By Aristos Georgiou
Science and Health Reporter
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Makayla Noble, the high school cheerleader who was paralyzed in a freak accident in 2021, has marked International Wheelchair Day with an Instagram post.
The 17-year-old resident of Prosper, Texas, suffered a severe spinal cord injury on September 20, 2021, which left her paralyzed from the chest down.
Noble, a world champion cheerleader, is currently undergoing rehabilitation and therapy but needs to use a wheelchair to get around.
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In an update posted to the Facebook group "Makayla's Fight" on Tuesday, the family said: "Happy International Wheelchair Day! An annual day of events and activities which take place around the world when wheelchair users celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has on their lives.
"Although Mak is not defined by her wheelchair, we know the positive impact her journey has and continues to have on others!"
International Wheelchair Day is celebrated every year on March 1, with events and activities taking place around the world.
Since first being launched in 2008, celebrations have taken place in countries including Australia, Nepal, Senegal, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
According to the International Wheelchair Day website, the main aims of the day are:
- To enable wheelchair users to celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has in their lives.
- To celebrate the great work of the many millions of people who provide wheelchairs, who provide support and care for wheelchair users and who make the world a better and more accessible place for people with mobility issues.
- To acknowledge and react constructively to the fact there are many tens of millions of people in the world who need a wheelchair, but are unable to acquire one.
Since her accident, the family has received an outpouring of support from their local community, as well as people from all over the world. In addition, thousands of internet users have been tuning into social media updates posted by Noble, in which she has been documenting her everyday life as quadriplegic.
A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the family has received around $220,000 in donations at the time of writing. The money will go towards costs associated with the teen's recovery and rehabilitation.
"We recognize and are so thankful for the local love and support from Prosper but on this day want to also say thank you to everyone around the world who follows Mak's story, interacts on IG, subscribes and comments on her YouTube and to those who give from their hearts to the GoFundMe," the family said in the Facebook post.
International Wheelchair Day came soon after a busy weekend for Noble, who attended and spoke at an event in Dallas hosted by the National Cheerleaders Association.
"Words cannot describe how unforgettable this weekend was!! Starting off the weekend on Friday I had the honor of speaking in the arena about my journey of recovery and how Allstar cheer has helped me so much!" Noble said in an Instagram post.
"Sat + Sun was full of cheerleading and seeing friends I haven't seen since before my injury. Being on the other side of the mat was a roller coaster of emotions. All in all I cannot say how much I love and appreciate each and every one of y'all. I was so honored to get to meet and talk to so many of you guys this weekend ! I LOVE YOUUUU."
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