Free sit-skiing program giving Edmonton kids ‘quality of life’

Young patients at the Glenrose Hospital had the chance to try sit skiing this week. Amanda Anderson has the story.

The Glenrose Pediatric Outpatient Rehab program is aiming to get more kids out onto snowy hills with adopted skiing.

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Kids who use wheelchairs were given the opportunity to do sit skiing at Snow Valley Ski Club in Edmonton on Thursday.

A seat is attached to a pair of skis to let people sit while going down the slopes.

“It’s really important for quality of life, long term, for our kids,” said Channell Corrodas-Casper, a recreation therapist at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

“That’s the most rewarding part, for sure, is hearing the kids after who maybe were a little bit nervous or didn’t know these things exist.”

Corrodas-Casper says it’s the second year the rehab program has partnered up with Canadian Adaptive Snowsports, giving kids the opportunity to try sit skiing for the first time. The program allows kids to ski for free.

“I think it’s amazing, I’ve never done it before, so I feel really excited but really nervous,” 12-year-old Maverick Schultz said. He is one of three kids sit skiing this year.

Maverick’s mom, Jessica Schultz, says her son and daughter used to be able to toboggan but lost the ability around five years old. Up until then, they were “just like every other kid” but then eventually both ended up needing a wheelchair.

This opportunity is something both kids have been looking forward to.

“We didn’t even know it existed until a couple of years ago and we just never had the opportunity,” Jessica said.

Corrodas-Casper says with the program running for a second year, they’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from kids and parents.

“We actually couldn’t get them off the hill, they wouldn’t leave, they had so much fun,” Corrodas-Casper said.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall