Shrewsbury Town in the Community are proud to continue our partnership with them as part of the Every Player Counts programme as we continue to work to make ensure that football is an inclusive environment for disabled supporters and players.