Published on Tuesday 11 December, 2018

For twenty-four year old Alex, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has created opportunities and helped him develop his sporting prowess.

“I’ve been with the NDIS for over two years and my experience so far has been great,” Alex said.

Alex has been attending our Hub for over five years and with the team’s support he’s become a very active member of his community.
A quietly determined young man, Alex hasn’t let having spina bifida slow him down and he excels at wheelchair rugby, basketball, lawn bowls and sailing.

“I was doing similar things before but I had to rely on my family to take me to different places, which wasn’t always possible and it was tough on them.”

“Now I don’t have to rely on others. I can do whatever I want when I want.”

Hub Facilitator, Toni Hunt, said Alex is great at every sport he tries.

“Alex had never tried sailing before joining us but he’s a natural. He’s also extremely dedicated and does a gym program once a week to develop his upper body strength.”

“I feel really good being able to go to the gym and go sailing. I feel a real sense of freedom when I’m sailing. I don’t have to go from side to side to steer the yacht. I can sit in one place, hold the tiller and work the sails,” Alex said.

“Depending on the breeze, sometimes you’re flying and other times you’re just floating around but when I’m out on the water I don’t feel like I have a disability.”